Minutes: 17 March 2022

1. Excess deaths in Scotland since the start of the pandemic:

The Committee took evidence from—

Humza Yousaf, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and Professor Jason Leitch,National Clinical Director, Scottish Government .

Brian Whittle indicated that he was previously a director of a healthcare tech company developing communication and collaboration platforms. 

2. Ministerial statement on COVID-19; Subordinate legislation:

The Committee took evidence on the Ministerial statement on COVID-19; and the following instruments—
The Coronavirus (Scotland) Acts (Amendment of Expiry Dates) Regulations 2022 [draft]
The Coronavirus (Scotland) Acts (Early Expiry of Provisions) Regulations 2022 (SSI 2022/64) 
The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel and Operator Liability) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations 2022 (SSI 2022/53)
The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 5) Regulations 2022 (SSI 2022/74) from—

John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for COVID Recovery, Professor Jason Leitch,National Clinical Director, Elizabeth Blair,Unit Head, Covid Co-ordination, Stewart Cunningham,Lawyer and Greig Walker,Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Bill Team Leader, Scottish Government .

3. Subordinate legislation:

John Swinney, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for COVID Recovery moved—
S6M-03075—That the COVID-19 Recovery Committee recommends that the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Alteration of Expiry Date) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 (SSI 2022/40) be approved.
S6M-03169—That the COVID-19 Recovery Committee recommends that the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Directions by Local Authorities) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 [draft] be approved.
S6M-03349-That the COVID-19 Recovery Committee recommends that the Coronavirus (Scotland) Acts (Amendment of Expiry Dates) Regulations 2022 [draft] be approved.
S6M-03202-That the COVID-19 Recovery Committee recommends that the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel and Operator Liability) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 3) Regulations 2022 (SSI 2022/53) be approved.
S6M-03354-That the COVID-19 Recovery Committee recommends that the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Requirements) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 5) Regulations 2022 (SSI 2022/74) be approved.

After debate, the motions were agreed to, motions S6M-03075, S6M-03169 and S6M-03349 were agreed to (by division: For 4 (Siobhian Brown MSP, Jim Fairlie MSP, John Mason MSP, Alex Rowley MSP), Against 2 (Murdo Fraser, Brian Whittle MSP, Abstentions 0) and motions S6M-03202 and S6M-03354 were agreed to (without division).

4. Subordinate legislation:

The Committee considered the following negative instrument—
The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 (Early Expiry of Provisions) Regulations 2022 (SSI 2022/64)

The Committee agreed to make no recommendations in relation to the instrument.

5. Consideration of evidence (In Private):

The Committee considered the evidence heard earlier in the meeting.