Chamber and committees

I recognise the difficulty in having been unable to fully come together within places of worship since the start of lockdown in March. Over the recent months the Scottish Government has worked closely with faith communities to produce guidance to support places of worship to reopen in line with restrictions, including for the latest easement on the 15 July, which allowed for the resumption of communal worship.

The intention of the places of worship guidance is for it be used as an overarching non-prescriptive framework, and the principles and expectations set out in the guidance – including those relating to physical distancing and hygiene safeguards - should be incorporated into faith-specific guidance, expanding on them where appropriate.

When interpreting the guidance on the safe use of places of worship, we ask that faith communities take a common sense approach. It is for faith communities to determine what faith-specific practices, which may include communion, are essential and how they can be done in a way that is safe and in accordance with the guidance. Decisions on reopening that are made by places of worship should be taken in the spirit of achieving the collective aim of keeping transmission rates low and communities safe.

We will continue to work closely with Scotland’s faith communities as we move towards fully reopening places of worship as soon as it is safe to do so.

On the 20 August, we reviewed the current restrictions limiting the number of people allowed to attend a place of worship. Giving consideration to Scotland’s broader position regarding virus suppression and to minimise overall harm and ensure transmission of the virus continues to be suppressed, it was decided on balance to maintain the current limit of 50 people in line with two metre physical distancing guidelines.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31084 on 18 August 2020 detailing the reasoning behind the current restriction on numbers.

We remain committed to ensuring that these restrictions last no longer than is necessary and we will consider them again, on 10 September, as part of the next three weekly review set out in the Framework for Decision Making.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx 

Scottish Ministers have provided significant financial support to CalMac and NorthLlink In order to ensure that lifeline services are sustained.

Both operators have now opened their booking windows for a longer period, giving islanders the ability to book ahead to travel with certainty. For the Calmac, where capacity is constrained on some routes, an allocation of tickets has been retained on a ‘turn up and go basis’ that is most likely to benefit local residents looking to travel at short notice.

Ministers have also provided financial support to Pentland Ferries and Western Ferries on the basis that maintaining these provide routes for ambulance transfers that would otherwise not be available.

In Phase 3 exceptions to the 2 metre physical distance requirement have been allowed for ferries where this is underpinned by operators risk assessments and mitigation measures.

Throughout the transition from lockdown, ferry capacity was significantly restricted to ensure physical distancing.

During Phase 2 travel to and from the islands for leisure and recreation by ferry was not encouraged therefore passenger demand was less than the available capacity.

Physical distancing reduced capacity to around 20% at 2 metre distancing, on the Northern Isles vessels. Significant variances exist across the CalMac fleet with an average of 16.7% at 2 metre distancing.

The move to Phase 3 from 10 July, allowing 1 metre distancing, with mitigating measures in place, significantly increased the available passenger capacity on ferries meaning an increase to 60% on the Northern Isles vessels and 31.4% across the CalMac fleet , ensuring that ferry services can fully support the reopening of the tourism sector that is so essential for the sustainability of island and rural economies.

Modelling indicates that with mitigating measures in place, 1 metre distancing should allow carryings to be over 85% of last year's carrying demand on many of the routes across both Northern Isles and Clyde and Hebrides networks; however pressures remain on popular sailings and services.

CalMac engaged with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to secure permission for passengers to remain in cars on shorter routes with open deck ferries, increasing the number of passengers that can be carried. CalMac also introduced outside-only tickets on three of our busiest routes, so increasing capacity further.

Serco NorthLink Ferries have opened up their booking system for the rest of the year. CalMac Ferries Limited have now opened theirs up to 12 September on a 7 week rolling basis, with bookings available to end of the season as from 31 July. Operators will reserve a percentage of bookings to manage demand for islanders, key workers and urgent travel needs.

Essential Lifeline Timetables were implemented on 27 March to reflect the Scottish Government guidance around essential travel and the resultant demand. Timetables have now been scaled up and alongside the move to 1 metre distancing there is a significant increase in ferry capacity.

Demand has not exceeded capacity on ferry services during the COVID-19 outbreak, albeit there have been a number of individual peak time sailings where demand has exceeded available capacity, for example on routes to Cumbrae and the main Ardrossan to Brodick service to Arran.

Transport Scotland continues to engage closely with ferry operators, Local Authorities and stakeholders to maximise available capacity.

The economic impact of reduced travel will vary across islands and the Scottish Government is engaged with the island local authorities to assess the measures required for economic recovery from the downturn. Our Advisory Group on Economic Recovery has provided recommendations on restoring the economy to growth and a detailed response will be produced before the end of July.

Transport Scotland is closely monitoring transport usage and capacity working with the ferry operators to balance the provision of safe services to best meet the needs of our island communities. The latest transport trends report can be found here:

https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/covid-19-transport-trend-data-13-19-july-2020/ .

Transport Scotland officials on behalf of Scottish Ministers have engaged with ferry operators and key stakeholders as we consider the options for ferry services through the different phases of the Scottish Government’s Route Map and the Transport Transition Plan.

There has been extensive engagement with ferry committees, external transport forums and individual communities and businesses to ensure their needs are understood in planning as we emerge from lockdown.

Access to our islands for island residents and key workers, such as NHS staff, is essential and we have worked with operators to put measures in place to support this where possible, including increased timetables and booking windows. Operators will reserve a percentage of bookings to manage demand for islanders, key workers and urgent travel needs and a small supply of tickets are retained for sale on a ‘show up and go’ basis, again with a view to being of particular benefit to islanders.

In alignment with enhanced timetable changes from 1 July 2020, CalMac engaged with the Maritime & Coastguard Agency to secure permission for passengers to remain in cars on shorter routes with open deck ferries, increasing the number of passengers that can be carried. CalMac also introduced outside-only tickets on three of our busiest routes, Ardrossan – Brodick, Oban – Craignure and Wemyss Bay – Rothesay to augment available passenger capacity in the context of physical distancing requirements on vessels servicing these routes, when weather conditions are suitable.

As set out in the Strategic Framework for the reopening of schools, early learning and childcare provision published on 21 May, critical childcare provision for key worker and vulnerable children will continue throughout June and the summer break. Local authorities will be responsible for deciding on the details about how to maintain the critical childcare service for key workers during this time. Education and childcare staff, including support staff, who are providing education and childcare for category 1 key workers may also qualify for critical childcare under category 1. Other education and childcare staff who are preparing schools and early learning and childcare services for re-opening may qualify under category 3.

All childcare settings have been able to reopen from 15 July, providing more options for parents and carers, including teachers.

The reopening of amusement arcades will be considered with other indoor entertainment venues for later in Phase 3. The Scottish Government recognises the importance of businesses reopening, however public health is paramount. We will move to reopen Scotland’s amusement arcades as soon as it is safe to do so.

The Scottish Government and COSLA jointly wrote to local authorities on 15 May 2020. This letter offered local authorities flexibility to use the £508 million of ELC expansion funding for 2020-21, underspends against specific ELC revenue grant funding in previous years, and other funding streams where appropriate, to secure critical childcare provision for children of key workers and vulnerable children, and to support education recovery needed locally.

The Scottish Government and COSLA, through the ELC Finance working group, are carrying out a cost modelling exercise to determine the financial impact of COVID-19 on local authority ELC funding. The Group will continue to work through the financial implications of critical childcare during the pandemic response on ELC funding going forward.