Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to consider the impact of its policies and has commissioned NHS National Services Scotland and Public Health Scotland to carry out an Equality impact Assessment to gauge any disproportionate impact of Test and Protect. The Scottish Government works with external stakeholders to understand people's different needs and experiences. We aim to put equality and human rights, at the heart of our work to ensure that we continue to protect the most 'at risk' groups in society with fairness and dignity, and that we leave no-one behind. The specifics of how different disadvantaged groups will be able to engage with specific online resources are still under development but telephone based contact tracing is now available across Scotland's health boards.

We understand that ‘smarter shielding’ is a term referred to in the UK Government’s Our Plan to Rebuild: The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy.

We have today updated the advice to shielded people, along with setting out the future steps on shielding. This can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781839608100

People who are on the shielding list have been sent a letter today confirming that the shielding period will continue until at least the end of July and that support which is in place will remain in place for at least that period. The letter contains updated advice to enable outdoor exercise provided strict physical distancing is followed. This advice is in place from 18 June, subject to infection rates in Scotland remaining at a sufficiently low level.

If the evidence supports it we will make further changes to advice before 31 July – beyond the changes we are signalling now on outdoor exercise. We want to gradually provide advice on how people who are shielding can increase their freedoms, as we have done for those who are not shielding with the Routemap. We are continually monitoring the virus and as soon as we think it is safe for the advice to change, we will do so.

We are also working to make sure that the extension of shielding to the end of July marks a transition to a new approach that enables those who are shielding to make choices about how to protect themselves, linked closely to controlling the virus through the route map and Test and Protect. In the course of the summer, once the evidence base has been developed, we will:

• Provide people with updated clinical evidence about their conditions and what that means for their risk from Covid,
• Help those shielding understand the changing levels of infection in the community and how to reduce the chance of   catching the virus
• Provide that information in a way that is accessible, understandable and helpful,
• Give people who are shielding access to support that can help them make informed choices about their lives,
• Support people shielding to put their choices into practice.

This approach is dependent on us understanding as much as possible about the chances of people shielding catching the virus and the risk to them if they do. The evidence to support this is growing but we need to be sure it is robust enough before we start using it to change our approach. There is coordinated work being carried out across the four nations to gather this evidence and we hope that we will start to see the benefits of that over the course of the summer.

As part of Scotland’s Test & Protect programme, digital tools play an important part. The Scottish Government takes the rights of the people of Scotland seriously and we have published a Privacy Statement covering how data is used across a range of different aspects to our Covid-19 response, including for Test & Protect, and this will be updated continuously. We will also publish further information regarding the mitigation of privacy risks and the protection of human rights.

You can view the Privacy Information at https://www.informationgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/covid-19-privacy-statement/ .

The Scottish Government recognises the impact of Unwanted Fire Alarms (UFAS). These are a drain on Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) resources, cause disruption to businesses and can increase risk through unnecessary blue light mobilisations. This is why in the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2016 the Scottish Government sets a strategic priority for the SFRS to reduce the impact of UFAS. The Scottish Government receives regular updates from SFRS concerning this strategic priority.

SFRS are taking steps and seek to reduce UFAS by proactively working in partnership directly with organisations and by sharing best practice concerning reduction initiatives, such as TAKE5 and BE AWARE. These initiatives seek to encourage people to really consider their actions and highlight the simple steps they can take to avoid accidentally setting off fire alarms. TAKE5 is aimed at employees and employers to take five moments, seconds or minutes to consider their actions and if it may cause a fire alarm to be activated. BE AWARE, whilst similar, is aimed at guests and visitors to premises such as hotels and guesthouses. It is also promoted through the NHS for patient information prior to stays in hospital.

The provision of training for firefighters is an operational matter for SFRS. Training is predominately provided by expert SFRS instructors at fire-stations and designated training sites across Scotland. Specialists external providers are used when necessary to develop and maintain specific competencies.

The provision of training for firefighters is an operational matter for SFRS. Training is predominately provided by expert SFRS instructors at fire-stations and designated training sites across Scotland. Specialists external providers are used when necessary to develop and maintain specific competencies.

The provision of training for firefighters and decisions on whether training is provided in-house or by external providers is an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. Training is predominately provided by expert SFRS instructors at fire-stations and designated training sites across Scotland. Specialists external providers are used when necessary to develop and maintain specific competencies.

Good air connectivity will continue to be essential to support economic recovery in all parts of Scotland. That recovery will benefit from having more reliable and sustainable air services. The COVID-19 outbreak has not changed the fundamental reasons for modernising Air Traffic Management or the business case for the option being implemented by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.

HIAL has commissioned an independent draft Islands Impact Assessment. As part of this process the independent consultant will be engaging with a range of stakeholders, in addition to the engagement already undertaken by HIAL, before finalising that document. Good progress continues to be made with implementation of the Air Traffic Management modernisation programme. That work will continue in parallel with work to prepare the IIA, and ongoing engagement with staff, unions, airport users and other stakeholders.

Consistent with all major infrastructure projects across Scotland and in line with Scottish Government guidance, work on the construction of the new Women’s National Facility and the Community Custody Units has been temporarily ceased due to COVID-19. All capital prison projects apart from those which are assessed as being essential for the safety of Scottish Prison Service (SPS) establishments have also been paused and delays on construction timetables are inevitable.

The Scottish Government and SPS remain committed to the delivery of a new female custodial estate. SPS is in regular dialogue with the current contractors and work will be undertaken to assess the impact on construction timetables in due course.