Question reference: S5W-34918
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 3 February 2021
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Current status: Answered by John Swinney on 5 February 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in situations where a couple live together in the same household and have a child less than a year old, but where one parent is required to spend periods of time away for essential work-related reasons, whether the parent caring for the child at home by themselves is permitted to form an extended household for the period that their partner is away.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to acknowledge the fact that on-going restrictions have been challenging for everyone, in particular for parents and new mothers. However, we do not intend to revise the extended household rules to include all parents with a child less than a year old at this time.
“The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Regulations 2020” permit two households of any size to form an extended household. The parameters around this are set out in guidance. Extended households rules in Scotland were developed to reduce isolation and meet social need.