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.
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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
Sarah Champion tells the PM people are struggling to put food on the table or fuel in their cars. That is down to his choices, she says, not Ukraine or as a result of Covid.
The PM says he disagrees and that the government is taking steps to help, steps that would not have been possible under Labour’s plans, he claims.
Apsana Begum says the real-terms welfare cut will push more families into desperation and that more must be done to help with the cost of living crisis.
Boris Johnson says he is committed to reducing poverty, he says and that there are 200,000 fewer kids in poverty, and claims that there are 1.3m fewer people in absolute poverty.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson with Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons during PMQs
And relax...
It was certainly an eventful PMQs, that covered a lot of topics.
Boris Johnson insisted he was getting on with the job of running the country as he faced calls to quit for misleading Parliament over the partygate row.
Sir Keir Starmer suggested Mr Johnson should resign for misleading the House by denying the allegations of wrongdoing at the parties during England’s coronavirus lockdowns.
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford accused Boris Johnson’s Government of “partying through the cost of living emergency”.
He said: “Last night millions of families will have been desperately trying to figure out how they will possibly afford the £700 energy price hike that will hit them this Friday.
Removing sanctions from Russia “simply because there is a ceasefire” would be “inconceivable”, the Prime Minister has said, as he warned against “backsliding” on the issue.
Boris Johnson has sparked outrage after mocking Ian Blackford's weight for a second time at PMQs.
UK authorities have granted the Cambo oil field a licence extension – with environmental campaigners claiming the move keeps the controversial project on “life support”.
The licence for developing the area, which lies to the west of Shetland, had been due to expire on Thursday.
But a spokeswoman for energy giant Shell, which co-owns the field with Siccar Point Energy, confirmed on Wednesday that the extension has been granted.
Shell withdrew from the development in December and it stressed there is “no change to our position”.