Chamber and committees

Mr Swinney, the last time you were at the committee I asked you about the cost of lateral flow tests. I think that there was a mix-up between what I asked and what you said. You said that they would continue to be free, but I think that you meant up to the point when they stop being given out, which will be in mid-April.

I have three questions. Will lateral flow tests continue to be available in health and social care settings?

Secondly, the Educational Institute of Scotland is campaigning to keep lateral flow tests in school for all staff and is making the argument about why that is important. Some schools are having to send year groups home; some schools have loads of kids sitting in assembly halls for part of the day. There is still a major Covid problem in schools, which particularly affects staffing. How would you respond to the EIS request that school staff should continue to have free access to lateral flow tests?

Thirdly, there is a cost of living crisis. Your ministers are already talking about people choosing between heating and eating. Buying a lateral flow test will probably fall further down that list of choices for people in that situation. Are you relaxed about that? You have said that you are optimistic that the spread of the virus will be slower in the spring and summer. What about that particular group?

What about the cost of living crisis? I can afford to get a test, but for many people on lower incomes, that sort of cost is just not going to be part of their budget.

I look forward to having a further discussion with the Deputy First Minister specifically on the Henry VIII powers.

In the evidence that we received, the point was made that the Coronavirus Act 2020, which part of the bill builds on, levels up public health powers in Scotland to make them comparable with those in the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984. The same submission also points out that wide-ranging English and Welsh regulations could be made under that act as amended by the Health and Social Care Act 2008.

Should a wider review of the Public Health etc (Scotland) Act 2008 be undertaken? Does it remain fit for purpose?

Thank you.

I will pick up where Murdo Fraser left off with Adam Stachura. From what I am picking up, it seems as though the witnesses broadly welcome part 3 of the bill and see it as a positive. However, given the concerns that exist, should there be something in the bill that says that the public can access services face to face? Should some kind of protections be built in? If so, what should they be?

My question is for Adam Stachura. Has good practice been developed on the digital agenda for older people? Could any amendments be made to that part of the bill to improve access to digital services, particularly for older people?

My next question is for Douglas Hendry. Under sections 18 and 20 of the bill, local registration offices are given quite a lot of discretion on the extent to which they offer remote registrations of births, deaths and so on, and on the methods. Is there a danger that we will end up with 32 different set-ups, with only some local authorities providing face-to-face services? Should clearer guidance be given to local authorities, so that we do not exclude people, but encourage greater take-up of online tools?

I will come to David McNeill next. When universal credit was being rolled out, I visited a number of third sector and local authority projects that put in place a lot of intensive support because, as you know, people had to use online tools to register, search and so on. That was difficult for a lot of people but, among the local authorities and third sector organisations that I met, there was a real attempt to provide support. Does such support need to accompany the bill? Does there need to be recognition that greater support will be needed at community level? Should funding be made available for that?

Mairi Millar, you said that the systems that were brought in were brought in out of necessity. Has any local authority carried out an evaluation of the experience so far? You said that there was room for improvement in systems, so has there been an evaluation? For example, do local authorities know where those improvements are needed? What are the barriers to that?

Okay. We know that we have a major problem coming our way—which is getting worse—in the cost of living crisis. At some point, will the free lateral flow testing cease? Will people have to pay for it?