Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 09 February 2022
I draw members’ attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which states that I am a practising NHS general practitioner.
The past two years have been incredibly difficult for our country. Covid has been the most challenging test that many of us have experienced when it comes to our public services, our economy and our way of life. At times, it has been all consuming and we have all questioned whether a full return to normality would ever be possible.
However, the situation that we face today is, in all likelihood, the most optimistic since the pandemic began. More than 3.3 million Scots have received their booster jag, and, although the dominant omicron variant is more transmissible, it is proving to be less severe than other strains of the virus. I am sure that all members are pleased and relieved that the Scottish Government forecasts of the likely impact of omicron were way off the mark when set against the reality that we have today.
As we seek to set a strategy that goes beyond Covid, it is timely and important that we start to deal with some of the legislative details that have underpinned our country’s response.
The Coronavirus Act 2020 lets health boards decide whether people who are self-isolating because of Covid-19 receive compensation and allows health boards to pay compensation for other reasons. As we know, that provision expires in March 2022. The Coronavirus Act 2020 will apply until 31 October 2022 and the bill allows for the Scottish Government to reduce or extend that period if required.
The Scottish Conservatives are comfortable with the bill. It provides sufficient flexibility for the Government to act if required while putting down a marker that we are moving beyond Covid. I look forward to the Scottish Government presenting its strategy for living with Covid, which I hope we will be able to see before March.
As members may be aware, the Scottish Conservatives have already published our plan as part of the cross-party consultation strategy. We seek a progressive and ambitious change in direction, to move away from blanket legal restrictions and instead use public health advice to protect vulnerable groups. Just as the bill provides health boards and the Government with a level of flexibility, I believe that we should be open minded and have a rethink about whether we are handling Covid correctly.
That is essential, because restrictions are not without costs. We must balance restrictions against the impact on people’s livelihoods and mental and physical health. We must also think about the signals that we give to people and businesses. To pass a law that retains the power for Government to shut down schools and businesses, release prisoners early and force further lockdowns without any scrutiny sends the wrong signal to society and investors. Those who know how corporate investment decisions are taken will understand that that is plain wrong.
If the Green Party members in the Government are true to their principles, they will also find such a law objectionable. Some might even say that this is the thin end of an over-controlling Government’s door wedge. It is certainly not the kind of law that I would expect to see in the 21st century.
I congratulate John Swinney and the members of the COVID-19 Recovery Committee on steering the bill, which the Scottish Conservatives will support, through Parliament.
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