Scottish Government set to reveal lockdown lift plan

The Scottish Government has not been consulted on reported moves to lift the coronavirus lockdown in England, but will reveal its own strategy later this week, it was claimed today.

Jeane Freeman has said the government will reveal its strategy for lifting lockdown in the coming week.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said the Scottish Government would not endorse a reported “traffic light process” which could see some businesses reopen by mid-May but that the government would shortly reveal how and when lockdown could be lifted in Scotland.

At the Scottish Goverment’s daily coronavirus briefing, she said: “We have committed to publishing later this week our initial thinking on how Scotland plots our way forward. This will focus on the issues that have to be weighed up and the changes that will be required for society to adapt as safely as possible to the presence of the virus.

“We confirmed only three days ago that the existing lockdown would continue for a further three weeks and we will use that time to assess the evidence and the options before we make any further decisions.”

She said it was important for the public to understand the factors ministers would consider when discussing changes to the lockdown.

Ms Freeman added: "I think it is important that we do that in the coming week so it is clear, as we go through the next three weeks of lockdown, that people know how we are working our way through plotting our route through this so that we continue to keep the virus under control.”

Michael Gove has today denied that the UK government had any plans to lift lockdown, and education secretary Gavin Williamson has also said there are no plans to reopen England’s schools.

Asked about reports that Prime Minister Boris Johnson failed to attend five Cobra meetings discussing the response to coronavirus Ms Freeman said: “We have taken all the steps that we think are necessary.

“As to whether or not the Prime Minister's attendance at Cobra meetings in the early days made a difference or not, I think many of these issues will be looked at in the fullness of time.”