Question reference: S6W-00515
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 7 June 2021
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Current status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 June 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it chose not to follow the procedures used in the rest of the UK for recent large test events when planning for similar events, such as those that will take place during Euro 2020.
Answer
Scotland is not part of the UK Government’s Events Research Programme and our events therefore do not fall within its remit or procedures. We have, however, engaged with the UK Government throughout the Programme and we await the final report of Phase 1 and will consider the evidence contained in it, including the success of the procedures tested, to help inform our route ahead.
Meantime, we have adopted our own approach to supporting flagship events, putting in place a ‘Gateway process’ to ensure that selected events of international importance can take place over summer and autumn with limited numbers of attendees, outwith the Levels or any equivalent framework, subject to epidemiological conditions. Euro 2020 is the first of these flagship events, with the process enabling up to 12,000 spectators to attend games at Hampden as well as a Fan Zone accommodating up to 3000 per session.