Extension of scheme could save thousands of jobs – but UK Governmentsays no
Extending the furlough scheme by eight months could save 61,000 jobs in Scotland, according to new research.
A Scottish Government report estimates that the direct cost of extending the furlough scheme in Scotland to June is around £850 million – and wider economic benefits, such as increasing GDP, mean that it could pay for itself.
It comes as the Business Impact of COVID-19 Statistics, also published today, found that of all Scottish firms surveyed, over two thirds were still furloughing their workforce to some extent. The new data also estimated 15% of the workforce were still on furlough.
Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The UK Government must think again about withdrawing blanket support and they must urgently implement some form of extension which would continue to provide help for the sectors that have been most heavily affected.
“Extending the Job Retention Scheme for eight months would save 61,000 jobs in Scotland and help secure a stronger economic recovery from coronavirus (COVID-19). Unlike the Scottish Government, the UK Government has the borrowing powers necessary to fund the extension of the Job Retention Scheme and they must act now to protect jobs and livelihoods.
“New furlough statistics for Scotland published today show wide variation between different sectors of the economy. Even though in some sectors a significant number of people have gone back to work, the outlook is much bleaker in other sectors. In accommodation and food services an estimated 34.4% of staff were still on furlough, and this rises to 57.5% of staff in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector.
“Of course, the furlough scheme cannot continue indefinitely, but an extension would help keep people in jobs while sectors of the economy currently unable to fully open recover and will lead to sustained economic benefits at a relatively small cost.”
The UK Government has declined to give evidence to the Scottish Parliament on its UK Internal Market Bill.
The UK Government says it regrets that Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma MP (above) will not be able to appear before Holyrood’s Finance and Constitution Committee on account of the “tight legislative timeline” for the Bill that is currently going through Westminster.
Finance & Constitution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford MSP says he is ‘dismayed’ by the declined invitation.
The UK Government acknowledges “all aspects” of the Internal Market Bill will require the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament.
Finance & Constitution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford MSP said:“The UK Internal Market Bill will affect many people’s lives and livelihoods in Scotland. It will also have a profound impact on the devolution settlement and on the powers of the Scottish Parliament.
“The UK Government already recognises and accepts that all aspects of this Bill require the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament.
“I am genuinely dismayed, therefore, that the Secretary of State for Business will not make time to give evidence to our committee, as we consider whether or not to recommend that consent be given to this UK Bill.
“Our report to the Scottish Parliament will not have the benefit of direct evidence from the UK Government and that is a matter of regret, as is the discourtesy that colleagues will infer from the UK Government’s response.”
Mr Crawford added: “Under my convenership, this committee has always set out to engage constructively with the UK Government. Indeed, we will hear from Mr Hands on the Trade Bill next week.
“It is implausible why a UK Minister is available for the relatively limited impact on devolution of that Bill, while not being available for the Internal Market Bill which has a potentially huge impact on the people of Scotland.”
The text of the email from Mr Sharma’s office is below.
The declined request cites the Bill’s “tight legislative timeline”, which was set by the UK Government.
Full text of email dated 15 September 2020:
Hi (Name of Clerk to Committee),
Apologies for the delay and thank you for your invitation for the SoS to give evidence to the committee. Given the tight legislative timeline for the Bill, it is with regret that the SoS will be unable to attend this committee session. We look forward to the findings of the Committee’s engagement on the UK internal market Bill.
Thanks, (Name of Private Secretary) Office of Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma MP
More on the Committee’s scrutiny of the Internal Market Bill can be found here.
Finance Ministers’ “deep concern” over UK Internal Market Bill
Spending proposals would “reverse devolution”.
Finance Ministers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have met to discuss a range of fiscal matters and voiced their collective concerns about the financial implications the UK Internal Market Bill will have on devolved governments.
Kate Forbes, Rebecca Evans and Conor Murphy expressed their joint concerns on the spending powers set out in the Bill which override the existing devolution settlement.
The powers enable the UK Government to undertake spending in devolved areas, including for replacement of EU funding, without any engagement with the devolved nations.
Finance Ministers also voiced concerns about what this could mean for future consequential funding arrangements.
Scotland’s Finance Secretary, Kate Forbes said: “It is entirely unacceptable that – with no prior notice – the UK Government has written provisions into the Bill that presume Whitehall control over the delivery of replacements for the EU funding programme in Scotland – a programme that Scottish Ministers have delivered successfully for decades.
“This Bill would also allow the UK Government to dictate how money is spent in devolved areas without the consent of Scottish Ministers. It puts at risk funding for a whole host of capital programmes – schools, hospitals and infrastructure. It reverses the devolution process and we will oppose any attempt to bypass the Scottish Parliament and Government, which are elected by the people of Scotland.
“Not only is it in contravention of the devolution settlement, but it has the potential to create confusion, duplication and unnecessary additional bureaucracy at a time when economic recovery is paramount.”
Welsh Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said: “I am deeply concerned that the Bill gives UK Ministers, for the first time since devolution, powers to fund activity in areas which are clearly devolved to Wales.
“In Wales funding decisions are taken in partnership with local communities, to ensure that they reflect the needs of the people in Wales. The powers set out in the Bill completely undermine devolution and will see decisions currently taken in Wales, clawed back by the UK Government.”
Finance Minister for Northern Ireland, Conor Murphy said: “The Internal Market Bill will give the British Government wide ranging powers to make funding decisions in devolved areas.
“This is greatly concerning and could have huge implications for the Good Friday Agreement. The British Government should not interfere in funding matters which are currently the responsibility of the Devolved Administrations.
“It is also imperative that they provide details on the scope of the Shared Prosperity Fund. This will be a vital source of replacement funding for devolved areas and the lack of meaningful engagement to date is extremely disappointing.”
Westminster’s Petitions Committee will hold a hybrid e-petitions session tomorrow (Thursday 17 September) to put concerns to Ministers on support for households during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The session, which will be open to Members across the House, follows the Committee receiving a series of popular petitions calling for support for households in light of the pandemic.
The Westminster Hall-style debate will be held in one of Parliament’s committee rooms, with the option of participating via video-link, and will give Members across the House the opportunity to debate and question Government Ministers on the issues being raised by petitioners.
Ministers attending to answer questions will include Luke Hall MP (Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government), Will Quince MP (Minister in Department for Work and Pensions) and John Glen MP (Treasury Minister).
More than 347,000 petitioners have now signed parliamentary petitions relating to supporting households through the coronavirus crisis, as the Government continues to adapt the support system being offered across the country.
Hybrid e-petitions sessions have been devised as sittings in Westminster Hall – the traditional debating Chamber for e-petitions – are still suspended as part of Parliament’s arrangements for adapting to Coronavirus and ensuring the safety of people on the Estate.
Westminster Hall debates are anticipated to resume from 5 October.
The latest quarterly Scottish Government Workforce Information statistics have been published by Scotland’s Chief Statistician. These statistics cover the numbers of workers, staff sickness rates, and the diversity of staff up to the most recent quarter ending June 2020.
The statistics show that:
At the end of June 2020 there were 7,119 full time equivalent (FTE) directly employed staff, an increase of 627 on last year’s figure of 6,492 at the end of June 2019. The percentage of directly employed staff in permanent (98%) and temporary (2%) categories remained the same as last year.
There was an 8.3% increase in the number (headcount) of contingent (non-directly employed) workers. An increase of 111 workers, from 1332 at the end of June 2019 to 1443 at the end of June 2020.
The staff sickness level was 7.4 average working days lost (AWDL) per staff year in the 12 month period ending June 2020, compared with 7.7 AWDL for the same period last year. This equates to a loss of 3.3% of working days in the 12 month period ending June 2020
Just over half (53.6%) of the workforce were female, compared to 46.4% male. The proportion of female staff is similar to the same period last year (52.7% in June 2019).
At the end of June 2020, the majority of staff were aged between 30 and 59, broken down as follows: 16-29 (17.4%), 30-39 (24.3%), 40-49 (27.0%), 50-59 (25.0%), 60 or over (6.2%).
The proportion of directly employed staff providing diversity information on sexual orientation, disability and religion or belief has increased since the same period last year.
Responding to yesterday’s Labour Market Statistics, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “These figures are continuing to show the effect of the pandemic on jobs in Scotland, and the impact on individuals and families across the country. The UK Government has done everything possible to support people through this difficult time.
“Through the furlough scheme, the UK Government has supported more than 930,000 Scottish jobs, a third of the workforce, and we are taking decisive action though our ambitious Plan for Jobs.
“We have launched the £2 billion Kick Start scheme to create thousands of high quality jobs for young people, are doubling the number of work coaches to help people find work and are bringing in a £1,000 job retention bonus to help employers bring back as many furloughed workers as possible.”
The UK Government has loaned £2.3 billion to 65,000 Scottish businesses, put in place VAT cuts for hospitality and tourism businesses, and 6.3 million discounted meals were eaten at 8,543 establishments across Scotland as part of the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme in August.
Holyrood’s Finance & Constitution Committee has launched a call for views on the UK Government’s controversial Internal Market Bill, which was was introduced at Westminster on 9 September.
According to its explanatory notes, the purpose of the Bill is to “preserve the UK internal market, providing continued certainty for people and businesses to work and trade freely across the whole of the UK.”
All parts of the Bill trigger the need for legislative consent from the Scottish Parliament – but the Scottish Government has indicated it will not recommend that consent be given.
The Finance & Constitution Committee is therefore seeking views from all interested organisations and individuals to help inform its parliamentary scrutiny of the Bill and of the Scottish Government’s legislative consent memorandum.
The deadline for submissions is 24 September 2020.
Finance & Constitution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford MSP said:“The creation of a UK internal market and how it operates will impact on a wide range of Scottish organisations, including Scottish businesses – especially food production and agriculture, environmental and consumer organisations, as well as the third and voluntary sector and the wider public.
“It is vital therefore that we hear from people who are going to be affected by this Bill, but we only have until 24 September to do so. This is time critical.”
The Committee is scrutinising the UK Internal Market Bill as well as the forthcoming Legislative Consent Memorandum.
In order to inform its scrutiny, the Committee is seeking views, especially in the following areas:
With Covid cases rising across the country and a new six-person rule introduced by the Scottish Government, it’s clear that we all need to keep on top of the latest health advice and look out for one another (writes City Council Leader ADAM McVEY).
We’ve come a long way since March, and our city and our residents have done an incredible job of adapting to changing circumstances and, of course, looking after their communities and those around them in many ways.
We’ve all missed Edinburgh’s buzz and it’s great to see people out and about again. After many challenging months for our local businesses, the last thing we want to see is a need for more stringent local restrictions, so let’s keep up the effort.
Our efforts are ongoing to help us return to our high streets in a safe and comfortable way and the city’s Forever Edinburgh campaign provides advice for making the most of a day or night out in the city. We can all do our bit to support our favourite local businesses, so let’s continue to shop local and see them through this crisis.
With residents, visitors and new and returning students, there are of course a lot more people in our streets. So we’re working closely with universities and colleges to provide all students with a warm welcome and clear information on keeping themselves, their classmates and our communities safe.
It’s a united effort from everyone involved, and we must come together for the good of our city. #AllTogetherEdinburgh
Challenges facing our schools
Ensuring our schools were safe to reopen last month was an enormous task and I want to recognise the tremendous amount of effort from many Council teams making sure this happened. It’s certainly welcome to see learning and teaching continuing where it should be taking place – in the classroom.
There have been a number of positive Covid cases in our schools, as there have been across the country, and I want to reassure everyone that our response on each occasion has been swift, robust and in line with the latest advice from Health Protection Lothian. Parents can have confidence in this approach.
We take the safety of our schools extremely seriously in these challenging times and have measures in place to keep our young people and school staff safe including keeping groups apart as much as possible, appropriate use of face coverings and regular hygiene measures. As always, we’ll follow the very latest national guidance and I want to wish everyone who has tested positive a swift and full recovery.
Setting our sights on a fairer future
As we gradually work to rebuild our communities and our economy, we’re also taking the opportunity to adapt the way we do things as a Council. Edinburgh has always been a progressive, welcoming city – it’s one of the things that attracts people to want to come and live, work and study here – myself included – and we’re building on this to create a fairer city beyond the current Covid crisis.
We’re still living through a great deal of change and uncertainty. However, our recovery strategy for the Council puts Edinburgh’s 2050 City Vision at its heart and we’re already embracing many lessons learned from lockdown – such as the role better technology can play in breaking down barriers to support our most disadvantaged residents.
For a more equal Edinburgh we’re also making strides in our equalities work, recently launching a new employee campaign to champion diversity and inclusion in everything we do. Alongside our united and ongoing response to the Black Lives Matter movement, we’re fast progressing plans to make our own workplace culture one of the most inclusive in Scotland.
The last six months have served to highlight the things which are most vital and important, like looking after one another and prioritising the protection of our young, old and most vulnerable and the protection of our planet. For Edinburgh, that means setting our sights on a fairer, greener future.
Green light for sustainable transport
We’re continuing apace with an ambitious package of measures to make it easier and safer to travel by foot, bike or wheelchair in the Capital. These schemes will result in some change on our streets to prioritise all of us in our City.
We know there are some concerns around these measures, not least the plan for the first Low Traffic Neighbourhood in East Craigs, but there is also significant support in our communities for better active travel conditions, including in East Craigs, and we’re eager to see these take shape across the city. An LTN, which builds on traffic modelling, research and consultation as part of the West Edinburgh Link project, will make for a quieter, safer and healthier area and ensure residents’ spaces are prioritised. Of course, we’re listening to concerns, and we’ve taken away a range of themes from input from residents and stakeholders which will change the temporary scheme before it’s implemented.
Under the Spaces for People project we’re in the process of installing more than 30km of pop-up cycle lanes, we’ve introduced access improvements at 67 schools, with many more to follow, and we’re creating more space in nine local shopping streets to help people spend time in businesses as they reopen.
We want to help people to travel safely by public transport too as services, shops and some workplaces begin to reopen. That’s why we’re delighted to be receiving £1.2m from the Scottish Government’s Bus Priority Rapid Deployment Fund, along with neighbouring local authorities, as part of the South East Scotland Transport Transition Group. This funding will help us to progress a series of temporary measures to help make bus journeys as quick and reliable as possible as restrictions are eased and traffic increases. These improvements, along with Spaces for People, will support the city’s sustainable recovery by incentivising clean, environmentally friendly travel.
Phased reopening for libraries
I’m sure everyone will be pleased to hear the news that we’re starting a phased reopening of our libraries from next month (Tuesday 13 October) with doors opening at Central, Kirkliston, McDonald Road, Fountainbridge, Stockbridge and Newington.
We know how important this service is to our local communities and this is the first important step in our plans to reopen these valuable community assets across the city. They’ll offer a range of services including the borrowing and returning of items, free access to computers/internet/wifi and Hey Girls free sanitary products. As you would expect, numbers will have to be limited, social distancing measures will be in place and some services will only be available by booking in advance.
We’re working very hard to get the rest of our libraries open safely and want to assure residents that we will open their local library as soon as possible if it’s not already scheduled. We really appreciate everyone’s support and patience and look forward to welcoming people back.
Over the past 40 years the City Art Centre has housed over 500 exhibitions, hosted treasures from across the world as well as priceless paintings made by Edinburgh children and has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors through its doors. We’re all keen to see our museums up and running again too and we’re aiming to do this as soon as possible.
Like our libraries, this will involve a range of new safety measures and procedures, including a one way system, hand sanitiser stations, extra barriers and signage and staff will, of course, be wearing masks while offering visitors a very warm, socially distanced welcome.
Scotland Secretary Alister Jack’s has written to the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, about the UK Internal Market Bill:
11 September 2020
Dear Nicola,
I am writing to correct the false claims you have made about the UK Government’s Internal Market Bill, introduced to Parliament on Wednesday, 9 September.
As we’ve been clear, the Bill will protect and strengthen our internal market which is so vital to Scotland’s economy with 60 per cent of our exports, worth over £50 billion per year, going to other parts of the United Kingdom.
It will also create new opportunities for the UK Government, working with the Scottish Government, local authorities and other partners, to invest in Scotland.
That’s why I have described the Bill as a win-win for Scotland.
It is good for business, jobs and consumers. It will boost our economy and help us rebuild from the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Bill has now begun its passage through Parliament and will be debated at length in the weeks ahead.
In accordance with the Sewel Convention, the UK Government will seek a Legislative Consent Motion so the Scottish Parliament, also, will have the opportunity to consider our proposals.
Before this takes place, I wish to correct a series of assertions you have made about the Bill.
1. You have said the Bill will lead to a ‘race to the bottom’ in terms of food standards and environmental protections. That is emphatically not the case.
The UK is a world leader in food and environmental standards and that will not change.
Also, as you know, the UK Government and all devolved administrations have agreed a common framework on food and feed safety and hygiene law which clearly sets out the ‘rules and regulations related to the production and distribution of food and feed’. Guaranteeing our shared commitment to high standards across the UK.
The UK Government is proud of our record and keenly aware of the premium our high standards place on UK goods in overseas markets.
2. Similarly, your speculation that Scotland could be ‘forced to accept chlorinated chicken’ is unfounded.
As we have previously reminded Scottish Government ministers during discussions about the Bill, chlorine washed chicken is illegal in the UK. The UK Government has been clear we will not sign a trade deal that would compromise our high standards of food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection.
Of course, we recognise and welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to high standards in these areas. Our shared view should be the basis of an agreed UK approach to high standards.
3. You also claimed the new spending power contained in the Bill could divert funding from schools and hospitals in Scotland. This is not the case.
Education and health are – and will continue to be – devolved to the Scottish Parliament and decisions on funding in those areas are for your Government to take. Scotland’s block grant is at a record level and the Barnett Formula will continue to operate as set out in the Statement on Funding Policy.
The UK Government’s spending power set out in the Bill will complement existing Scottish Government spending powers. This can only be a benefit to the people and businesses of Scotland.
They will enable us to spend money previously controlled by the EU to make strategic investments of UK-wide importance.
This is good news for the communities we serve and I am confident these new opportunities will be warmly welcomed by the people of Scotland.
4. You claim the Bill, had it been in place at the time, would have prohibited the Scottish Parliament from legislating to introduce a minimum price for alcohol. Again – as we have already made clear to Scottish Government ministers – this is incorrect.
Under the terms of the Bill, the Scottish Parliament would be able to introduce a minimum alcohol price provided, of course, it was not applied only to alcoholic drinks produced in certain parts of the UK.
5. You claim the Bill is ‘a naked power grab’ and ‘an attack on the powers of devolution’. It is not.
The Scottish Parliament will lose none of its existing powers. Indeed, as powers return from Brussels when we leave the Transition Period at the end of the year, scores of new responsibilities will flow to Holyrood.
It should be noted that your Government’s ambition to take Scotland out of the UK and into the EU would remove these powers from the Scottish Parliament. That is the only threat to Holyrood’s powers.
6. Finally, you claim the Bill would ‘break’ or ‘cripple’ devolution.
I’m afraid your Government is never less convincing than when it purports to champion a system it unashamedly wishes to overthrow.
Independence would destroy devolution, ending our system of two governments which was backed overwhelmingly by the people of Scotland in the referendums of 1997 and 2014.
The UK Government emphatically supports devolution and our Bill will strengthen the Scottish Parliament and create new opportunities for Scotland.
Your colourful description of the Internal Market Bill as ‘an abomination’ is deeply regrettable.
In my view, it would be abominable for the people of Scotland to be misinformed about a Bill which has such potential to improve lives and strengthen our country.
THE RT HON. ALISTER JACK MP SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SCOTLAND
Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop has since written to the UK Government voicing concern at its plans for a post-Brexit internal market, saying it represents a threat to the Scottish economy.
Ms Hyslop said the proposed Internal Markets Bill will jeopardise Scotland’s food and drink sector, which has a world-renowned reputation for high standards and high quality products.
She also highlighted how the Bill will undermine the good progress made on common frameworks, the preferred means of managing policy difference across the UK when EU rules no longer apply.
Last month the Scottish Parliament considered the original proposals set out in the UK Government White Paper and voted overwhelmingly – by 92 votes to 31 – to reject them.
In her letter to Alok Sharma, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Ms Hyslop said:
“Coronavirus (COVID-19) is clearly currently the biggest challenge for business and the economy. Unnecessary legislation, which undermines devolution, on top of an entirely unnecessary end to the Brexit transition period will do nothing to protect or promote trade across the UK and beyond.
“If this legislation were already in place, Scotland would not have been able to lead the way on the ban on smoking in public, on introducing minimum unit pricing for alcohol, having rules on the marketing of raw milk consistent with the nature of the dairy sector in Scotland, or taking forward bans on the sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds and microbeads in cosmetics.
“A linked concern is the prospect of the UK entering into future international trade agreements which might result in lower standard products being accepted into UK markets. Scotland’s world-leading food and drink sector, for example, is built on a reputation for the highest quality produce and nothing should be done to put that at risk.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has urged smartphone users across Scotland to download NHS Scotland’s new contact tracing app to help suppress the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Protect Scotland app is now available to download for free via Apple and Google stores.
Supported by a dedicated Protect Scotland website, the app is an extra tool complementing existing person-to-person contact tracing which remains the main component of NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system.
Individuals privacy will be protected as the app uses Bluetooth technology to anonymously alert users if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, and advises them to self-isolate. Users of the app who test positive will still get a call from a contact tracer to confirm their details and who they have been in close contact with.
The app does not store details on an individual or their location but uses encrypted, anonymised codes exchanged between smartphones to determine all close contacts. Close contacts are defined as people who have been within two metres of someone who has tested positive for 15 minutes.
Built by software developers NearForm for NHS Scotland, the app uses the same technology as the Republic of Ireland and Northern Irish proximity tracing apps.
Sign up is entirely voluntary but strongly recommended for those with compatible smartphones.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The launch of the app is a welcome development which will offer an additional level of protection – supporting NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system as it works to drive down the spread of COVID-19 across the country.
“I would encourage everyone to download the free app if they have a compatible smartphone, and help slow the spread of COVID-19. This will support the work of NHS Scotland and has the potential to help avoid local lockdowns.
“The more people who download and use the app, the more effective it can be in helping to make connections that may otherwise have been missed. This will allow people to self-isolate quickly if they are exposed to the virus, reducing the risk of them infecting others.
“We all have a part to play in suppressing the virus, and downloading the app – alongside other vital measures such as following hygiene and physical distancing guidance – will help protect you, your family and your community.
“We also know that not everyone uses a smartphone or will be able to or want to access the app, which is why this software is very much there to complement existing contact tracing methods.”
Cian Ó Maidín, CEO, NearForm said: “We’re delighted to partner with NHS Scotland on the Protect Scotland app which puts power in citizens’ pockets to join the fight against COVID-19.
“This open source technology was built with privacy and data protection at its core and, through anonymous keys, allows Scottish citizens to engage, protect each other and break transmission chains.
“The Scottish Government has taken a great approach, using open source software, that has been peer reviewed and rolled out successfully in Ireland and Northern Ireland.”
Since launching last night, the app has already been downloaded more than 600,000 times.
SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald said: “The Scottish Government has now launched the ‘Protect Scotland’ proximity tracing app, to help stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus and complement the person-to-person approach of Test and Protect.
“The app – which takes less than a minute to download – will allow us to alert people at risk far more quickly, so that we can all take steps to reduce the risk of infecting others.
“Scotland’s official contact tracing app will help us all to protect ourselves, our family, our friends and our community by enabling faster contact tracing.
“The more people who have the app, the more it can help to slow the spread of Coronavirus.
“That’s why I’m urging people in Edinburgh to download the app, and let’s all protect Scotland.”
For more information on the Protect Scotland app visit www.protect.scot
Maximum gathering set at six people from two households
Indoor and outdoor gatherings revised to keep virus under control
The number of people who can gather together, indoors or outdoors, will be set at maximum of six from two households.
Moves announced yesterday by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will be enforced from Monday (14 September), but people are urged to ‘abide by these stricter new limits immediately.’
Children under 12 from within the two households will not be counted in the new limit of six people.
The restrictions do not apply where there is other sector specific guidance in force, for example for gyms, for childcare or for organised sports, and there will be some other limited exceptions for larger households, education, and places of worship. It does apply to hospitality.
Along with these new measures, the First Minister also confirmed that Scotland will not move out of Phase 3.
As a result of a rise in coronavirus (COVID-19) infections, route map changes that had been given a conditional, indicative start date of Monday (14 September) – conditional on progress against the epidemic – have now been given the new indicative date of Monday 5 October.
A final decision will be taken nearer the time on confirming this new indicative date.
The measures announced yesterday are:
group gatherings will only be allowed to a maximum of six people from two households in both indoor and outdoor settings, with limited exemptions (becoming law from Monday 14 September)
face coverings must be worn in hospitality settings, apart from during the service of food and drink, with hospitality staff following the similar rules as retail staff (from Monday 14 September)
up to 20 people will still be able to attend funerals, weddings and civil partnerships ceremonies, with the limit permitted for wakes and receptions rising to 20 in line with this, as long as they take place in regulated venues like hotels with strict guidance in place (from Monday 14 September)
route map moves expected from Monday (14 September) are given a new indicative date of Monday 5 October
The First Minister said: “I am asking people to abide by these stricter new limits on gatherings immediately.
“In recent weeks, we have reopened significant parts of our economy. People are meeting up more, going out more, and travelling more. All of that is positive.
“But as we released ourselves from lockdown, we also released the virus. Rather than the threat to public health receding, the pandemic is accelerating again – albeit, and thankfully, from a low base and not as rapidly.
“The hospitality industry has put a lot of effort into creating safe spaces for people to meet. We hope that reducing the risk of transmission in hospitality settings through the use of face coverings and reducing group numbers will help keep the sector open.
“Unfortunately, the route map changes that had been given an indicative date of Monday, conditional on the progress of the epidemic, must be paused for a further three weeks. I must stress this remains an indicative date and a final decision can only be taken nearer the time.
“It is important we don’t lose sight of the objective to keep infection levels as low as possible. It is not a virus anyone should be relaxed about getting.
“I know that after six long, hard months, we are still asking the public to make a lot of difficult sacrifices. That is unavoidable, given the nature of the challenge we face.
“However, I want to be clear that while we still face a battle to get and keep COVID under control, we are in a stronger position than earlier in the year.”
The new measures do not overrule measures implemented for localised restrictions.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s statement at the coronavirus press conference yesterday (Wednesday 9 September).
Good afternoon,
Welcome back to Downing Street for an update on coronavirus as we enter autumn and approach winter.
I will first hand over to Chris to take us through the latest data before I set out how we are responding to it.
Thank you Chris. It is clear from that very powerful graphic that we must act.
The most important thing every one of us must do is remember the basics:
First, wash your hands, regularly and for 20 seconds. Don’t get back into old habits, it is so vital.
Second, wear a face covering over your mouth and nose if you are in an enclosed space and in close contact with people you don’t normally meet. I know wearing a face covering feels odd to some people and I understand that. But face coverings do make it harder for the virus to spread – so please, wear one to protect others.
Third, make space. Always stay 2 metres away from people you don’t live with – or 1 metre with extra precautions, like extra ventilation, screens, or face coverings.
Fourth, if you have COVID symptoms, get a test and self-isolate. We are now processing 1.2 million tests a week. To date we have carried out 15.4 million antigen tests – that’s more than any other country in Europe, and more per head than other European countries like Germany and Spain.
We are increasing our testing capacity further to meet rising demand. You can help by only booking a test if you have a fever, a new continuous cough, or you’ve lost your sense of taste or smell – if you don’t have those symptoms and haven’t been asked to book a test, please don’t.
So those are the basics – hands, face, space – and get a test if you have COVID symptoms.
Since the pandemic began, we have asked you to reduce your social contact and limit your interactions with friends and family.
I know that, over time, the rules have become quite complicated and confusing. We have spoken to police officers about what they need for an effective enforcement regime and of course, listened to the feedback from you, the public.
In response, we are simplifying and strengthening the rules – making them easier for you to understand and for the police to enforce.
I should stress that if we are to beat the virus then everyone, at all times, should limit social contact as much as possible and minimise interactions with other households. It is safer to meet outdoors and you should keep your distance from anyone you don’t live with, even if they are close friends or family.
So in England, from Monday, we are introducing the rule of 6. You must not meet socially in groups of more than 6 – and if you do, you will be breaking the law.This will apply in any setting, indoors or outdoors, at home or in the pub.
The ban will be set out in law and it will be enforced by the police – anyone breaking the rules risks being dispersed, fined and possibly arrested.
This single measure replaces both the existing ban on gatherings of more than 30 and the current guidance on allowing 2 households to meet indoors. Now you only need to remember the rule of 6.
There will be some limited exemptions. For example, if a single household or support bubble is larger than 6, they can still gather.
COVID Secure venues like places of worship, gyms, restaurants and hospitality venues can still hold more than 6 people in total. Within those venues however, there must not be individual groups larger than 6, and groups must not mix socially or form larger groups.
Education and work settings are unaffected, COVID Secure weddings and funerals can go ahead, up to a limit of 30 people, and organised sport will still be able to proceed.
As we have found on previous occasions, this rule of 6 will of course throw up difficult cases. For example, two whole households will no longer be able to meet if they would together exceed the limit of 6 people.
I am sorry about that and I wish that we did not have to take this step. But, as your Prime Minister, I must do what is necessary to stop the spread of the virus and to save lives.
We will of course keep the rule of 6 under constant review and only keep it in place as long as it’s necessary.
I also want to see – and the public wants to see – stronger enforcement of the rules which are already in place. So I’ve have tasked the Cabinet with increasing enforcement and I would like to thank the police, as always, and other authorities for the work they are doing to keep us all safe.
In future:
Premises and venues where people meet socially will be legally required to request the contact details of a member of every party, record and retain these details for 21 days, and provide them to NHS Test & Trace without delay when required.
We will support local authorities to make further and faster use of their powers to close venues that are breaking the rules and pose a risk to public health.
Fines will be levied against hospitality venues that fail to ensure their premises remain COVID Secure.
We will boost the enforcement capacity of local authorities by introducing COVID Secure Marshalls to help ensure social distancing in town and city centres, and by setting up a register of Environmental Health Officers that local authorities can draw upon for support.
We will simplify the Passenger Locator Form needed for travelling to the UK, and take measures to ensure these are completed and checked before departure.
Border Force will step up enforcement efforts at the border to ensure arrivals are complying with the quarantine rules.
We will also restrict the opening hours of premises, initially in some local areas.
At the present time we must also, I’m afraid, revise plans to pilot larger audiences in venues later this month and review our intention to return audiences to stadiums and conference centres from 1 October. That doesn’t mean we’re going to scrap the programme entirely it just means we are going to review and abridge it, and the Culture Secretary will say more shortly.
Let me be clear – these measures are not a second national lockdown – the whole point of them is to avoid a second national lockdown. By bearing down on social contact and improving enforcement, we can keep schools and businesses open, in the knowledge they are COVID Secure.
I have always said schools and colleges should only ever be shut again as a very, very last resort. As the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser have said, the long term risks to children’s life chances of not going to school are significant and far greater than the health risks of going back to school.
Indeed it’s been fantastic to see so many children back in school this term and I want, once again, to thank all our teachers, and to reassure parents and pupils that schools are safe.
University terms will also begin soon. Opening universities is critical, again, for students’ life chances and, again, the health risks to individuals are low.
Of course, many university students are in the age bracket where we have seen the infection rates rise recently as Chris was just explaining. My message to students is simple. Please, for the sake of your education and your parents’ and your grandparents’ health: wash your hands, cover your face, make space, and don’t socially gather in groups of more than 6, now and when term starts.
Today the Department for Education is publishing updated guidance for universities on how they can operate in a COVID Secure way, including a clear request not to send students home in the event of an outbreak, so as to avoid spreading the virus across the country. I am very grateful to universities for their continued cooperation and planning for the return of students.
The measures I have set out today will help us control the virus but won’t, on their own, be enough to allow a more significant return to normality.
Patrick is going to set out in a moment where we are on vaccines and treatments in a moment, but we are not there yet and there are no guarantees.
So over the summer, we have therefore been working up an alternative plan which could allow life to return closer to normality. And that plan is based on mass testing.
Up to now, we have used testing primarily to identify people who are positive – so we can isolate them from the community and protect high risk groups. And that will continue to be our priority. We are working hard to increase our testing capacity to 500,000 tests a day by the end of October.
But in future, in the near future, we want to start using testing to identify people who are negative – who don’t have coronavirus and who are not infectious – so we can allow them to behave in a more normal way, in the knowledge they cannot infect anyone else with the virus.
And we think, we hope, we believe that new types of test which are simple, quick and scalable will become available. They use swabs or saliva and can turn round results in 90 or even 20 minutes. Crucially, it should be possible to deploy these tests on a far bigger scale than any country has yet achieved – literally millions of tests processed every single day.
That level of testing would allow people to lead more normal lives, without the need for social distancing:
Theatres and sports venues could test all audience members on the day and let in those with a negative result, all those who are not infectious. Workplaces could be opened up to all those who test negative that morning and allow them to behave in a way that was normal before COVID.
Those isolating because they are a contact, or quarantining after travelling abroad, could after a period be tested and released. Now that is an ambitious agenda, but we are going to pilot this approach in Salford from next month, with audiences in indoor and outdoor venues. And then we hope to go nationwide.
There are a number of challenges. We need the technology to work. We need to source the necessary materials to manufacture so many tests. We need to put in place an efficient distribution network. And we need to work through the numerous logistical challenges.
And as I say, we are not there yet, and I should repeat that, as we manage this period of high demand, it is especially important that if individuals don’t have symptoms, and have not been specifically advised to take a test, they should not be coming forward for a test – because they could be taking a test away from someone who really needs it.
Our plan – this moonshot that I am describing – will require a giant, collaborative effort from government, business, public health professionals, scientists, logistics experts and many, many more.
Work is underway – and we will get on at pace until we get there, round the clock.
We are hopeful this approach will be widespread by the spring and, if everything comes together, it may be possible even for challenging sectors like theatres to have life much closer to normal before Christmas.
But as I have said before, all this progress is contingent on continued scientific advances and though we’re hopeful, I cannot 100% guarantee that those advances will be made.
That is why it is so important that we take these tough measures now.
I believe we will continue to drive this virus down and that we will beat this virus before too long.
So let’s work together and follow the rules: meet in groups of no more than six. Wash your hands, cover your face, and make space.
I will now hand over to Patrick to set out the latest on vaccines and treatments, and then we’ll go to questions from the public and the media.
