Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. P&O Ferries and Stena Line operate commercial ferry services connecting Scotland with Northern Ireland, including ensuring the movement of critical category 1 goods and essential workers. Questions regarding specific operating criteria of the routes should be directed to the ferry operators.

Both ferry operators have implemented a number of measures to minimise the risks including intensifying the cleaning protocols on board their ships, and enforcing social distancing at terminal and onboard to protect staff and customers.

The contract is clear in that Scottish Ministers may from time to time issue a Variation Notice to the Operator in respect of any part of the Services. The contract allows Scottish Ministers to protect the operator from financial loss where appropriate as a result of reduction in fare box revenue given the anticipated drop in passenger numbers.

Transport Scotland officials will maintain the regular dialogue that has been established with Serco NorthLink in order to monitor the impact COVID-19 restrictions will have on the public contract for Northern Isles Ferry Services during 2020.

The carrying statistics for Serco NorthLink Ferries in January, February and March 2020 are in the following table.

COVID-19 outbreak has affected a range of areas within Serco NorthLink operations. For example, crew changeover on freight vessel Helliar and Hildasay was impacted due to travel restrictions. To accommodate the current travel guidance from UK Government and Scottish Government on-duty crew on Helliar and Hildasay vessels extended their duty period by two weeks. The in-coming crew have arrived and will also work in this way until a relaxation of travel restrictions.

The Scottish Government has not held specific discussions with the UK Government regarding measures to mitigate the economic impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on seafarers and port workers in the ferry industry.

However, there have been numerous general exchanges between officials on the UK Government’s support measures such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and Ministerial and official engagement with UK Government counterparts regarding the impact of COVID-19 on the economic wellbeing of maritime and freight sectors, including the impact on ferry routes between Scotland and Northern Ireland and support for lifeline services to Scotland’s islands communities.

The four UK nations’ Chief Medical Officers have identified six categories of people at highest risk of severe illness from Covid-19. This includes people with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD and, people with all forms of Interstitial Lung Disease/Sarcoidosis.

It is important to remember that only those identified at the highest clinical risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because of their underlying health condition are being asked to take forward shielding measures. People who are in the highest clinical risk group will have received a letter giving them further advice. This letter will also include advice on how to access support for food and medication. We have provided further details on people in these groups have been identified on the Scottish Government website - https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-shielding-contacts/pages/highest-risk-classification/ .

Where someone has not received a letter but believes they have a condition that that would require them to shield, they should contact their GP or hospital clinician to discuss further. Where a clinician is of the view that someone should be shielded they can add them to the highest risk list should they deem it clinically necessary.

We do however, recognise that some people are still at increased risk of developing severe illness with COVID-19 because of their underlying health condition and/or if they are over 70 years of age. We are asking these people to strictly follow social distancing measures .

For those at an increased risk , on the 5 April the Scottish Government announced a £30 million Food Fund to support those most in need including families with children who are eligible for free school meals, older people, those with long-term health conditions and pregnant women through their local authorities. Local Authorities will have flexibility to use this additional resource in ways that best meet emerging local needs and circumstances, working with community groups and businesses to support home delivery, provide financial help and meet dietary requirements.

In addition, a new national helpline has been set up to provide essential assistance to those who don’t have a network of support but who are in the ‘increased risk’ group.

The service offers help to those who do not have family or existing community support and cannot get online and who are over 70, disabled, require the support of mental health services, are pregnant or receive a flu jab for health reasons. This service is in addition to localised support already available for people who have received letters advising them to shield themselves. However, any of those in the shielding category who are not yet receiving assistance, who do not have family and cannot get online can access support via this new helpline.

The helpline – 0800 111 4000 – will initially operate during core working hours of 09:00 to 17:00 while plans are developed and implemented to extend it to operate for a longer period each day.

Callers will be automatically connected to their local authority who will support them to access the service they need, such as:

• essential food and medication

• links to local social work services for vulnerable children or adults

• emotional support

• contact with local volunteer groups.

The four UK nations’ Chief Medical Officers have identified six categories of people at highest risk of severe illness from Covid-19. This includes people with severe respiratory conditions including all cystic fibrosis, severe asthma and severe COPD and, people with all forms of Interstitial Lung Disease/Sarcoidosis.

It is important to remember that only those identified at the highest clinical risk of severe illness from COVID-19 because of their underlying health condition are being asked to take forward shielding measures. People who are in the highest clinical risk group will have received a letter giving them further advice. This letter will also include advice on how to access support for food and medication. We have provided further details on people in these groups have been identified on the Scottish Government website - https://www.gov.scot/publications/covid-shielding-contacts/pages/highest-risk-classification/ .

Where someone has not received a letter but believes they have a condition that that would require them to shield, they should contact their GP or hospital clinician to discuss further. Where a clinician is of the view that someone should be shielded they can add them to the highest risk list should they deem it clinically necessary.

We do however, recognise that some people are still at increased risk of developing severe illness with COVID-19 because of their underlying health condition and/or if they are over 70 years of age. We are asking these people to strictly follow social distancing measures .

For those at an increased risk , on the 5 April the Scottish Government announced a £30 million Food Fund to support those most in need including families with children who are eligible for free school meals, older people, those with long-term health conditions and pregnant women through their local authorities. Local Authorities will have flexibility to use this additional resource in ways that best meet emerging local needs and circumstances, working with community groups and businesses to support home delivery, provide financial help and meet dietary requirements.

In addition, a new national helpline has been set up to provide essential assistance to those who don’t have a network of support but who are in the ‘increased risk’ group.

The service offers help to those who do not have family or existing community support and cannot get online and who are over 70, disabled, require the support of mental health services, are pregnant or receive a flu jab for health reasons. This service is in addition to localised support already available for people who have received letters advising them to shield themselves. However, any of those in the shielding category who are not yet receiving assistance, who do not have family and cannot get online can access support via this new helpline.

The helpline – 0800 111 4000 – will initially operate during core working hours of 09:00 to 17:00 while plans are developed and implemented to extend it to operate for a longer period each day.

Callers will be automatically connected to their local authority who will support them to access the service they need, such as:

• essential food and medication

• links to local social work services for vulnerable children or adults

• emotional support

• contact with local volunteer groups.

Phase 3 of the Bus Emissions Abatement Retrofit scheme opened under the General Block Exemption Rules, offering the maximum amount of funding ‘per bus’ which is legally possible within the limits of State Aid. A decision remains outstanding with the European Commission as to whether an increase in State aid thresholds to permit higher aid intensities ‘per bus’ is possible.

Four applications totalling £5.3 million were submitted into the rapid Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme (SULEBS). Given the COVID-19 situation it is unlikely that bus operators would be able to take up any award from SULEBS, so the scheme is on hold while we consider how to progress. BEAR phase 3 applications are currently being evaluated and awards will be published once the European Commission reaches a decision on the notification to potentially increase the State aid thresholds.

The Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme has been allocated £6.0 million in the 2020-21 budget. There is no capital funding provision in the 2020-21 budget for a BEAR 4 scheme or other bus retrofit programme, however this position will be evaluated if BEAR 3 is oversubscribed.