Chamber and committees

Thank you.

We move to members’ questions, starting with Murdo Fraser.

Under agenda item 2, the committee will take evidence from the Scottish Government on the latest ministerial statement on Covid-19 and subordinate legislation.

I welcome back to the meeting the Deputy First Minister. I also welcome the following Scottish Government officials: Professor Jason Leitch, national clinical director; Penelope Cooper, interim director of Covid co-ordination; and Derek Grieve, head of operational vaccines division. I welcome you, and thank you for your attendance.

I invite the Deputy First Minister to make some remarks before we move to questions.

Thank you, Deputy First Minister. That offer is much appreciated.

That is great.

My next question for the Deputy First Minister is about consistency in messaging since the most recent announcement. There seems to be a lot of confusion among the general public, and I am sure that all committee members have received communication about that in their inbox over the past week. We have been told that we should limit ourselves to three households, but people can still go to a nightclub or concert and mingle with thousands. There is also the education setting, on which there have been a lot of questions on the website from the public. Teenagers had a very challenging winter last winter, as they were not allowed to socialise inside, so they took to going outside in crowds, and lots of parents have got in touch asking in what numbers children can meet outside outwith school.

There does not seem to be consistency at the moment. I appreciate that you said that guidance will be coming out this week, but I seek more clarity on what people should be doing.

That concludes our consideration of this item. I thank the Deputy First Minister and his officials for their evidence during these worrying times.

The third agenda item is consideration of the motions on the made affirmative instruments on which we took evidence under the previous agenda item.

Deputy First Minister, would you like to make any further remarks on the Scottish statutory instruments?

Thank you, Deputy First Minister.

I note that no member has indicated that they are not content for the motions to be moved en bloc.

Motions moved,

That the COVID-19 Recovery Committee recommends that the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel and Operator Liability) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 8) Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/440) be approved.

That the COVID-19 Recovery Committee recommends that the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel and Operator Liability) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 9) Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/441) be approved.

That the COVID-19 Recovery Committee recommends that the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel and Operator Liability) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 10) Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/443) be approved.

That the COVID-19 Recovery Committee recommends that the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel and Operator Liability) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 11) Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/454) be approved.

That the COVID-19 Recovery Committee recommends that the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel and Operator Liability) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 12) Regulations 2021 (SSI 2021/455) be approved.—[John Swinney]

I note that no member has asked to speak on the motions.

Motions agreed to.

Thank you, Deputy First Minister. I will ask the first question. In light of omicron, the guidance for those who should self-isolate was last updated on 11 December. Could you please explain exactly what has changed?

The committee will publish a report to the Parliament setting out its decision on the statutory instruments in due course.

That concludes our consideration of the agenda item and our time with the Deputy First Minister. I thank him and his supporting officials for attending. The committee’s next meeting will be next Thursday, which is 23 December, when we will take evidence from the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery.

We can hear you.