Committee
COVID-19 Recovery Committee 20 January 2022
20 Jan 2022 · S6 · COVID-19 Recovery Committee
Item of business
Ministerial Statement, Coronavirus Acts Report and Subordinate Legislation
Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 (SSI 2022/6)
Thank you, convener. I am grateful to the committee for the opportunity to discuss a number of matters, including the updates to the Parliament on Covid-19. I will make a brief opening statement. As the First Minister set out on Tuesday, although omicron continues to cause high levels of cases and we must maintain proportionate protective measures, the data that we are seeing gives us confidence that we have turned the corner on the omicron wave. Although the number of cases remains high, we continue to see a reduction in cases across most age groups. Admissions to hospital of people with Covid, albeit still too high, are now falling. The success of our vaccination programme, the willingness of the public to adapt its behaviour, and the temporary protective measures that were introduced in December have all helped to limit the impact of the omicron wave. That is positive news but, given how infectious omicron is and the impact that it is having on our society, we must remain careful and cautious as we continue to lift additional protective measures in a phased approach. The First Minister confirmed that, from Monday 24 January, the remaining statutory measures that were introduced in response to omicron will be lifted. Those include the requirement for table service in certain hospitality settings and the closure of night clubs. Non-professional indoor contact sports can also resume from Monday. Although it remains sensible to stay cautious in our social interactions and to prioritise whom we meet, the First Minister also confirmed that the guidance asking people to limit indoor gatherings to three households will be lifted. Our advice remains to take a lateral flow test, and to report the result, whenever meeting others. Reporting test results, including those that are negative, will ensure that we are able to make better assessments of the trends in infection. The Covid vaccination certification scheme will remain in place for events and venues that were previously covered by it, and we are asking event organisers to check the certification status of more people who are attending events. This week, the Cabinet agreed not to extend the certification scheme, given the improving situation. For the time being, baseline measures, such as wearing face coverings in indoor places and working from home, when that is possible, will remain in place. The requirement for businesses, service providers and places of worship to take reasonable measures to minimise the spread of Covid on their premises will be retained, at this stage, to help keep Covid contained as the current wave recedes. Our vaccination programme continues, and I encourage anyone who has not yet had their first, second or booster dose to do so as soon as possible. Getting fully vaccinated is the most important thing that we can do just now to protect ourselves and each other. The First Minister said on Tuesday that we are entering a calmer phase of the epidemic. That will allow us to consider the adaptations that we might need to make to build our resilience and to manage the virus less restrictively as we move into an endemic phase in the future. We have not yet reached the endemic phase and must remain cautious, given the uncertainties that lie ahead. I am happy to answer questions from the committee.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Siobhian Brown)
SNP
Good morning, and welcome to the second meeting in 2022 of the Covid-19 Recovery Committee. We have received apologies from Alex Rowley MSP and are joined by...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
Thank you. I have no relevant interests to declare.
The Convener
SNP
Thank you. Brian Whittle is running slightly late, so he will be joining us later. This morning, we will take evidence from the Scottish Government on the ...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery (John Swinney)
SNP
Thank you, convener. I am grateful to the committee for the opportunity to discuss a number of matters, including the updates to the Parliament on Covid-19. ...
The Convener
SNP
Thank you. We are short of time, so I ask for concise questions and answers. Thankfully, the omicron wave is decreasing, although we are cautiously aware th...
John Swinney
SNP
Professor Leitch can provide some of the epidemiological information. A huge amount of surveillance data is still available to Government. Substantial number...
Professor Jason Leitch (Scottish Government)
It is a global problem and not one that Scotland can solve alone. We discovered omicron because a large outbreak in a region of South Africa looked different...
The Convener
SNP
With the omicron variant, people are being encouraged just to do a lateral flow test rather than a PCR one and to self-isolate for the required amount of tim...
John Swinney
SNP
There should not be an issue there. Individuals who are required to self-isolate, which is the case if someone tests positive with a lateral flow device test...
The Convener
SNP
That is very helpful—thank you. We will move on to the next question.
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Good morning, cabinet secretary and colleagues. I have two questions and, given that we are short of time, I will ask them both together. Cabinet secretary,...
John Swinney
SNP
In a moment, I will ask Professor Leitch to deal with the question of epidemic and endemic, because judgment with a clear scientific basis has to be applied ...
Professor Leitch
I will respond briefly to question 2, and then I will answer the question on endemic status. When omicron first emerged, we simply did not know whether the ...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
Good morning. You will be aware that the Scottish Government stopped fertility treatment for those women who were not fully vaccinated on the day before Chri...
John Swinney
SNP
I recognise the significance and sensitivity of the points that Jackie Baillie is raising with me. I will draw on input from Professor Leitch in addition to ...
Professor Leitch
The third question is the easiest. There will be no disadvantage to couples whose IVF treatment has had to be paused. There will be an extension of the time ...
The Convener
SNP
We move on to questions from John Mason. If we have enough time at the end, I will come back to members for supplementary questions.
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
In yesterday’s Herald newspaper, there was a column by Stuart Patrick, who is the chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce. He argues that this is the ...
John Swinney
SNP
The four harms framework to which Mr Mason refers, which we put in place in the summer of 2020, has been an essential guide in ministers’ decision making. It...
John Mason
SNP
There was some coverage in the media yesterday about compulsory vaccinations. Specifically, it was about an offshore company—I think that it was CNR Internat...
John Swinney
SNP
The Government’s position is that we will not mandate people to have a vaccination. It is a voluntary programme. An individual organisation is free to take s...
John Mason
SNP
I have a final factual question. There has been talk about charging for LFTs. What is the cost of an LFT?
John Swinney
SNP
The last cost that I saw was something of the order of £3 per test, but I stand to be corrected by one of my officials.
Professor Leitch
That is also my understanding. I think that the cabinet secretary saw the same briefing that I saw. The cost was about £3 per test. That is a calculation fro...
Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con)
Con
A report that I was looking at on the incidence of lung cancer over the piece says that half of lung cancer diagnoses are being made at stage 4 and that, dur...
John Swinney
SNP
I contend that the relevant data is clearly available because Mr Whittle has just recounted it to me. The collection of such data enables us to see comparati...
Brian Whittle
Con
I understand that the Government has to balance a lot of different factors. However, we know from the numbers that people who are in hospital with Covid or w...
John Swinney
SNP
Essentially, that is reconciled through the four harms framework that I discussed in my answers to John Mason. I will remind the committee of the details of ...
Jim Fairlie (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
SNP
I have two questions. One is very narrow, which I will probably direct—Inaudible.. Deputy First Minister, there are lots of reports in this morning’s newspa...
John Swinney
SNP
On Mr Fairlie’s first question, the Scottish Government’s position on the wearing of face coverings—whether in crowded public places, on public transport or ...