Work is underway across the whole of Government to ensure the Afghans who stood side by side with us in conflict, their families and those at highest risk who have been evacuated, are supported as they now rebuild their lives in the UK.
The plans, dubbed ‘Operation Warm Welcome’, will be overseen by Victoria Atkins (pictured below) as the new Minister for Afghan Resettlement.
The support provided will be similar to the commitments in the Syrian Resettlement Programme and ensure that those who worked closely with the British military and UK Government in Afghanistan, and risked their lives in doing so, get the vital health, education, support into employment and accommodation they need to fully integrate into society.
The UK has a proud history of providing safe haven to those in need and the plans to be set out next week will also harness that generosity of spirit and the offers of support which have already flooded in from charities, businesses and the British public.
This includes the creation of a central portal where people, organisations and businesses can register their offer of support, be it volunteering, a job opportunity, professional skills to help with integration and deal with trauma or donations of items like clothes and toys. Free English language courses will also be provided in recognition that many of the dependents of former staff and Afghan translators may need this.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “For those who have left their homes with no more than a small bag of belongings, and in fear for their lives, coming to the UK will no doubt have been a daunting experience, but also one of hope for the future.
“I am determined that we welcome them with open arms and that my Government puts in place the support they need to rebuild their lives.
“We will never forget the brave sacrifice made by Afghans who chose to work with us, at great risk to themselves. We owe them, and their families, a huge debt.”
Full details will be set out this week and build on the commitments already made.
These include £5 million for local councils to provide housing support, an offer of a vaccine for everyone on arrival and access to rapid mental well-being and trauma support.
That’s more than THREE TIMES the population of Scotland
Joint International Statement on Afghanistan safe passage
We are all committed to ensuring that our citizens, nationals and residents, employees, Afghans who have worked with us and those who are at risk can continue to travel freely to destinations outside Afghanistan.
We have received assurances from the Taliban that all foreign nationals and any Afghan citizen with travel authorization from our countries will be allowed to proceed in a safe and orderly manner to points of departure and travel outside the country.
We will continue issuing travel documentation to designated Afghans, and we have the clear expectation of and commitment from the Taliban that they can travel to our respective countries. We note the public statements of the Taliban confirming this understanding.
The statement was released initially by the governments of the United States of America, Albania, Australia, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Canada, Central African Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Korea, Republic of Kosovo, Romania, Rwanda, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, St. Kitts and Nevis, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland , The Bahamas, The Gambia, The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Union of the Comoros, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Yemen, and Zambia.
Scottish Green Party members have approved the party’s cooperation agreement, clearing the way for co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater to become Scotland’s (and the UK’s) first Green ministers.
The agreement was approved overwhelmingly by members at a meeting yesterday and ratified by the party’s national council afterward.
Patrick Harvie MSP said: “I am delighted that our party members have given their support to this historic cooperation agreement that will see Greens enter government for the first time in Scotland, or indeed anywhere in the UK.
“With Greens in government we will be able to deliver positive change for the people of Scotland.”
Lorna Slater MSP said: “Scottish Green Party members are thoughtful and considerate, and I am pleased that having discussed and debated this agreement in great detail they have decided to take this historic step into government.
“The time has come for Scotland to step up efforts to decarbonise our economy and invest in a fairer, greener future. There’s no time to waste and I’m looking forward to start work on our transformative agenda in the coming days.”
Welcoming the agreement reached with the Scottish Green Party, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am delighted that members of both the Scottish Green Party and the SNP have agreed that we should work together in the Scottish Government to build a greener, fairer, independent Scotland.
“This historic agreement will provide a strong platform for the transformative programme we want to deliver. We will work collaboratively to support a fair recovery from Covid, address with urgency the impacts of the climate emergency, and give the people of Scotland a vote on independence.
“The agreement recognises that co-operation and consensus are essential to finding the practical solutions to the big challenges we face, and it echoes the founding principles of our Parliament.
“While our parties do not agree on everything, we have much common ground. We also have a determination – and indeed a responsibility – to look beyond our differences to build a better country.
“I look forward to working collaboratively with the Scottish Greens in government, and with all parties in parliament, to achieve this.”
The Scottish Conservatives, the main opposition party at Holyrood, reckon the deal creates a nationalist ‘Coalition of Chaos’.
“The SNP-Green coalition of chaos will hammer drivers. The Greens want to see essential road upgrades scrapped and most cars forced off the road within just a few years.”
A letter has been sent to all MPs regarding the Afghanistan evacuation and next steps:
Dear Colleagues,
The developments in Afghanistan over the last few weeks have been extremely difficult to witness. We know many of you, like thousands of people around the country, have been closely involved in working to make Afghanistan a better place over the last two decades and have a deep connection with the country and its people.
Yesterday’s callous attacks on innocent people outside Kabul airport brought into stark relief the fragility of the situation in Afghanistan. It was also a terrible reminder of the challenges we face both in getting people to safety now and supporting the country in the long-term.
Our thoughts are with the families of all those who lost their lives, including several US service personnel and many Afghan civilians.
As you know, in line with US military deadlines and our operational objectives, the UK evacuation effort at Kabul airport, Operation Pitting, is concluding. We wanted to update you on the end of our current process and what follows next, including the return of nearly 1,000 HMG personnel over the coming days.
We have worked at unprecedented pace to facilitate the largest and most complex evacuation in living memory. The Armed Forces, MoD, FCDO and Home Office staff have worked incredibly hard in very difficult circumstances to bring out over 13,000 people over the last two weeks.
This number includes British nationals and their dependants, Afghans who worked for the UK government and military and their dependants, and other Afghans who are at particularly high risk. We have also supported our allies and partners to help their nationals to safety wherever possible.
This has only been possible thanks to the extraordinary efforts of UK troops and government officials on the ground, who put themselves in harm’s way and worked around the clock to evacuate as many people as possible.
We are grateful to you for all your efforts to direct those in need of support towards assistance. Our consular teams have been able to reach many in need thanks to your help.
A whole government effort will support and integrate our Afghan friends into UK society through this traumatic period.
What follows next – safe passage
We have always cautioned that the nature of the security situation in Afghanistan and our responsibility to keep our people safe meant that we would not be able to evacuate everyone we wanted to. We know that every single one of you will have been contacted about heart-breaking stories of those left behind in unimaginable circumstances.
That is why once we have finished the immediate evacuation our efforts will turn to doing all we can to help any remaining British nationals and Afghans who have supported us and who we were not able to evacuate over the last fortnight.
We continue to offer support to all those in that situation or who have left Afghanistan and are now in a third country. Please continue to direct anyone who gets in contact with you to the FCDO consular or MoD Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) helplines. Our ARAP scheme is not time limited.
We are clear that the Taliban must ensure safe passage for these people out of Afghanistan and any engagement with them will emphasise this first and foremost.
The Home Office is working quickly across government and with international partners to establish the details of the new Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme (ACRS). This scheme will provide protection for Afghan citizens identified as most at risk, such as women and girls. The government has committed to take around 5,000 refugees in the first year and 20,000 over the coming years.
This is one of the most comprehensive resettlement schemes the UK has ever established. We know how important it is to get the most vulnerable people to safety quickly. That is why during this period of acute crisis, while we had the ability to bring people out on military aircraft, we made the decision to evacuate as many of these people as possible.
Where we have managed to evacuate people to the UK who are not covered by ARAP or otherwise entitled to remain in the UK, they will fall under the new Afghan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme. Those that were called forward by FCDO, but who we are sadly unable to evacuate before ceasing operations in Afghanistan, will also be guaranteed a place under ACRS.
Now that we are moving into a new phase for resettlement, we are looking at options to ensure that ACRS provides a safe route for those who are most vulnerable and at risk. Much will depend on the ability of individuals to receive safe passage from Afghanistan, and it is vital that the scheme dovetails with similar efforts being taken by our international partners. We will also work alongside Local Authorities to identify accommodation for those that arrive.
Our future commitment to the Afghan people
While the current phase of our engagement in Afghanistan is coming to an end, our commitment to the country will endure.
We are supporting the Afghan people in the long-term through a renewed humanitarian effort and by ensuring the Taliban are held accountable for the pledges they have made to respect human rights.
The UK has already doubled the amount of humanitarian aid to the region, committing up to £286 million with immediate effect, and we will continue to urge international partners to match our commitment.
Across government, ministers and officials are engaged in intensive international diplomacy, including at the UN Security Council and bilaterally. As President of the G7, the Prime Minister chaired an urgent meeting of G7 leaders on 24 August to discuss Afghanistan.
At this time, it is more important than ever that we stand united with our allies. The G7 agreed to produce a roadmap for engagement with the Taliban and agree standards they must be held to, including protecting women’s rights and ensuring humanitarian access. All agreed on the need for unity of message and purpose amongst the international community, and the UK will continue to lead this effort.
Let us reassure you that we will continue to use every lever at our disposal to secure the safe passage of those who wish to leave Afghanistan and to hold the Taliban to account. We will also do all we can to support the people who remain, including through our increased commitment of humanitarian assistance.
Scottish Government’s £5.2 billion for social security support
Social security expenditure in Scotland will total £5.2 billion in 2026-27, according to the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s latest forecast report published today/yesterday.
The amount spent is projected to increase by £1.5 billion over the five years due to a variety of reasons including an increase in benefits provided, inflationary rises to payments, Scotland’s ageing population increasing caseloads for payments to support the pension age group and more children and working-age people receiving disability benefits.
It is expected that more people will access financial support in the coming years as the Scottish Government continues the roll out of devolved benefits. This includes Adult Disability Payment which will replace Personal Independence Payment for disabled people of working age in Scotland in 2022.
The Scottish Child Payment will also be extended to children up to the age of 16 from the end of 2022 if data relating to this benefit is received from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “Social security is an investment in the people of Scotland and is a fundamental human right. With the devolved social security powers and limited resources that we have, we are committed to making sure everyone can access the financial support they are entitled to.
“By understanding people’s experiences of accessing UK Government social security support, we have sought to ensure that our new Scottish Government service is easily accessible and that people have a good experience when interacting with the Scottish social security system. If someone is eligible for support then it is our responsibility to make sure that they know about available payments, and help them get the money they need and that they are due.
“As well as the introduction of our new disability benefits in 2021 and 2022, in the coming years, we will also introduce Scottish Carer’s Assistance, which will replace the UK Government’s Carer’s Allowance in Scotland.
“In 2023-24 it is forecast that nearly 300,000 children will benefit from the Scottish Child Payment. This will be the first full year of the planned rollout of Scottish Child Payment to 6 to 15 year olds. We also plan to significantly increase the value of Scottish Child Payment, doubling it to £20 per week within the lifetime of the Parliament and lifting more children out of poverty.
“It is vital that the UK Government matches our efforts. We need UK Ministers to take decisive action in the areas where they have power and responsibility and to reverse their welfare cuts which are hitting households harder than ever.
“I call again on the UK Government to end their benefit cap, bedroom tax and two-child limit, and to maintain the £20 Universal Credit uplift.”
Climate action central to Greens and SNP cooperation deal, says Green’s Lorna Slater
Action on tackling the climate emergency is central to the draft cooperation deal agreed between the Scottish Greens and Scottish Government, according to Lorna Slater the co-leader of the Scottish Greens and an MSP for Lothian.
The draft policy programme, published last week, would see two Scottish Green MSPs taking ministerial posts, marking the first time Green politicians have taken a role in government anywhere in any of the UK nations.
They would work to deliver a shared broad policy agenda that will tackle the climate crisis, create thousands of quality jobs, including many in Lothian, and make Scotland fairer.
If the deal is ratified by party members, Greens in government would decarbonise the transport network and the way buildings are heated, as well as creating thousands of jobs expanding Scotland’s renewable energy capacity.
Under the proposals, the parties would work together on legislation to grow onshore wind, invest in active travel, public transport and a green industrial fund, and bring in new protections for nature, including the establishment of at least one new national park. There would be a decisive shift away from spending on major road projects.
Scottish Greens would also lead on a new deal for tenants, including a national rent control system and better rights for tenants in the private rented sector. This would be particularly welcome in Lothian.
The parties would collaborate to bring forward overdue equalities and land reform legislation, as well as a joint bill on a new referendum on independence for Scotland. The Scottish Greens will also work in cooperation to deliver a National Care Service and on Education reforms.
Lorna Slater, the Scottish Greens MSP for Lothian said:“The world is on fire, and we have to act now. This deal would put Greens at the heart of decision-making at a crucial time for Scotland, particularly in areas like transport and heating where emissions are high. Scotland can step up efforts to decarbonise homes and transport and accelerate investment in renewable energy.
“This is a cooperation agreement, rather than a coalition. The Greens and SNP are very different parties, and we would maintain those different policy agendas, but, if approved by our members, this deal would see Green MSPs taking the lead on a broad legislative programme for Scotland.
“With Greens in government we would be able to deliver the kind of investment and legislation that people in Lothian want to see. This will allow us to tackle Scotland’s emissions, protect nature, advance tenant’s rights, bring forward overdue equalities legislation and deliver a referendum on independence.”
The deal would see two Scottish Green MSPs appointed as Ministers, with further details on portfolios and individuals due to be published later this week.
The leaders and MSPs are engaging with members on the deal before the Scottish Green Party holds an EGM on Saturday (28 August) to decide whether to proceed.
The Scottish Government has published its NHS Recovery Plan, committing more than £1 billion of targeted investment for the recovery and renewal of Scotland’s health service.
It sets out key actions for the next five years to help address backlogs in healthcare and increase capacity by at least 10%.
The plan outlines a range of reforms across primary and acute NHS services to help recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and get everyone the treatment they need as quickly as possible.
A key aim in primary care is to restore face-to-face GP consultations as quickly and safely as possible, while ensuring everyone can continue to make use of eHealth services like NHS Near Me, if that is their preference. We are also bolstering the NHS Pharmacy First scheme to enhance the range of services patients can access from community pharmacists without having to go to their GP.
In acute care we are increasing capacity for inpatients, day cases, outpatients and diagnostics. Prior to the pandemic, Scotland’s NHS carried out approximately 270,000 inpatient/day cases per year, and approximately 1.4 million outpatient appointments. Through this Plan we will work to increase NHS capacity substantially beyond these levels.
A priority within the Plan is to focus on the health and wellbeing of NHS staff who have given so much, particularly during the pandemic.
Actions include:
increasing investment in National Treatment Centres (NTCs) to more than £400 million, contributing to delivery of over 40,000 additional elective surgeries and procedures per year
raising primary care investment by 25%, supporting GPs, community pharmacists, dentists and optometrists
investing £29 million to target diagnostic backlogs, providing 78,000 additional procedures in 2021/22 rising to 90,000 per year from 2025/26
providing £8 million to support the mental health and wellbeing of the health and care workforce
investing £11 million in new national and international recruitment campaigns to produce an additional 1,500 staff over the next five years for our NTCs, 1,000 mental health link workers in communities, 800 more GPs, and boosting paramedic numbers through the £10,000 Paramedic Bursary.
delivering £23 million to redesign urgent care – with rapid access to a senior clinician via a telephone or video consultation where possible, reducing the pressure on A&E
devoting £130 million to deliver our National Cancer Plan and Detect Cancer Early Programme
ensuring at least 10% of frontline health spending will be dedicated to mental health, and recruiting 320 additional Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) workers
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was joined by Health Secretary Humza Yousaf to launch the NHS Recovery Plan during a visit to the new national Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) which will play a key role in supporting improvements in outpatient and inpatient capacity as well as diagnostics.
She said: “This Plan will drive the recovery of our NHS, not just to its pre-pandemic level but beyond.
“As we maintain our resilience against COVID-19 and other pressures, the Scottish Government is providing targeted investment to increase capacity, reform the system and ultimately get everyone the treatment they need as quickly as possible.
“Tackling the backlog of care is essential and will be a priority. But we want to go further than that and deliver an NHS that is innovative, sustainable and stronger than ever before.”
US President Joe Biden says troops are on track to meet 31 August deadline
A joint statement on Afghanistan was released by the G7 Leaders last night:
Today, 24 August 2021, under the Presidency of the United Kingdom, we the Leaders of the Group of Seven met virtually to discuss the situation in Afghanistan. We were joined by the Secretaries General of the United Nations (UN) and NATO. We reaffirm our steadfast commitment to the people of Afghanistan, and support the UN Security Council statement of 16 August.
We express our grave concern about the situation in Afghanistan and call for calm and restraint to ensure the safety and security of vulnerable Afghan and international citizens, and the prevention of a humanitarian crisis.
We call for adherence to obligations under international human rights law, including the rights of women, girls, and minority groups, and that international humanitarian law is upheld in all circumstances. We honour the significant sacrifices made by the Afghan people, people of our own countries, and countless others, who have worked toward a more peaceful, just and secure future for Afghanistan.
The Afghan people deserve to live in dignity, peace and security, reflecting the last two decades of their political, economic and social achievements, in particular for women and girls. Afghanistan must never again become a safe haven for terrorism, nor a source of terrorist attacks on others.
Working with partners, in particular NATO allies, we will continue to fight terrorism with resolve and solidarity, wherever it is found. Any future Afghan government must adhere to Afghanistan’s international obligations and commitment to protect against terrorism; safeguard the human rights of all Afghans, particularly women, children, and ethnic and religious minorities; uphold the rule of law; allow unhindered and unconditional humanitarian access; and counter human and drug trafficking effectively.
We call on all parties in Afghanistan to work in good faith to establish an inclusive and representative government, including with the meaningful participation of women and minority groups.
We affirm our enduring commitment to the people of Afghanistan, including through a renewed humanitarian effort by the international community. To this end we support the UN in coordinating the immediate international humanitarian response in the region, including unfettered humanitarian access in Afghanistan, and will contribute collectively to that response.
As part of that, we will cooperate together and with neighbouring and other countries in the region on supporting Afghan refugees and host communities as part of a coordinated long-term regional response. We call on all partners of Afghanistan to support this effort and wider regional stability through multilateral channels.
As part of this, our immediate priority is to ensure the safe evacuation of our citizens and those Afghans who have partnered with us and assisted our efforts over the past twenty years, and to ensure continuing safe passage out of Afghanistan. We will continue to coordinate closely on this, and we expect all parties to continue to facilitate this, and to ensure the safety of humanitarian and medical personnel, and other international service providers.
We will cooperate together, and with neighbouring and other countries in the region hosting refugees, on a coordinated approach to safe and legal routes for resettlement.
We will work together, and with our allies and regional countries, through the UN, G20 and more widely, to bring the international community together to address the critical questions facing Afghanistan.
As we do this, we will judge the Afghan parties by their actions, not words. In particular, we reaffirm that the Taliban will be held accountable for their actions on preventing terrorism, on human rights in particular those of women, girls and minorities and on pursuing an inclusive political settlement in Afghanistan.
The legitimacy of any future government depends on the approach it now takes to uphold its international obligations and commitments to ensure a stable Afghanistan.
First Minister calls for more UK action on Afghanistan crisis
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson urging the UK Government to agree to resettle more than the current commitment of 20,000 Afghan refugees in the long term and 5,000 in the first year.
The First Minister says a substantial increase in numbers is required and urgently seeks further information on how many civilians, especially women, girls and others in need of refuge, will be protected – as well as further detail on the new Afghan Citizens Resettlement Programme.
The First Minister also seeks further details on a proposed four nations summit on the Afghanistan crisis, to which the Prime Minister indicated agreement in the House of Commons on 18 August.
Her letter reads:
Thank you for your letter of 20 August seeking Scotland’s continued support in resettling vulnerable Afghans in the UK and your recognition of the role Scotland is already playing under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy.
I want to take this opportunity to re-iterate that Scotland is committed to playing our part in welcoming and supporting people fleeing Afghanistan, through both the programme supporting locally employed staff and resettlement of refugees.
We will work with the UK Government, COSLA, local authorities and other partners in Scotland to support these programmes and provide people with the safety and security they need to rebuild their lives.
I recognise the incredibly difficult circumstances in which UK officials and service personnel are operating in Afghanistan. Their work is invaluable for those that they are able to assist, and it is crucial that the UK makes every effort to support people to reach a place of safety.
It is imperative that these urgent evacuation operations should support as many people as possible. I ask in particular that you seek to ensure those who have worked to support British interests in Afghanistan are able to benefit from the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, whether or not they were directly employed by the UK Government. We must do all we can to support people who are at risk because of the help and assistance they have given to us.
Scotland is proud to play our part in supporting people arriving from Afghanistan who worked in support of the UK. I commend the work of Scottish local authorities who have received families through the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy and those preparing to do so.
The Scottish Government also welcomes your announcement of a refugee resettlement programme to support Afghan nationals. I am pleased that this will be in addition to Afghans arriving through relocation and the UK’s existing commitments to global refugee resettlement. Refugee resettlement is about meeting the needs of the most vulnerable, and I note your approach to prioritise women and girls, as well as those at risk of human rights abuses.
While recognising the pressures on accommodation capacity, we are concerned that the commitment to resettle 20,000 refugees in ‘the long term’ and just 5,000 in the first year is not sufficient in the context of the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding. We believe a commitment to a substantial increase in numbers is required and urgently seek further details of how civilians, especially women, girls and others in need of refuge will be protected.
As you will be aware, all 32 of Scotland’s local authorities participated in the Syrian Resettlement Programme, with over 3,500 refugees welcomed into communities across Scotland under both that programme and the Vulnerable Children’s Resettlement Scheme.
We want our local authorities to be able to continue to provide strong support for refugees. To do that, we need more detail about the new Afghan Citizens Resettlement Programme, including timescales for arrivals and funding to support local authority participation, as well as wider services which are essential to support people to settle and be able to begin to rebuild their lives.
People across our communities, including Afghans with family and friends who are still in Afghanistan, are distressed and concerned about how people will be able to leave and find a place of safety.
I am keen to know more about options for humanitarian routes for people in Afghanistan. In the current situation, many people will find it extremely difficult to directly reach a place of safety. We must work to reduce the risk of people being forced to make perilous journeys or becoming vulnerable to the exploitation of traffickers.
During the Westminster debate on Wednesday 18 August you indicated agreement to a summit with devolved nations. I would be grateful for more detail on plans for this.
I also welcome the commitment you made during the debate that the UK will not return Afghan nationals who have sought asylum in the UK. Given the drastic situation in Afghanistan, I expect the Home Office to consider asylum applications from Afghan nationals quickly and compassionately. Any cases which are in the asylum appeals process, or where people have previously been refused asylum on the basis that Kabul is safe, should also be urgently reviewed.
I look forward to receiving further detail about evacuation, safe routes and resettlement from Afghanistan as soon as possible. Scotland is committed to playing our part, and I am keen that communities across Scotland are able to be involved in the humanitarian response in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan.
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Tuesday, 24 August:
Good afternoon. The CMO and I will take questions shortly.
However, I’ll give an overview first of where we are with Covid, starting with today’s statistics.
4,323 positive cases were reported yesterday – that’s 14.5% of all tests carried out.
364 people are in hospital – 8 more than yesterday.
And 43 people are in intensive care, which is a rise of 2 from yesterday.
Sadly, a further 10 deaths have been reported in the past 24 hours, which means that the total number of deaths registered, under our daily definition, is now 8,080.
As always, my condolences go to everyone who has lost someone as a result of the virus.
As of this morning, 4,085,552 people have received a first dose of the vaccine.
And 3,587,145 people have received a second dose.
Around 80% of over 18 year olds have now had both doses of the vaccine. That includes 95% of over 40s – which is a genuinely remarkable uptake.
82% of 30 to 39 year olds have had a first dose, and 68% have had both doses. For 18 to 29 years, 74% have had first doses and 41% have had second doses.
16 & 17 year olds started being offered vaccine a couple of weeks ago and 40% have now had their first jag.
So uptake figures are good. But there are still eligible people out there who are not yet vaccinated and that poses a risk – to you if you are one of them and to all of us, because it means our overall level of population immunity is not as high as it could be.
So if you are 16 or over and haven’t yet done so, please get vaccinated now. You just need to turn up at a drop-in centre – you can find out where your nearest centre is by visiting the NHS Inform site, or by checking the social media pages of your local health board.
I have two further issues I want to cover today.
In a moment, I will discuss the overall course of the pandemic – including the rise in cases that we have seen during the last week.
But before that, I want to confirm an announcement made in the last half hour or so.
The Scottish Government has always been committed to the establishment of a statutory public inquiry into the handling of the pandemic.
I can confirm that, today, we have started the process of getting the inquiry up and running. It will be established by the end of this year as promised and will take a persons-centered, human rights based approach.
We have just published draft aims and principles for the inquiry which, following consultation between now and the end of September, with interested parties, including bereaved families, are intended to become the formal Terms of Reference.
A copy of the draft and details of how to contribute views can be found on the Scottish Government website.
The Lord Advocate has also begun discussions with the Lord President about appointing a judge to lead the inquiry. It is fully our intention that this will be a judge-led inquiry.
The inquiry will look at all matters related to the handling of the pandemic that were within our devolved competence. This will include, of course, the situation in care homes.
However, we will also liaise closely with the UK Government – and with other devolved governments – on the likely terms of a UK wide inquiry. Where possible it will be important to avoid duplication and overlap to reduce the burden on those giving evidence.
However, the need for co-operation with other governments is not a reason to delay the establishment of our own inquiry.
I believe that a full public inquiry has a very important role to play, both in scrutinising the decisions we took – and indeed continue to take – in the course of the pandemic, and also in identifying and learning lessons for the future.
I therefore believe that it is appropriate to establish that inquiry as soon as possible. The process that we have begun today is an important step towards that.
The second point I want to address is the sharp rise in cases that we have seen in the last few days.
New cases in Scotland have more than doubled during the last week. This is one of the sharpest rises we have seen during the pandemic.
As a result, new cases are now slightly higher than the exceptional levels we saw in early July. In fact today’s daily figure is the largest we have ever recorded. Though it is worth remembering that we do more testing now than in the early stages of the pandemic.
Now, we always knew that cases were likely to rise as restrictions eased – so to some extent what we are seeing now is not entirely unexpected.
However, the scale of the increase is still a cause of real concern – although context is still important.
We know that vaccination is making a big difference.
Indeed that explains why so many of the new cases we are seeing just now are in younger people less likely to have had both doses of vaccine. Around half of new cases are in people under the age of 25.
We shouldn’t be complacent about that of course. Young people can fall seriously ill from Covid, including through long Covid.
And of course vaccination does not provide anyone – of any age – with 100% protection. In fact around 1/3 of new cases recently, have been in people who had been fully vaccinated.
However, vaccination does make us somewhat less likely to get Covid and significantly less likely to fall seriously ill from Covid.
That means vaccination is still significantly weakening the link between high numbers of new cases and serious harm to people’s health.
That’s why we are able to take a different – much less restrictive – approach to dealing with the virus now than was possible at earlier stages of the pandemic.
And it is worth remembering why this is important for us to do.
Children need to go to school, businesses need to trade more normally, jobs rely on businesses and all of us need to be able to live more freely and to interact with friends, family and wider networks.
Vaccination is helping us do all of that.
But – and this is the difficult part for all of us – even with vaccination, we cannot be totally relaxed about this surge either.
The link between new cases and serious health harms has been weakened, but it has not been completely broken. That means the rise in cases in the last week may well result in more people going to hospital in the coming days, perhaps requiring intensive care treatment and more people dying.
It also means that if the surge continues or accelerates – and if we start to see evidence of a substantial increase in serious illness as a result – we cannot completely rule out having to reimpose some restrictions.
Of course, we hope not to have to do that – and if we did, we would be as limited and proportionate as possible.
However – as has been the case throughout – what happens in the next few weeks will depend to some extent on all of us.
This is yet another fragile – and potentially very pivotal – moment in our journey through the pandemic.
It is a moment to remember that – even though most restrictions have been lifted – the virus is still circulating. And the Delta variant is very transmissible.
So we need to continue to take care and think about how, in our own behaviours, we can limit the ability of the virus to spread.
Indeed, in some ways, the basic precautions we can all take have become more important – not less – as life has returned so much more to normal.
So I am asking everyone today to do the following – for the sake of ourselves and each other:
First, if you are eligible and haven’t yet done so, please get vaccinated. This remains the single most important thing we can all do to keep each other safe.
The reverse of that is equally true – not getting vaccinated is putting yourself and others at greater risk.
Second, please test yourself regularly – that way, if you have the virus but don’t have symptoms, you have a chance of picking that up before going to work or out socialising and inadvertently passing it to others.
Free lateral flow tests are available by post through the NHS inform website, or for collection from test sites and local pharmacies.
If you test positive through one of these lateral flow devices – or if you have symptoms of the virus – make sure that you self-isolate, and book a PCR test.
Third, stick to the rules still in place.
For example wear face coverings in shops and public transport – this is a reasonably simple and straightforward way in which we can protect each other in indoor settings.
And lastly, be mindful of the basic steps we can take to reduce risk. Indeed, make this a moment when we all remind ourselves to keep doing these things.
Wash your hands and surfaces as regularly as possible.
Even though it’s not the law any more, keep a safe distance from people in other households if you can.
Continue to minimise physical contact where possible – like handshaking, for example.
Avoid crowded indoor places.
And meet outdoors as much as possible, especially for as long as we have reasonable weather. If you are indoors, open windows – the better ventilated a room is, the safer it is.
It is vital at this juncture that we remember to do all of these things. As we head into autumn and winter, these basic steps might also help us limit spread of flu and other viruses too.
In the coming days, we will also be liaising with businesses to encourage compliance with basic mitigations too. In particular, I am today reminding businesses to continue to support home working for now where possible.
We have come a long way and we shouldn’t lose sight of that. In so many ways, things are better.
But like other countries in this global pandemic, we face a challenging period ahead again.
Let’s come together again to get through it.
Let’s keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.
And let’s maintain the progress that we’ve all worked so hard for.
PM to call on countries to match UK commitments to protect those most in need in Afghanistan and bolster aid to the region
Leaders set to discuss joint approach to securing a more stable future for Afghanistan
Meeting follows doubling of UK humanitarian aid spending and the announcement of one of the most generous resettlement schemes in British history
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will call on G7 leaders to continue to stand by the Afghan people and step up support for refugees and humanitarian aid when they meet this afternoon (Tuesday 24th August).
Chairing the meeting, he is expected to urge international partners to match the UK’s commitments on aid and the resettlement of those most in need, in order to protect human rights and contribute to the stability of the region.
Leaders are also expected to reiterate their commitment to safeguarding the gains made in Afghanistan over the last 20 years – in particular on girls’ education and the rights of women and minorities. Discussions are set to cover ongoing collaboration on evacuation efforts at Kabul airport and longer-term work to secure a more stable future for Afghanistan and ensure any new government is inclusive and abides by its international obligations.
Ahead of the meeting, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Our first priority is to complete the evacuation of our citizens and those Afghans who have assisted our efforts over the last 20 years – but as we look ahead to the next phase, it’s vital we come together as an international community and agree a joint approach for the longer term.
“That’s why I’ve called an emergency meeting of the G7 – to coordinate our response to the immediate crisis, to reaffirm our commitment to the Afghan people, and to ask our international partners to match the UK’s commitments to support those in need.
“Together with our partners and allies, we will continue to use every humanitarian and diplomatic lever to safeguard human rights and protect the gains made over the last two decades. The Taliban will be judged by their deeds and not their words.”
The meeting will take place by video conference and the NATO and UN Secretaries-General have also been invited to join the discussion.
Earlier this week the Prime Minister set out his five-point plan for addressing the risk of humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. The plan has five parts:
immediately helping those to whom we have direct obligations
protecting ourselves against any threat from terrorism
supporting Afghan people in the region through humanitarian and development assistance
creating safe and legal routes to resettle Afghans in need
developing a clear plan for dealing with the new Afghan regime in a unified and concerted way
The meeting of G7 leaders comes after the Prime Minister chaired a meeting of COBR on Monday afternoon where ministers discussed the latest situation on the ground. As of the morning of Monday 23rd, the UK had secured the evacuation of almost 6,000 people out of Kabul since Operation PITTING began last week, which includes British Nationals and their dependants, embassy staff, and Afghan nationals under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) programme.
The UK has already doubled the amount of humanitarian aid to the region, committing up to £286 million with immediate effect, and last week we announced a new bespoke resettlement scheme. This programme will be one of the most generous in British history and is set to relocate up to 20,000 vulnerable Afghans.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke to US President Joe Biden last night on the situation in Afghanistan, ahead of tomorrow’s G7 meeting.
They discussed the ongoing efforts by the UK and US to coordinate the rapid and safe evacuation of our nationals and those who previously worked with our governments from Kabul International Airport.
The leaders agreed to continue working together to ensure those who are eligible to leave are able to, including after the initial phase of the evacuation has ended.
The Prime Minister and President Biden noted the importance of concerted diplomatic engagement to secure the progress made in Afghanistan and prevent a humanitarian crisis.
They committed to driving international action, including through the G7 and UN Security Council, to stabilise the situation, support the Afghan people and work towards an inclusive and representative Afghan government.
Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton has been confirmed as the new leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats. He was elected unopposed.
Mr Cole-Hamilton takes over from Willie Rennie, who stepped down after the Scottish Parliament elections in May which saw the Lib-Dem contingent reduced to just four MSPs at Holyrood.
Following the announcement Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “With everything we have been through Scotland needs new hope right now. As the new leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, I want to offer that to the people of our country.
“We no longer have to choose between the Scottish nationalisms of the SNP and the Brexit nationalism of the Conservatives, the Scottish Liberal Democrats are the positive, unifying alternative.
“Our country is a beautiful and dynamic place to live, our people are proud, and our history is magnificent, but over time we have become subdued by the collapse of industry, failing health and disinterest from those in power.
“As we come out of the pandemic, we need to do things differently. Going back to the way things were cannot be the limit of our ambition. We need to bring our country together so we can focus on the issues and the challenges we are all facing.
“Here are some of my priorities:
Tackle the climate emergency, without the baggage of nationalism
Value and reward our carers
Make Scotland the best place in the world to receive an education, once again
Give people the freedom to live the lives they want, without government interference
Give local communities a bigger say
Make Scotland a powerhouse for research and innovation
Closer cooperation with our partners across the UK and in Europe
“We can achieve all of this and more, but only if we get beyond the divisions of the past.
“If you agree with me, you can be a part of the new hope I want to bring to Scotland. Join me and the Scottish Liberal Democrats.”
Lib-Dem leader Ed Davey said: “A huge congratulations to @agcolehamilton on his election as Leader of @ScotLibDems. Alex is a true liberal and tireless campaigner.
“I look forward to working closely with him to fight the climate crisis, value carers, and deliver world-class education and services for Scotland.”
Mr Cole-Hamilton’s appointment was announced by his colleague Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine on the same day as the SNP – Scottish Greens working agreement was confirmed.
Ms Jardine said: “Alex is not just someone who’s in this because of politics, he’s in this because of what he believes and it will be his vision, his views, his direction that will take the party forward into the next phase.
“We all have a job to do in supporting Alex, we all have a job to do in getting the message out there, and we all have a job to do in ensuring that this next phase of our history is a strong, positive one.
“Alex is the one who’s going to lead us forward in portraying that to the Scottish people, winning their support again, and making sure that we change Scottish politics.”
The Scottish Parliament has been in recess since 26 June but resumes on 29 August.
