Committee
COVID-19 Committee 14 January 2021
14 Jan 2021 · S5 · COVID-19 Committee
Item of business
Subordinate Legislation
Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Local Levels) (Scotland) Amendment (No 11) Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/3)
I thank David Stewart for those questions. It is almost impossible to predict the actual numbers, given the nature of evictions. Each eviction is unique, and there will be different reasons for them. We will monitor the situation, and we will—I hope—therefore be able to say how many evictions we think have been avoided, but even doing that is difficult. The very fact that the legislation is now in place will mean that people recognise that they should not proceed with an eviction on that basis. If David Stewart will permit me to do so, I will ensure that the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning is made aware of those issues and is looking at them. 10:45 On extension, we should remember that, when the emergency legislation went through Parliament, we gave a clear undertaking in relation to every aspect of the emergency legislation that we would not use it to substitute for the normal process of scrutiny of legislation. Where we can do it, we are extending those things that require to be extended. Of course, the legislation will fall on 31 March, and it allows for one further period of extension, which would be until the end of September. Some time ago, I made a commitment to the committee—which I think I also made in the chamber, in the statement on the two-monthly report—that we would introduce proposals for the extension of the legislation, particularly as the due date for its expiration falls when the Parliament will no longer be sitting. Given where we are now, I think that it is fairly obvious that we will have to introduce those proposals. However, I do not think that it would be sensible to take individual proposals and make piecemeal cases for them. I do not think that anybody would want the protection from eviction to lapse while there is still a need for it. We extended the regulations from their original end date until 22 January, and we have now done so until 31 March. We will keep the matter keenly under review. If the circumstances of the pandemic are such that it continues to be required, I think that you can expect it to be extended further.
In the same item of business
The Convener (Donald Cameron)
Con
Good morning, and welcome to the second meeting in 2021 of the COVID-19 Committee. We have received apologies from Monica Lennon and Beatrice Wishart. David ...
The Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs (Michael Russell)
SNP
Thank you for inviting me to give evidence on the regulations. Due to the time that is available today, I will not cover them all in detail in my remarks, bu...
The Convener
Con
Thank you, cabinet secretary—that is useful. I now turn to questions. I remind members that we have approximately eight to 10 minutes each for questions, so ...
Michael Russell
SNP
It is appropriate that I get Kevin Stewart, the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, to give you details of that consultation because he is r...
The Convener
Con
My next question is probably best directed to Jason Leitch. Are you seeing in the data on infection rates any sign of the situation stabilising or even impro...
Professor Jason Leitch (Scottish Government)
Thank you for having me back again, convener. “Glimmer” would be as far as I would go. The last time that we spoke a week ago, we were talking of a doubling ...
The Convener
Con
My final question, which is about the vaccine, is again probably best directed to Jason Leitch. In the vaccine plan that was announced yesterday, there are f...
Professor Leitch
We have a rounded figure of 5 per cent for wastage of vaccines—that is what we use for the flu vaccine, and the World Health Organization says that that is t...
The Convener
Con
Thank you—that is very helpful. David Stewart has the next question. Before he begins, I ask him whether he has any relevant interests to declare.
David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab)
Lab
Thank you, convener—I have no relevant interests to declare. My first question, which is on the protection from evictions, is for the cabinet secretary. I t...
Michael Russell
SNP
I thank David Stewart for those questions. It is almost impossible to predict the actual numbers, given the nature of evictions. Each eviction is unique, and...
David Stewart
Lab
Thank you. I have a wider question for Jason Leitch. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation said recently: “The current evidence remains that ...
Professor Leitch
Thank you that very important question, Mr Stewart. Other variants will come and the situation may change, so I have got used to providing the date when I g...
The Convener
Con
The next question comes from John Mason.
John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
The question of long Covid has been raised with me a few times. Where are we with that? In the past, various figures have been cited—it has been said that 10...
Professor Leitch
What we are now—
Michael Russell
SNP
I think that that is a question for Jason Leitch.
Professor Leitch
I am sorry, Mr Russell—I should have let you give it away. It is fair to say that we do not fully understand what we are now calling post-Covid syndrome, or...
John Mason
SNP
Thank you—that was helpful. The deep-end practices—those GP practices that serve the 100 poorest areas, which include parts of my constituency—have raised t...
Professor Leitch
You are right; it is very difficult. An 85-year-old in one part of our community can look much like a 70-year-old in another part of our community. As with m...
John Mason
SNP
That is great. I might come back to that another time. Finally, I understand that we will require international arrivals to have been tested before they com...
Michael Russell
SNP
I will take that question. The final arrangements for the new dispensation are being put in place. At present, I understand that there will be fairly rigorou...
Professor Leitch
It is just a brief one. I can tell Mr Mason that 100 per cent of passengers will be checked before boarding; the spot checks will be carried out post arrival...
Michael Russell
SNP
I should point out that there is a penalty for the carrier as well as for the individual. That has tended to be quite an effective way of ensuring compliance...
The Convener
Con
John Mason has a follow-up question.
John Mason
SNP
Will the carrier do the checking at the departure airport, just as it checks a passport?
Professor Leitch
I am not sure that we know the exact logistics of that yet; we do not know where the check will be done if someone is in, for example, Antigua, Mexico City o...
John Mason
SNP
Thank you.
Michael Russell
SNP
There will be a responsibility on the carrier, so it will check that.
The Convener
Con
Our next set of questions comes from Mark Ruskell.