Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 03 February 2021
I thank members for their contributions to this very important debate. We all appreciate and share an understanding that compliance will continue to be critical for some time. Only by self-isolating when we develop symptoms, or are notified to do so, can we break the chain of transmission of the virus and save lives. We know that self-isolation is a significant challenge for people to undertake, and I have set out the extensive range of support that is available to people who are self-isolating and our intention to expand that.
Mark Ruskell was quite right to challenge the Government to think about the issue not just in the short term but for the long term, and I reassure him that we are committed to looking at the lessons that we need to learn for the future. However, I cannot agree with him on the aspect of his motion that is about a universal offer for everyone who self-isolates. According to our forecasting, that would cost £700 million for the next financial year, and, given the financial constraints that we are under, the Scottish Government believes that there are better ways to support people at this point.
I urge Rachael Hamilton not to use again the figure of 18 per cent compliance—which is woefully out of date—because that does a disservice not to the Government but to those who are making the difficult choice to self-isolate. Compliance is high, as I said in my opening remarks. If we do not give people the correct picture, and instead give them a false one, that will damage morale and compliance. We must, please, use the most up-to-date figures, not for the Government’s benefit but for the people out there who are listening to us and looking for leadership.
Many members have, quite rightly, asked about the number of people who have been turned down for a self-isolation support grant. In passing, I add that that replicates roughly what is happening in England. I note that a report in The Guardian yesterday said that 70 per cent of people who apply are being refused. We are taking action to ensure that we extend eligibility, so perhaps more people will be eligible in future than have been in the past.
However, I also point to some other reasons why people are not eligible for a grant—for example, people who have applied had not been in work and have therefore not had a drop in income; people have not been self-isolating; and there have been speculative applications. We will look, and have been looking, very seriously at what we need to do on eligibility. That is why we have already made changes and we will continue to look at it.
Pauline McNeill talked about people who are frightened to come forward for a test because of a fear of self-isolating. She was quite right to highlight that. That is why we are already looking at what we need to do about putting in information about support when we are doing community testing, so that people are aware of what is out there. Again, I mentioned in my opening remarks the publicity campaigns that we will be doing in general.