Category: Covid-19
First Minister’s Statement 17th November 2020
During her weekly statement to Parliament, the First Minister covered the following (17/11/20):
- The FM confirmed that additional 1248 new cases of COVID-19 had been identified, bringing the total to 83259. She also confirmed that 1249 people were in hospital, with 95 in ICUs. She further confirmed that there had been 37 additional deaths reported in the previous 24 hours bringing the total to 3323.
- The FM noted that the National Records of Scotland would publish its data tomorrow and drew particular attention to the fact that it would probably show there had been more than 5000 deaths from COVID-19 in Scotland.
- The FM said she expected two areas, East Lothian and Midlothian, to move from level 3 to level 2.
- The FM announced that 11 council areas would now be moving into level 4 until 11 December:
- City of Glasgow
- Renfrewshire
- East Renfrewshire
- East Dunbartonshire
- West Dunbartonshire
- North Lanarkshire
- South Lanarkshire
- East Ayrshire
- South Ayrshire
- Stirling
- West Lothian
- The FM explained that closed businesses would be able to apply for four week grants that are open now. She also announced a £30m discretionary fund for councils and £15m for the self-employed.
- The FM noted that as of Friday 20 November, the travel restrictions in place in Scotland would enforceable by law if a “clear and flagrant breach” is found to have been committed. This will mean that nobody should travel between level 3 and 4 areas other than for “essential purposes” such as caring responsibilities.
- During the following session of questions, Scottish Conservative Holyrood group leader Ruth Davidson quizzed the FM on the strain Scotland’s hospitals were currently under and their capacity, Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard grilled the FM on the logic behind areas moving up in the level system and the length of time they’d be in the new level, Scottish Green co-convenor Alison Johnstone talked about a perceived lack of commitment to testing for key workers, and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie asked the FM about infection rates.
The majority of local authorities will remain at their current level and you can check which level applies by using the Scottish Government postcode checker.
Details of the restrictions in level 4 areas are available here.
Business Support
In addition to the UK furlough scheme, all businesses that require to close, at any level, are eligible for a four weekly grant of £2,000 or £3,000, depending on rateable value. Grants of £1,400 or £2,100 are available to businesses that are open, but subject to trading restrictions.
There is further information here.
In addition, the Scottish Government is establishing a £30 million discretionary fund to enable local authorities to provide additional support for businesses where they consider that necessary or justified – for example, for businesses in supply chains, or to taxi drivers suffering a severe but indirect effect.
£15 million is also being made available for newly self-employed people who have not been able to access other forms of support and £15 million will be available to local authorities to help with the community and social impact of a move to level 4.
More details of these funds will be made available shortly.
Further Information
Link to today’s news release.
Link to First Minister’s statement.
Protection levels that will apply in each local authority area with evidence and analysis informing these decisions.
Read the response from the Scottish Tourism Alliance here.
Postponement of Regulations Sought
A letter was circulated to the Scottish Government from 38 leading business and tourism stakeholders in Scotland, including CBI Scotland, Scottish Chamber of Commerce, SCDI, UK Hospitality, FSB Scotland, and the STA on 26th October, underlining our concerns and calling for a postponement of the regulations.
During a call with the First Minister last week (11th November), Fiona Campbell, ASSC’s CEO, made the following points:
Concerns with Short-Term Let Consultation
- The ASSC is extremely concerned at the speed and manner in which the short-term let consultation has been conducted given the changed context since the proposals were first unveiled earlier this year. Covid-19 has resulted in an extremely perilous set of circumstances for tourism – yet the consultation made no reference to the pandemic.
- The truncated timeline for the consultation, coupled with the lack of a partial Business Regulatory Impact Assessment, which goes against governmental best practice, has heightened our fears about the entire process.
- Our question is, are the proposals proportionate, and are they targeted?
Economic impact
- Concerns over the short-term let consultation are not limited to those working in the self-catering/short-term rental industry.
- The industry-wide letter was a recognition of the fact that self-catering is a crucial component part of Scotland’s tourism industry (and its recovery), generating approximately £723m per annum to the Scottish economy alone – and one which boosts related industries like hospitality through the economic footfall of our guests.
- The introduction of short-term let regulations comes at a time when many self-catering businesses are facing financial devastation as a consequence of the ratcheting up of restrictions:
- Our sector can expect to lose as much as £70m in the last three months of 2020 due to cancelled bookings.
- In a recent ASSC survey, 94% of respondents have stated a negative financial impact of Covid-19 to their business.
- Without a BRIA, we can’t tell what the negative impact may be. Given the uncertainties just now due to the pandemic, this further uncertainty is rendering the sector untenable. People are fighting for their livelihoods.
Request for Delay
- Given the huge local and economic impact, and the challenging Covid-19 environment, it is only fair that any regulation must be properly considered and scrutinised. We would therefore respectfully recommend that the Scottish Government should pause their work on the regulations – mirroring the welcome approach taken with the Transient Visitor Levy – so that the industry has time to recover from the devastating consequences of Covid-19.
- Such an approach would also enable a greater discussion of the consequences of the regulation and ensure that we arrive at a balanced solution that can benefit business and communities.
- To emphasise, the ASSC are not anti-regulation – we have put forward a series of evidence-based alternatives that could meet your policy objectives in a more cost-effective and proportionate manner – and we remain absolutely committed to working with your government to ensure a positive outcome for Scottish tourism.