FMQs: Lockdown easing should be at ‘pace of area furthest behind’

Nicola Sturgeon has said that any easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions should be at the pace of the area furthest behind the curve.

Nicola Sturgeon says lockdown restrictions should be eased universally at the pace of the area furthest behind the curve.

At First Minister’s Questions she said that clinical evidence would drive the timing of easing of lockdown, but that the whole UK could need to “go at the pace of the slowest”.

Quizzed in Holyrood by Scottish Conservative leader Jackson Carlaw on the potential for “confusion” if messages from both the Scottish and UK governments were different about when lockdown could end, the First Minister said: “No part of the UK, or area in the UK, should be forced into lifting restrictions before the evidence says it’s safe to do so.”

Despite Mr Carlaw appreciating the “complexity” around the timing and that “balancing risks is difficult”, he said it was vital the public was “clear on what is happening and why.

“The key stay at home message has been effective because it’s been delivered simply and effectively,” he said. “Simplicity saves lives, so to ensure its maximum effectiveness, future guidance should be equally simple and consistent across the UK within a framework of an agreed plan by all administrations.”

The First Minister said she agreed in “broad terms” and added: “No-one needs to convince me about clarity and simplicity. I want as much consistency of messaging as possible and have worked very hard to achieve that. A four-nations approach to be meaningful has to be one which all four nations have been involved in formulating and one which takes account of the evidence in each part of the UK, not just some parts. That’s the way we have to continue and progress.

“We can have a four-nations approach co-ordinated with some differences in pace depending on evidence, that would perfecrtly legitmate, or we can decided that doing the same thing at the same time is what matters. But we must go at the pace of the part of the UK which is furthest behind in the infection curve because not to do that would leave parts of the UK potentially lifting restrictions before it was safe to do so. That’s the worry I would have.”

However Mr Carlaw said there was already “muddle” with Scottish construction firms asking why they couldn’t work while those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland were allowed to operate.

“Some people have a lot more angst about this UK-wide approach than I do,” said Ms Sturgeon. “My starting point is what does the evidence tell us is the right thing to do to supress the virus and save lives?

“When we have differences right now I could say maybe the problem is others not following Scotland’s guidance. There’s a big assumption in Jackson Carlaw’s question that it is safe for construction to be working normally in other parts of the UK but it’s something that I’m not yet absolutely satisfied about.

“At the start of this outbreak my judgement was construction was not safe to operate - has enough changed for me to change that judgement? My answer is not yet. We’re at such a critical stage the evidence I’m looking at tells me it wouldn’t take much at all to send our progress into reverse.

“We are working with the construction leadership forum on a phased restart and there’s a lot of common sense in that, but until we get to a point that I’m satisfied we can ease up a bit without this virus going out of control, then I think the responsible thing to do is stick with the guidance we’ve got until we get to a decision where we’re more confident.”

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