More clarity and transparency amongst Scottish Conservative demands for lockdown relaxation route map

Calls for more clarity on plans to bring Scotland out of its second Covid-19 lockdown have been made by the Scottish Conservatives ahead of the publication of the Scottish Government’s new strategic framework next week.

The Scottish Conservatives have demanded clarity on how Scotland will come out of lockdown.

Nicola Sturgeon announced earlier this week that the new route map out of lockdown would be published at the early stage of next week and will set out how Scotland will relax restrictions around Covid-19.

However, the Scottish Conservatives have issued a challenge to the First Minister to ensure it offers clarity and will be transparent.

In their alternative plan labelled “Unlocking the lockdown”, the party call for a “shared understanding” of what the best and worst-case scenario for lockdown relaxation will be after the completion of the vaccination programme.

They also call for more clarity on cross-border and international travel and when or if that will be resumed.

The Scottish Conservatives have also called for the route map to set out “what is likely to be the new longer-term restrictions” that the country will face as the “new normal”.

Party leader, Douglas Ross, said clarity was needed to provide “hope for the future”.

He said: “Instead of obsessively pushing a damaging and divisive independence referendum this year, the SNP must focus on jobs and the economy.

“My blueprint does exactly that. The single most important thing that government can give to businesses and individuals is certainty going forward.

“There needs to be a complete approach to gradually removing restrictions and ending the lockdown. One key question is whether there will be a local or national approach.

“While we rightly celebrate the world-beating UK and Scottish vaccination programme, now is the time to focus on the future.

“Our measures have one central purpose — to ensure Scotland’s economy can emerge stronger than before lockdown.

“People also need to know what the ‘new normal’ will look like in respect of schooling, the workplace, leisure and travel.

“They are also tired of SNP spin and deserve to know exactly how and why decisions will be reached.

“It’s fantastic that more than 1.3million Scots have received their first vaccine but they also need to know how vaccination progress will be linked to restrictions being eased.”

The document also pushes policies already touted by the Tory leader after his ascent to the post last year, including the creation of a business advisory council and a one-week “adaptation period” before rule changes are enforced.

The Scottish Government has previously rejected calls for a week gap between the announcement of changes and when they come into effect, citing the fast-moving nature of the virus.

Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing, the deputy first minister John Swinney said the government would take a cautious approach to relaxation.

He said: “The government will be considering over the weekend the finalisation of the strategic framework.

"It will be discussed at cabinet on Tuesday and shared with parliament on Tuesday afternoon in a statement by the First Minister.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson added: "Our revised strategic framework for easing Covid-19 restrictions will be published shortly.

“It will set out how we will use and balance all the tools at our disposal – restrictions and advice, vaccination, test and protect, and travel restrictions – to restore, on a phased basis, greater normality to our everyday lives.”

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