No Covid quarantine checks carried out in Scotland

Jeane Freeman says check will begin this week

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman insisted that checks will get underway this week - four weeks after quarantine measures were first introduced.

She blamed the absence of checks so far on the fact that Scots public health staff have yet to be given security clearance for access to passenger details as part of a Home Office scheme.

"Our officials had to get that necessary security clearance in order to be able to access that data that then allows the follow up calls to be made," Ms Freeman told BBC Scotland's Politics show today.

"That's now thankfully resolved and those calls begin this week.”

Anyone entering Scotland from abroad is currently expected to isolate for two weeks or face a £480 fine. The measure was introduced to suppress the spread of coronavirus.

The absence of tests came under fire from Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw.

“This is just the latest testing and checking failure by the SNP," he said.

“We will not be able to exit lockdown safely until the SNP gets its act together on testing.

“From care homes to NHS workers, the whole testing scheme has been a mess.

“It’s clear that behind Nicola Sturgeon there is an entire team simply not up to the task.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism.

Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Joy Yates

Editorial Director

No Covid quarantine checks carried out in Scotland

Comments