Chamber and committees

On 16 March the First Minister outlined some indicative dates for the resumption of sport and physical activity in Scotland. From Monday, 26 April indoor facilities including leisure centres, gyms, and swimming pools can reopen. When they reopen, children and young people under 18 can return to group classes and contact sport, and adults can resume activity in line with the rules around meeting other households. From Monday 17 May, adults can resume indoor group activity including non-contact sport. Indoor contact sport for adults is expected to resume in late June.

The indicative dates above are dependent on continued progress in suppressing the virus and rolling out vaccines.

From Friday 12 March, outdoor exercise classes can take place of groups up to 15 people, so a fitness coach can lead a class of 14 others.

The Respiratory Care Action Plan will set out the priorities and commitments to support the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of respiratory conditions including bronchiectasis. We are committed to building a data set to inform the implementation of the Plan and this will also allow us to monitor progress over time.

The Scottish Government has been clear that any decisions made with regard to lifting lockdown restrictions will be informed by the best available data, and this will be published where it is available. The Strategic Framework update announced to parliament by the First Minister on 23 February outlines a cautious approach to easing lockdown restrictions given the number of uncertainties which remain about the new variant of the virus (B.1.1.7 or ‘UK variant’) and the efficacy of the vaccination programmes on transmission of the virus and wider health outcomes. On 16 March, the First Minister announced the next milestones of our exit from lockdown. This includes an indicative timetable for the easing of measures, and from the 26 April will include a national move to Level 3 measures. However, we will continue to monitor case numbers and we are ready to adjust these plans should any evidence of a rise in cases occur. When we move down from Level 4 we want to try to do that as one country, because that will allow us to lift travel restrictions. However, we will consider the data and take final decisions nearer the time.

From 12 March, contact sport for under 12s, such as football, was permitted to re-start, in accordance with the Scottish FA guidelines. Football for young people between 12 and 17 is scheduled to re-start on 5 April. On 16 March, the First Minister set out a firmer timetable for the easing of restrictions adding that a revised Strategic Framework document will be published in due course.

The Scottish Government recognises that graduation is an important moment in a student’s life, offering students a chance to celebrate their hard work and achievements. The hosting of graduation ceremonies is an operational matter for individual institutions to determine, and any ceremonies this year will of course have to be planned in line with public health measures. Many colleges and universities have adopted innovative approaches to hosting graduation ceremonies virtually to ensure that the hard work of students is rightly recognised.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with colleges, universities, NUS Scotland, and trade unions to ensure that guidance is in place to support the safe return of students, with decisions informed by the data on virus prevalence and in line with our updated Strategic Framework. To ensure the continued safety of staff and students, we have published sectoral guidance for colleges and universities, which also signposts to other relevant sectoral guidance for the range of activities institutions may be engaged in.

Outdoor play and learning is an integral part of the early learning and childcare offer in Scotland and it is common for children to experience free-flow access to the outdoors in these settings. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for early learning and childcare services also explains that, given that the risks of transmission are much lower outdoors, ELC provision should maximise opportunities for outdoor play and experiences. The ELC guidance therefore makes no distinction between children mixing indoors and outdoors. Children should remain within the same groups wherever possible. The appropriate size of groups will depend on the age and overall number of children, and the layout of the setting but the guidance states that it would be reasonable for children to be managed in groups up to the size encountered in primary school, for example no more than 25 to 33 children in any one group. Children in ELC are not required to physically distance from each other, or from adults, either indoors or outdoors.

Similarly, the Coronavirus (COVID-19): Guidance on reducing the risks from COVID-19 in schools explains that, on the basis of the scientific advice, and subject to all other risk mitigation measures, there is no requirement for physical distancing between primary school children. On 16 March the First Minister announced children younger than 12 remain able to mix in larger groups and do not count towards the limit placed on groups of adults or older children.

The current regulations limit the entry of other people into homes for the purpose of the upkeep, maintenance or functioning of the house to where the work is essential for that purpose in level 4. These restrictions have been put in place to limit the transmission of the virus. As set out in our guidance, essential work includes domestic cleaning in support of a clean and safe living environment for people in vulnerable circumstance or living with a disability, where as a result of that vulnerable circumstance or disability are unable to clean their own home.

The Scottish Government has reviewed the Strategic Framework. As part of this, we have indicated the steps required for the easing of restrictions. As set out in the First Minister’s statement on 16 March, we expect the restrictions on working in other people’s homes to be relaxed on 26 April. The updated Strategic Framework sets out the conditions on easing, including meeting the WHO’s six conditions and all JCVI Priority Groups 1-9 having been offered the vaccine.

We are hugely grateful to the efforts over recent months of the many key workers in different sectors across Scotland as they have risen to the challenge of responding to the pandemic. Shared Lives carers are eligible for the payment. We are working through the practical and logistical issues of the payment process with stakeholders and will provide further details in due course.

Current guidance for delivery of maternity and neonatal services throughout the Covid-19 pandemic states that Boards should offer both virtual and in-person group antenatal sessions, in protection levels zero to three. Once the geographic protection levels have been re-instated, areas designated protection level three or below should start to plan to resume in-person antenatal classes, subject to risk assessment and physical distancing, in addition to any virtual group sessions currently offered. To ensure that all pregnant women across Scotland have access to antenatal information and advice throughout the pandemic, the Scottish Government has made available an online antenatal course. The course is free to access, provides expectant parents with practical information about pregnancy and birth and covers all of the information given in a traditional in-person antenatal class.

Whilst we recognise that the virus and the restrictions put in place have devastated Scotland’s tourism and hospitality sector, the protection of life is, and must remain, our key concern.

Caravan parks were required to close down during the first lockdown alongside other accommodation as part of a nationwide lockdown to curb the spread of Coronavirus across Scotland. At the time, there were some exceptions for example, full time residents without another home were able to remain in their caravan.

Presently, as before, all holiday accommodation such as caravan parks must cease to carry on business in level 4 areas except for the provision for essential reasons. This does not prevent holiday accommodation from being provided to anyone who is unable to return to their main residence, uses that accommodation as their main residence, is living in that accommodation for essential work purposes, needs accommodation while moving house, needs accommodation to attend a funeral, to the homeless or to support services for the homeless, to host blood donation sessions, or for any purpose requested by the Scottish Ministers or a local authority.

The Scottish Government has always advised caravan owners and caravan park owners that the matter of fees would need to be discussed according to their agreed contracts. We recognise that some businesses have chosen or been able to offer fee reductions. We recognise that these decisions would need to be made according to each caravan park’s business model and what would be affordable. We continue to encourage flexibility in discussions between caravan site owners and fee payers.