Nicola Sturgeon Covid update RECAP: Requirement to wear face masks to be removed on a “phased basis”
Face covering rules are currently the only legal restrictions still in place on in Scotland in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ms Sturgeon had previously signalled their use would move from being a legal requirement to being guidance on Monday March 21.
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Hide AdHowever, she told MSPs on March 15 that with the “current spike” in cases, ministers had agreed it was “prudent” for the measure to remain in place.
New reported cases have fallen since the last announcement, from 10,710 in March 16 to 9,311 on Monday, but the number of people in hospital has risen sharply.
On March 15, 1,996 people in Scotland’s hospitals had a confirmed case of Covid-19, compared to 2,383 on Tuesday, according to Scottish Government figures.
You can follow updates in our live blog
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross has called on the First Minister to “give up control over people’s lives”.
“She can’t use the higher case rates that she has completely failed to reduce as an excuse to delay or backtrack on lifting the remaining restrictions,” he said.
“We have now been living under some form of legal Covid restrictions for over two years. Nicola Sturgeon must now start to trust the Scottish public to keep themselves safe.
“Despite their overly cautious approach, the SNP’s Covid strategy has failed. Scotland’s infection rates have been significantly higher than England’s for several weeks.
“All the SNP have achieved with their dithering and delays is to prolong the hardship of the public and businesses.
“Nicola Sturgeon cannot keep Scotland in Covid restrictions forever. It’s time we got back to normality.”
Nicola Sturgeon Covid update LIVE: Updates on face mask rules Scotland
The Prime Minister starts off PMQs by congratulating and paying tribute to Jamie Wallis for coming out as transgender saying “the House stands with you”.
The MP is on the back row of the Conservative benches.
The PM says “The whole House will have read the statement from (Jamie Wallis) and I know the House stands with you and we’ll give you the support that you need to live freely as yourself.”
Sir Keir Starmer hits out at the tax increases and the growing tax burden from the UK Government.
He asks if the PM and the Chancellor still consider themselves to be tax cutters.
“For every six pounds they are taking in tax rises, they are handing only one pound back,” Starmer says
He calls on the PM to “cut the nonsense and treat the British people with respect”
Boris Johnson says his government last week announced the biggest personal tax cut in decades
Sir Keir Starmer asks why the PM is more focused on shielding oil and gas companies than helping the working people?
He accuses the PM is “putting the Tory reelection campaign over and above helping people pay their bills” by introducing a “small tax cut” in 2024.
He says a windfall tax would “raise billions and ease the burden on working people”.
Sir Keir Starmer asks why the Prime Minister has not resigned over Partygate.
He says Boris Johnson broke the ministerial code when he claimed in Parliament no rules were broken regarding Downing Street parties.
He asks “Why is he still here?” and that the PM thinks he “can pass off criminality in his office but ask others to follow the law”
The PM says investigators must get on with job, in meantime his government are going to get on with our job.
He adds that Sir Keir Stamer is inconsistent on whether he should resign or not and brands the Labour leader a “human weathervane”.
SNP Westminster leader asks what the government is doing to tackle the cost of living crisis - he hits out at the Conservatives ‘champagne bash’ last night while millions worried about the cost of living.
Boris Johnson says that the living wage is increasing and that Scotland should focus on its own education system and the country going forward.
Blackford says that the Chancellor thinks a £200 loan is a solution and says it is not. He calls for the loan to be converted into a grant.
Mark Fletcher asks what can be done to help young people in his constituency get free travel to college, while Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader hits out at the fact that the paperwork is too complicated for Ukrainian refugees to come to the UK visa free.
The PM says everyone is pulling together. Davey should not “deprecate” what the UK is offering. Johnson adds that 1,000 applications are being processed a day and there are no limits on how many can come.