Question reference: S5W-34239
- Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 22 December 2020
-
Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 24 March 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on (a) people from the lowest income groups, (b) BAME people, (c) disabled people and (d) older people to be a breach of their human rights.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on individuals and groups across the whole of society, including people on low incomes, disabled people, older people and people from minority ethnic communities.
We recognise that the pandemic has had a detrimental impact on access to, and enjoyment of, a broad spectrum of human rights as the Scottish Government has had to take unprecedented and necessary action to suppress Covid19 and preserve life.
Human rights and equality have, however, been embedded throughout our COVID response and recovery work. We have sought, as far as possible, to minimise both direct and indirect impacts for everyone in Scotland and to use every opportunity to address inequality, to ensure dignity, fairness and respect and to respect, protect and fulfil human rights.