Ff1. Welcome to the virtual meeting of the Scottish Parliament. The first item of business is a statement by Nicola Sturgeon on Covid-19 update. The First Minister will take questions at the end of her statement, and so there should be no interventions or interruptions. I call on Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister. I thank you, Presiding Officer, for updating Parliament on the Government's decisions ond bod gwain i watblydedd gyda Covid-19, rydych chi'n credu gan y dyyrnu gynhyrchu yng nghymru, Gwylliannau chi'n teimlo gydag y cwrin eid будемol yn rhywbeth gwahogol a'r celaig yn acerfoddiad gwahanol o'u ddweud gyda'r gade gyda'r edrych gyda'r defnyddio'r cynhyrch gynhyrch. Felly, rydyn nhw'n cael wudafoddiad y gwneud trefonu gyda'r ydych chi'n credu yw gweithio gweithio'r cyfarffydd,وتratu'r cyfathr iaidiau.�chwyddiw yw i ddeallu chengawr i ddeallu cyfle i dweud gwahanolion sceisio gwybodaeth o gwybodaeth ymlawnd gyda'r ddyliadau cael amddangos yn teulu gael amser o'r angen ar gyfer o'r newydd gyda'r dŷlol o'r newydd. Onid yw ysgrifennu ei ddatblygu edrych i'r ddefnyddio cymdeithio gwyaith, dyfoddiad o'r ddyliadau cyffinol o'r ddylch y ffrwng, ac oeddent allanieddau 8.1%. There are 406 people receiving hospital care, one fewer than yesterday and 61 people receiving intensive care, which is one more than yesterday. Sadly, nine further deaths were reported over the past 24 hours, taking the total number of registered deaths under this daily definition to 7,952. As always, I want to convey my sincere condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one. I can also report that 4,014,212 people have now received a first dose of vaccine and 3,231,331 have now had both doses of vaccine. All of those figures are broadly in line with the trend that has been evident for the past four weeks. The number of new cases in Scotland reached a peak in early July. At that time, more than 400 new cases per 100,000 of the population were being recorded each week. That has now fallen by two thirds from 425 per 100,000 at the peak to 144 now, based on our most recent figures. Although, as we can see today, that fluctuates on a daily basis, the average proportion of tests that are positive has also fallen from more than 10 per cent to now less than 6 per cent. Thankfully, the number of people in hospital with Covid is also falling. In the past two weeks, it has reduced from 529 patients to 406. The number of people in intensive care now seems to be declining, albeit gradually as well. All of that is good news, and I think that it demonstrates the value of taking a careful and steady approach to easing restrictions. Another reason for this progress is, of course, the continued success of the vaccination programme. All over 18-year-olds have now had the opportunity to receive at least one dose of the vaccine, and all over 40-year-olds have been offered both doses. Those were key milestones for moving beyond level 0. Those milestones have been met, and take-up of vaccination has been exceptional by any previous standard, or indeed by comparison with our expectations. 90 per cent of over 18-year-olds have now had at least one dose of the vaccine, and 72 per cent of all over 18-year-olds have had both doses. 93 per cent of over 40-year-olds have had both doses of the vaccine, and indeed for those over 60, take-up for both doses is as close to 100 per cent as could reasonably be hoped for. There is, of course, still more to do, and I want to stress this point, especially among 18- to 29-year-olds. Take-up in that age group has been good relative to our initial expectations, but we want it to be better. That is why, for example, we are deploying walk-in and mobile vaccination centres across the country. I can also confirm that preparatory work is under way for the next phases of vaccination. Invitations for vaccines are now going out to 12- to 17-year-olds with specific health conditions that make them more vulnerable to Covid. That follows recent advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, and we expect to have offered first doses to this group by the end of August. In addition, I can advise Parliament that we are hoping to receive in the next few days updated advice from the JCVI on possible vaccination of others in the younger age groups. We stand ready to implement any recommendations as soon as possible. We are also preparing to deliver booster jags during the autumn for those already vaccinated, if that is indeed recommended. The vaccination programme, therefore, is likely to continue for some time to come. It may become a feature of life, but it has already saved many lives and achieved a huge amount of success. I am very grateful to everyone who has and continues to help deliver it. It is the combination of the steady decline in cases, the success of vaccination, helping to weaken the link between cases and serious illness, and our understanding of the social, health and economic harms that continued restrictions cause all underpinned by our obligation to ensure that any restrictions that remain in place are lawful, in other words that they are both necessary and proportionate, that form the basis for our decision today to move beyond level 0. To move beyond level 0 will entail the lifting of most of the remaining legally imposed restrictions, most notably on physical distancing and limits to the size of social gatherings. It also means that, from 9 August, no venues will be legally required to close. This change is significant and it is hard earned. The sacrifices that everyone has made over the past year and a half can never be overstated. However, while this move will restore a substantial degree of normality, it is important to be clear that it does not signal the end of the pandemic or a return to life exactly as we knew it before Covid struck. Declaring freedom from or victory over this virus is, in my view, premature. The harm that the virus can do, including through the impact of long Covid, shouldn't be underestimated and its ability to mutate may yet pose us real challenges. Even as we make this move, care and caution will still be required, which is why I now want to focus on the protections and guidance that will remain in place after 9 August. First, it will continue to be the law, subject to existing exemptions, that face coverings must be worn in all the same indoor settings as is the case now. We will keep this under review, but my expectation is that face coverings are likely to be mandated in law for some time to come. Second, Test and Protect will continue to contact-trace positive cases. To assist with that, there will be an on-going requirement for indoor hospitality and similar venues to collect the contact details of customers. While, as I will set out shortly, there will be a change in the approach to self-isolation for close contacts of positive cases, anyone who is required to self-isolate will, if eligible, continue to have access to support. Thirdly, we will continue to work closely with local incident management teams on appropriate outbreak control measures, including the use of localised restrictions in future, if necessary. We will also continue to use travel restrictions, as and when necessary, to restrict the spread of outbreaks and protect against the risk of importation of new variants. Fourthly, we will continue to advise home working where possible for now. I know that most businesses are not planning a wholesale return to the office, but recognise that a return for some staff will be beneficial to them and to employers, but it is vital that this gradual approach continues. We will also encourage employers to consider, for the longer term, as indeed the Scottish Government is doing, a hybrid model of home and office working, which, of course, may have benefits beyond the need to control a virus. Fifthly, while we expect to see the careful return of large-scale events, we will, for a limited period, keep in place the processes through which organisers of outdoor events of more than 5,000 and indoor events of more than 2,000 will have to apply for permission. That is allowing us and local authorities simply to be assured of the arrangements in place to reduce the risk of large-scale gatherings. Last, but by no means least, we will continue to issue clear guidance to assist individuals and businesses to reduce the risk of transmission as much as possible. Rigorous hygiene, including regular handwashing, will continue to be essential. Good ventilation will also be important. I will set out shortly our intention to strengthen guidance on ventilation in schools, but we will also work across the public and private sectors to ensure an approach to improved ventilation. Even though the law will not stipulate physical distancing from Monday, we will continue to advise the public that, especially indoors, keeping a safe distance from people in other households and avoiding crowded places will minimise risk. We will also engage with businesses and issue guidance as necessary to ensure that safe environments for staff and customers are provided and that all reasonable steps are taken to reduce the risk of outbreaks. I can also confirm that we continue to consider very carefully the possible, albeit limited, use of Covid status certification for access to certain higher-risk venues in future. We are currently developing an app to make access to Covid status certificates, which will include vaccination details easier for international travel. It will be launched next month. The app will have functionality to support the use of such certificates for domestic settings should we decide that this is appropriate. However, I want to assure Parliament that we do not underestimate the ethical, equity and human rights issues associated with Covid status certification and we will keep members updated and consulted on our thinking on this issue. The decisions that I am confirming today reflect the fact that, principally due to vaccines, we are now in a different stage of this pandemic. Vaccination has weakened the link between case numbers and serious health harms, and that means that it is no longer appropriate or necessary and therefore not necessarily even lawful for us to rely as heavily as we did previously on blanket rules and regulations. That is something that will be welcome for many but a source of anxiety for some. The chief medical officer will be writing to those who have been at the highest risk from Covid, who might have previously been asked to shield to provide advice and information and to give assurance that they too can return to a much greater degree of normality. The needs and concerns of this group will not be ignored now or in the future. I want now to turn to the changes that we propose to the current rules on self-isolation to ensure that they remain reasonable and proportionate. Let me be clear at the outset that those who have symptoms of or who test positive for Covid will still be required to self-isolate as now. However, from 9 August, an adult who is identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive will no longer be required automatically to self-isolate for 10 days. Instead, if someone is double vaccinated with at least two weeks since the second dose and if they have no symptoms, they should get a PCR test as soon as possible and if the PCR test is negative, self-isolation can then be ended. As PCR results come back quickly, frequently within 24 hours, this will greatly reduce the amount of time that many people will need to spend in self-isolation. We are proposing a similar change for people aged 17 or under, most of whom, of course, are not yet eligible for vaccination. If a young person aged 5 to 17 is identified as a close contact, they will need to take a PCR test, but they can end their self-isolation if they test negative. Children under the age of 5 will be encouraged but not required to get PCR tests. In addition, test and protect will implement revised guidance for under-18s, including in schools. That means that the blanket isolation of whole classes will no longer be routine. Instead, a more targeted approach will identify close contacts at highest risk of infection. Fear young people will be asked to self-isolate and most will be asked to self-isolate for a much shorter period of time. Obviously, that is especially important as we approach the start of the new school year, so let me turn to the wider arrangements for the return of schools and updated guidance that is being published today. As a consequence of the new approach to self-isolation, which is important to minimise disruption to education, and in line with advice from our expert advisory subgroup on education, we have decided to retain for the first six weeks of the new academic term most of the other mitigations that are currently in place in schools. That also reflects the unique environment of schools where large numbers of unvaccinated children and young people mix with adult staff. For up to six weeks, subject then to review, there will be a continued requirement for staff to keep at least a metre distance from each other and from children and young people while on the school estate. We have also decided, after careful consideration, to retain the current requirements for face coverings in schools for staff and for children aged 12 or over. That includes asking young people and staff in secondary schools to wear face coverings during lessons and while inside school buildings. I am acutely aware that many, many young people find this really difficult and so it will be kept under review, but for now we consider this an important protection for them and for others in the school. The expert advisory subgroup has also emphasised the importance of good ventilation and we are therefore strengthening guidance in this regard. Many local authorities have already taken steps to improve ventilation in the school estate and this work has highlighted the value of CO2 monitors. These devices are useful in assessing how well ventilated a space is and therefore how likely it is that the virus could be present. The new guidance published today makes clear that all schools and daycare services for children must have access to CO2 monitoring through either fixed or mobile devices and that they should be used to assess the quality of ventilation in schools and childcare settings and identify any necessary improvements. Those assessments will be on-going, obviously, over the coming weeks but we expect them to be completed and necessary improvements identified by the October half term. I can confirm today that we are making available to local authorities an additional £10 million to support this work. Ventilation is one of the most important ways in which the risk of Covid transmission can be reduced and so improving it will be vital now and in the future to ensure that schools and childcare centres are as safe as possible. Finally, local authorities and schools will ask all secondary pupils and all school staff to take a lateral flow test one or two days before returning after the holidays and then to take tests twice a week after that. That continues to be an important additional way in which Covid can be identified even in people who do not have symptoms. We are also working with the further and higher education sector on plans for the year ahead, specific guidance on operating beyond level 0 for universities and colleges has now been published. In addition, students will be encouraged to take a PCR test before any move to term time accommodation and then to test twice a week after that. The last year and a half has been, and this inevitably will be an understatement, it has been difficult and stressful for children and young people, parents and all staff working in education settings. I am so grateful to them for the understanding and co-operation that has been shown. The new school and academic term will still bring challenges. I think that there is little doubt of that, but I hope that it will also bring fewer disruptions and also allow a much more normal learning environment for all of our young people. Today's decisions are, in my view, and I hope that those listening will agree positive. They are possible only because of vaccination and the prolonged sacrifices of people across the country. Once again, I want to convey my deep appreciation of that to everyone across the nation. The last year has reminded all of us just how precious some of the simplest things in life really are. Many of us, I suspect, will resolve not to take them quite so much for granted in future. The best way of doing that in the short term is to continue to be careful, cautious and sensible even as legal restrictions are lifted. The Government will continue to provide guidance to help to get that balance right. We all hope—I know that I certainly do— that the restrictions that we lift next Monday will never again have to be re-imposed, but no one can guarantee that. That virus remains a threat and, as we enter winter, it may well pose challenges for us again. As we have done throughout, the Government will seek to take whatever action that is necessary to keep the country safe. However, it has also been the case throughout, that we all have a part to play in keeping the virus under control. As always, although counterintuitive perhaps, it is when we lift restrictions and inevitably give the virus more opportunities to spread that it becomes even more important for us to remember the basic actions that can reduce risk. I want to end by stressing again what all of us can do to help to ensure that this next step forward is a sustainable one. The first and most important thing is to get vaccinated. If you haven't done so already, particularly if you are in these younger age groups looking forward to resuming a more normal social life, then please do so. You can register on the NHS Inform website for an appointment or by going to a drop-in centre. Second, please test yourself regularly. Three lateral flow tests are available by post through NHS Inform or collection from test sites and local pharmacies. It is best positive through one of those, or if you have symptoms of the virus, you should still self-isolate and get a PCR test. Third, stick to the rules that remain in place, for example, on face coverings, and keep being sensible about the things that we know can help us keep ourselves and each other safe. Meet outdoors as much as possible, especially for as long as we have reasonable weather. If you are meeting indoors, open windows, the better ventilated a room is, the safer it will be. Remember that keeping some distance between people and other households and avoiding crowded indoor places, even if no longer legally mandated, are still sensible precautions and continue to wash our hands and surfaces as much as possible. In short, enjoy being able to do more and meet up more. We have all waited a long time for that, but please protect yourself as you do so, principally through vaccination and continue to take the greatest of care. If we all do that, we will increase our chances of keeping the virus under control. We will protect ourselves and our loved ones, and we will safely and securely return to the ways of life that we all value so much. Thank you, Presiding Officer, and I look forward now, of course, to questions. Thank you. The First Minister will now take questions on the issues raised in her statement. I intend to allow around 90 minutes for questions, after which we will move on to the next item of business. It would be helpful if members who wish to ask a question could put R in the chat function now. I call Douglas Ross. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. The success of Scotland and the UK's vaccination scheme means that we can now look to move forward and remove almost all Covid restrictions. In advance of today's statement, my party called for the easing of restrictions to happen as planned. We highlighted the need for rules on social distancing to be removed so that businesses can get back to normal trading. We sought changes to the self-isolation rules for those who have been double vaccinated and have moved towards a test for a system instead of a blanket requirement to self-isolate for 10 days. We argued for some time for changes to self-isolation for children in schools to prevent their learning experience from being disrupted further. For the same reason, we wanted to see the requirement for face masks in schools to be removed. We proposed those steps because the vaccine is working. It is saving lives and limiting the spread of the virus. That is why I would urge everybody to go out and get it. We are pleased that the Government has listened to our suggestions. However, overall today's statement is a mixback. It takes some welcome steps in the right direction, but those on-going restrictions will hold Scotland's recovery back. When Scotland moved to level 0, some people were rightly confused because level 0 implies no restrictions, yet many restraints remained in place. We have now moved beyond level 0. Again, people would rightly assume that this means that Covid restrictions have been dropped, but still curbs remain in place. Yet again, the goalposts have been moved. We are beyond level 0 at level minus 1 or level minus 2, and still the Government is clinging on to large parts of people's lives. Events still have capacity constraints. The threat of local lockdowns and travel bans remain. The Government seems to be U-turning on Covid status certification. Homeworking is still being enforced, and social distancing is in a very grey area where the legal restriction is gone, but the guidance remains in force. Clear communication is essential to maintaining public trust and compliance. There is not much clear on many fronts in this statement. People have gone through a lot. They have sacrificed and tolerated severe constraints on their lives. They have done this with impressive dedication because it was necessary and the public health data supported those decisions. They are losing patience with these last-minute extensions on their lives without full justification or a clear idea of what comes next. Can I ask the First Minister, are you seriously considering in the future imposing another local lockdown or introducing a travel ban where people cannot leave their local area? If so, how will that be enforced? When will the limbo on social distancing end so that all the barriers are removed? Finally, can I ask the First Minister, given the scale of Scotland's drug deaths crisis and the heartbreaking loss of life, even at this late hour, will she finally step up and lead her Government's response this afternoon? First Minister. On that last point, Minister for Drugs Policy is standing ready to make a statement on Scotland's drug deaths statistics. As soon as I have finished taking this statement, Angela was appointed by me as all ministers are, and she reports directly to me that she will continue to make sure that the Government addresses that challenge and takes the action necessary. Angela will set out more in that later. Listening to Douglas Ross, I was struggling to understand whether he had listened to the same statement that I delivered to the chamber. I spend every single day since March last year trying to deliver clear communication. I am sure that I have not always succeeded. I readily concede that. Sometimes it feels as if Douglas Ross and his colleagues have spent many of these days trying to undermine the clear communication. I have a whiff of that again today. Let me try to take him through it again. Firstly, Douglas Ross is right. The Tories have called for most of the changes that I have announced today. The difference is that they called for those changes to be made at a time when it would not have been safe to do so. They would have put people more at risk. That is why we have continued to take a safe, cautious and steady pace through our exit from lockdown. That is right and proper. I will continue to do that whatever breakbacks I get as a result. As First Minister, the fundamental duty I have is to act in a way that keeps the country as safe as I possibly can. Douglas Ross called it a mixed bag of a statement. I call it sensible and cautious. It will keep people as safe as possible. Frankly, keeping the virus under control and keeping people as safe as possible is the best thing that this Government can do for our economic recovery as well. Most, with the exception of face coverings, most of the legal restrictions will be lifted from Monday. That is exactly what we said would happen. I do not know that many people, maybe Douglas Ross is one of them, who think that continuing to wear a face covering while this virus continues to circulate is a significant hardship. Most people I speak to are the ones that are contacting me, not everybody obviously, but most people think that that is a reasonable price to pay, not so much to keep ourselves safe but to keep others safe and therefore hope that others will do likewise to keep us safe. That is part of the collective solidarity that I think most of us feel as we get through this virus. Douglas Ross said to me, am I seriously suggesting that in the future I might impose local restrictions or travel restrictions? Let me say this very clearly to Douglas Ross. I fervently hope that that will not be necessary. I really, really do. I know that if we all continue to exercise the care and caution that everybody has exercised for the last year and a half, then we will minimise the risk of that being necessary. As First Minister, no more so than over this last year and a half, every single day, leader of every Government in the world will say this right now. The responsibility weighs heavily on my shoulders to keep people safe. In direct answer to the question, if I thought action like that was necessary to restrict and curb an outbreak or spread of this virus or perhaps a new variant of this virus that would put lives at risk and our national health service at risk, then no matter how difficult that would be, no matter how unpopular that might be, that decision is what I am elected to do, to take the tough decisions to keep people safe. If Douglas Ross does not understand that, then perhaps this is not a position that he should ever want to be in because you have to be prepared to take those decisions. However, much you hope those decisions will not be necessary. This has been a cautious, sometimes too cautious for some people, careful, steady route through this. Monday is a significant, perhaps the most significant date so far, and it is positive. However, I will not shy away from saying to people, I am not going to shout freedom in this respect in any event. I am not going to shout freedom from this virus because I think it misleads people. The virus is circulating, the risk of new variants is there. It is no longer proportionate to in every respect have legal restrictions in place and the Government has to act lawfully. Of course, we will continue to advise people to be sensible, to be cautious, to follow routine mitigations that minimise that risk. Anybody who thinks that is wrong I do not think is acting responsibly and I will continue to try to do my duty as First Minister to the very best of my ability. Anas Sarwar Thank you, Presiding Officer. Can I start off by saying thank you to all those who continue to work on our front line, predict me in our NHS and to thank our vaccinators across the country who have got us to the point that we have got to today. They generally are heroes. I think it is also important to recognise that people are still dying of this virus and so my thoughts and condolences go out to all those that have lost a loved one in the last 24 hours or at any point throughout this pandemic. As the First Minister has outlined we are now at a crucial moment in our exit from restrictions to our citizens across the country for the huge sacrifices they have made over the last year and a half to get us to where we are today. There is definitely like the end of the tunnel however we are also at a crucial point for Scotland's recovery. It is good to see the positive improvements in the rate of cases and numbers in hospital that is welcome and as the restrictions continue to ease we need to ensure that people are being kept safe. That means recognising that a new period in our fight against the pandemic as we move beyond level 0 it is important that we do everything to protect the freedom that people can now enjoy again. It means retooling our vaccination effort to target those places where it lags and preparing it for the next big challenge. The last few weeks have also underlined the importance of test and protect and if increased testing is the alternative to self-isolation then we cannot allow the resourcing of the test and tracing system to again be neglected. We all know how key vaccination is and we must maintain the progress and intensity of the programme. In recent weeks the seven day rate of vaccinations has reduced and there are still thousands of young people awaiting their first dose. Never mind their second dose. We should be doing all we can to remove barriers to vaccination and encourage uptake. Can I ask the First Minister what plans there are to make vaccinations more accessible for those in need of a dose? For the hardest to reach we need to take vaccination centres to the people not people to the vaccination centres. Will we see pop-up clinics at sporting events, universities, colleges and train stations and when will that commence? In low uptake areas will she consider looking at door-to-door vaccinations to ensure that we increase uptake in those post codes? I also want to ask her on-going support for Scotland's businesses and employers. Today's news will be welcome for many businesses including nightclubs that have been closed now for up to 18 months but those businesses will not bounce back immediately. How will the Scottish Government ensure that livelihoods are protected as Scottish businesses can continue to have confidence in their recovery? There are also recommendations for some clinically vulnerable school-age young people to get the vaccine and a booster programme in the autumn. There is also the hope that eligibility will be extended more widely for young people. What guarantee can the First Minister provide that all eligible 12 to 17-year-olds will receive their first dose to return to school in less than two weeks? There seems to be a slip-and-target outline today. What preparation work is now being done if we get further eligibility for 12 to 17-year-olds? Finally, for booster and flu vaccine when will individuals most at risk receive details about the autumn booster programme will run? The JCVI interim advice suggests that that should start in September. Is that looking like a reality? Will the details be shared with Parliament? Will the First Minister provide the essential for keeping individuals safe but also protecting our NHS into the winter? After so much restriction, it is only right that we move heaven and earth to protect our return to some level of normality. Again, I thank everyone across our country for the huge sacrifices that they have made and they continue to make in the face of this pandemic. First Minister. Those are all perfectly reasonable questions. I will try to go through them all. Many of the points of detail I will return to them later or right afterwards. Most of them are about vaccinations so I will spend most of my response on that issue. The only thing I would take issue with in Anasarwa's questioning is perhaps a turn of phrase which I do not think is a reasonable one where some young people were described as still awaiting a first dose. All over 18s have been offered a first dose. Some have not taken up that offer but a waiting makes it sound as if they haven't been offered it. We are still and will continue to work to get uptake rates as high as possible. Uptake rates are high. Higher than perhaps I might have anticipated in the younger age groups but not as high as we want them to be. Overall our vaccination programme is going extremely well. I think in terms of percentage of the total population certainly above England and Northern Ireland on first and possibly now on second doses as well but all four nations are doing well in that but our vaccination programme is a success and I think everybody should recognise that because it is down to the hard work of those that Anasarwa rightly pays tribute to. In terms of the first question will we have more pop-up vaccination clinics or sites? Yes is the answer to that. We are looking at all possible ways where young people are as opposed to expecting young people to go to clinics. We can't get everywhere that young people spend their time. I had a conversation this morning about and this is just a conversation at the moment. It's not necessarily something that will definitely happen but talking to the night-time industry about as night clubs open whether there are ways there of using that to extend vaccination to young people. Sporting sites places that young people go to regularly are all places that we are looking to get promotion of vaccine into and where possible and practical to actually get vaccination to or near as well. I have perhaps more skepticism although I would never rule anything out about door to door just in terms of the labour intensive nature of that given that the vast majority of eligible people are vaccinated so you would be going to a lot of effort and going to a lot of doors where everybody was vaccinated so I've got a skepticism about whether that is the best way to go but we of course don't rule anything out, we want to get to as many people as possible. On the JCVI points, yes we are trying to get to eligible 12 to 17 year olds as far as possible before schools go back. I said building in a bit of understandable flexibility there given the nature of this group that we will certainly be offering first dosies by the end of August but we want to do that as quickly as possible between now and school return of course not all schools go back on the same day some of them go back further into August than others. As I said in my statement we are hoping to get updated advice from the JCVI over the next day or so. I hope that the JCVI is our advisory body so they have to give us the advice they think is right and I respect that. I am hoping that it will recommend going further on the vaccination of young people. I am particularly concerned if possible to get vaccination to 16 and 17 year olds which is obviously important for those who will be for example going to college and university and mingling with older young people who are vaccinated and what that advice brings but we stand ready to implement that as quickly as possible and we wait the final position on booster vaccinations. My expectation is that there will be some form of booster programme we are just assuming that in order to get the preparations under way and would look to notify people as we go through the next few weeks and certainly into September. Finally I think on businesses the most important thing we can do for businesses is not just get them open again and as of Monday there will be no business legally required to close under Covid regulations but also to build the confidence of their customers to start using their services again and that is also one of the reasons why a cautious and careful approach is required because if people don't feel safe in venues they will be less likely to go and will be working with businesses to encourage businesses to think very carefully about the environment that they are offering for their customers as well. We will continue to consider financial support for as long as necessary but of course we want to get businesses trading and making money again because we don't have infinite sums of money to bend on business support and the last thing I would again encourage the UK Government to do is extend furlough for longer so that we are not cutting that support to businesses earlier than is appropriate for many. I think that I have covered most of those points but if there are others that I have missed I will come back to them later. I call Patrick Harvie. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The First Minister as well as Douglas Ross and Anna Sarwar have all recognised the importance of the vaccination programme. Everybody recognises that the people who have developed and delivered it are immense gratitude. It has saved lives and is continuing to do so but it is also recognised that vaccination is not a cure-all. It doesn't eliminate all risk it doesn't prevent everybody from being exposed to this virus or from the risk of becoming extremely seriously ill or having their life put at risk. I am concerned that there is still a great deal of emphasis on this idea of Covid status certificates so-called vaccine passports particularly as the First Minister refers to them in relation to higher risk venues. It raises human rights implications if our ability to live our lives is dependent on our health status. It raises inequality issues if the workers in those higher risk venues are not fully protected. Ultimately can the First Minister agree that it is not the case that only direct mitigation measures to make those higher risk venues less risky is actually going to give us the protection that we need. Data certificates will not achieve that. First Minister Again, I think that these are perfectly reasonable questions and I have a lot of sympathy with all of them. Patrick Harvie is right to say that vaccines although hugely effective and the programme is hugely successful do not eliminate all risk and all harm from the virus and we have never said that vaccination does that. What we do know and we now have lots of evidence of this is that they significantly weaken the link between somebody getting Covid and becoming seriously ill from Covid. Do not eliminate that risk particularly if somebody might have other line health conditions but they have weakened that and we can see that in the still concerning but much lower level of hospital cases in this wave than we have had in previous waves. There is less certainty about the impact on transmission of the virus but we hope that it has a positive effect there. Vaccination, I do not think that we can overstate the importance of vaccination and where we are now and where we hope to continue in the future but we have to as we have to be realistic and frank about all of these things we have to recognise the limitations as well as celebrate the enormous success. Patrick Harvie said I put a lot of emphasis on Covid status certification if that is how it is sounded I want to try to redress that I was not thinking to emphasise it or somehow pull it out as being the big next thing that we are definitely going to do but I wanted to be frank with Parliament that we are keeping our options open so in the app we are developing I think it is important to be frank with Parliament that there will be functionality that we are not immediately planning to use but there will be functionality that we could use in future if we decided to do this for domestic certification because the principal objective of the app is to make access to certificates easier for international travel that does not mean that we have taken any decisions. I am highly cautious about Covid passports to give them the colloquial term for all the reasons that Patrick Harvie has set out I would be fundamentally opposed passionately and fundamentally opposed to their use for access to public services or anything that was seen as something essential for people to access I do not think that they are a replacement for sensible mitigations and I agree with that point that there is a debate to be had about whether in some venues that are optional in terms of people's attendance at them and where we know that there is a higher risk of transmission that we at least think about whether they could play some part in making these settings safer than they might otherwise be there would have to be agreed exemptions in place because there are people as we know who cannot get vaccinated I am simply not ruling this out because I do not think that it would be responsible to do it but I think that people can hear if they did not hear it in my original statement I am far from convinced that it is a road that we should go down but I do not want to close off Parliament's options or the Government's options or the country's options but I do give an undertaking that we will continue not just to update Parliament but to consult and involve Parliament to the point where we were proposing the introduction of Covid certification for any particular setting I call Liam McArthur to be followed by Alistair Allen Thank you, Presiding Officer Only a few short weeks ago Scotland had record numbers of daily cases amongst the highest in Europe and testing for tract was buckling under the pressure Thankfully the figures are now going in the right direction whereas we look ahead to winter it is a chastening reminder that systems must be built and staffed to withstand whatever the virus throws at them Like others, I also pay tribute to all those involved in the vaccine programme but like Patrick Harvie I am concerned that the Government is still humming and hawing about domestic vaccine passports a phone line months after we first pressed them for a decision Last week, John Swinney said that it would be the wrong way to handle it Now there will be an app for our phones paving the way for vaccine passports by stealth Given what the First Minister has just said won't the Government rule out domestic vaccine passports First Minister We are not planning anything by stealth. I have stood here in front of Parliament and been frank about the options that we are leaving open and given an undertaking to Parliament that will be full and upfront and consult Parliament in any decision I am sorry, that is not doing something that is actually quite the opposite of that Before I come back to vaccine passports it is important As I said to Patrick Harvie and as I have said before I am far from convinced that they are the right thing to do but I will explain in a moment why we are not simply ruling them out for every possibility at this age Before I do that there was a first part of the question about testing protect Testing protect, as it will always do when cases are surging in July it did not buckle under that pressure it adapted and coped with that pressure and is performing well and I want to thank everybody in testing protect the work they have done has played a part in getting us to the point from the point where we did have some of the highest case rates or even at one point the highest case rate in Europe to a point where we have got a much lower case rate and we are certainly there or there about what must be below us but we have got the second lowest maybe heading towards the lowest case rate in the UK and these trends come and go and it is what you do to try to stop cases surging but when they do surge to get them under control that matters and people working across our public health teams have done an excellent job in the last few weeks to get us into the much stronger position we are in today as indeed has the public and I do not just rule out vaccine passports I will repeat everything I have said about my scepticism and healthy degree of caution about them because people have heard me say it but if there is one thing I have learned and I like to think I have learned more than one thing over these past grim challenging difficult 18 months for everybody is that in the face of an infectious virus that keeps learning to run faster than is that keeps changing itself to make the challenge ever more difficult after 18 months of having to ask people to live their lives in the most restricted and unnatural manner imaginable I do not think that it is sensible just to rule things out for ideological or other reasons I think you have got a duty and I have got a duty to properly consider every possible step we could take our lives back to normal and to keep them normal while protecting people from the virus does that mean that we will do every possible step, take every possible step no, there will be things that we do decide are not right to do in vaccine passports in total or in part maybe one of those but I do not think that it is responsible in the face of everything that we have lived through and in the face of what we are still having to deal with to just blithly as a politician and to continue to keep an open mind to anything that keeps this country safe while also allowing it to get back to normal Michael Allister Allen to be followed by Murdo Fraser Presiding Officer the cut to Calmax passenger carrying capacity to 35% while it was obviously done for understandable health reasons has very seriously impacted every aspect of island life since ferry routes came under pressure at the beginning of the tourist season can the First Minister confirm whether passenger capacity will now be returning to something more like normality as a result of today's statement and also as the First Minister will be aware visitors tend to book ferry tickets far in advance while islanders travelling to see family care for sick relatives or just get to work tend to need to book at much shorter notice meaning they are at present simply unable to compete for spaces on ferries what can be done to ensure islanders now to have more equitable access to ferry bookings First Minister I thank Allister Allen for that question and I know the sentiments behind it will be felt very strongly by other members representing island communities physical distancing has restricted capacity on ferries and that has resulted in significant problems for people travelling to and from the islands and while that's frustrating for anybody wanting to travel or from our islands it is particularly difficult and has been horrendously difficult for those who live on our islands and I understand that and want to thank people for the forbearance that they have shown in light of today's announcement though around physical distancing operators will be able to make more foot passenger capacity available from Monday and that will ease some of the problems that Allister Allen is talking about there will continue to be a slightly reduced number of timetable sailings on some routes due to the continued need for enhanced cleaning regimes because obviously it remains important on our ferries like in other settings that we keep the environment as safe as possible and regarding the essential travel needs of islanders I can confirm that some capacity is being held back for turn up and go travel and in addition islanders are also guaranteed a space on the ferry and indeed a taxi for urgent medical appointment so this has been difficult I hope today's announcement operational from Monday will lead to a significant easing of the challenges that islanders have faced Thank you I call Martel Fraser to be followed by Collette Stevenson Thank you I'd like to ask the First Minister more about vaccines for young people which she alluded to earlier there are many 17-year-olds who will be leaving home for the first time to take up a university place within the next few weeks who would welcome the reassurance of a vaccination that is not currently being offered to them given that time is very short for this group how quickly can the Scottish Government make a decision on offering them a vaccination First Minister As Martel Fraser knows or certainly should know we are waiting on JCVI advice I say we I'm obviously referring to the Scottish Government but the UK Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Irish Government are in the same position I think I indicated from the platform behind me last week in a press briefing that the 4CMOs had asked the JCVI to look again at their advice on vaccination for young people I know our own Chief Medical Officer has also written to the JCVI I am hoping possibly veering towards expecting Updated advice from the JCVI literally in the next day or so and I very much hope that that expectation will prove to be the case I am hoping but this is for the JCVI to advise that they will recommend further vaccination of people in the 12 to 17-year-old age group I assuming it is safe and the risk-benefit analysis bears this out I would like to see as in the fullness of time be able to offer vaccination obviously informed consent would determine uptake but offer vaccination to all people in that age group but I am particularly hopeful that we will see some updated recommendations in relation as a priority as a first part of this for 16 and 17-year-olds I am as anxious as anybody to get this I think you can probably hear that in my voice I am as anxious as anybody perhaps more than many to get this updated advice as quickly as possible and I am anxious to see whether it advises what I am hoping it does and I will advise part I am sure the JCVI will make its advice known in the way it chooses but I will set out as soon as possible depending on what that advice turns out to be the steps that the Government will take to implement it as soon as possible I would like for Stevenson to be followed by Jackie Baillie Thank you, Presiding Officer and I thank the First Minister for her statement and providing an update on the welcome roll-out of the vaccination for under 18s I recently met some young people with autism in East Kilbride and we discussed the vaccination programme I would be grateful if the First Minister could set out the steps being taken to ensure people with autism who want to get the jag feel able to do so First Minister That is really important that we give people who are being offered vaccination the confidence and the ability to come forward and get vaccination As Collette Stevenson will be aware the most recent advice on the JCVI recommends that children and young people aged 12 to 17 with certain underlying health conditions severe learning disabilities will be offered the vaccine There is information to assist those who might face particular challenges or be anxious about visiting a vaccination centre which will include some individuals with autism I recognise that There is information available on the NHS Inform website and we will continue to do everything we can to make the process of vaccination particularly for those who will find that most challenging as easy and as straightforward as possible Jackie Baillie to be followed by Paul MacLennan I want to ask the First Minister about long Covid clinics I know that the Scottish Government has funded research into long Covid and a recent report from both Stirling and Robert Gordon universities recommended specialist and integrated services to deal with long Covid England has spent 34 million on 80 specialist clinics with another 23 planned Wales has spent 5 million on specialist clinical pathways that is not matched in Scotland and there is as many as 110,000 people suffering from long Covid including children and they are simply not getting the support and treatment they desperately need Can I ask the First Minister when will the Scottish Government act to provide dedicated support and treatment for people who suffer from long Covid all the cabinet secretary for health agree to meet with representatives of long Covid Scotland First Minister The cabinet secretary will be happy to meet both anyone who wants to discuss those issues. I understand that he has recently met one of our MSP colleagues from the Conservative benches to discuss those issues Can I say that we are committing significant sums of money to understanding long Covid so that we can as quickly as possible make sure that the right resources are in place I will come on to specialist clinics in a moment but we should not lose sight of the fact that for many people suffering from long Covid it is access to generalist services GP and other services that they will first want to make sure that they can have and we want people to be treated as close to home as possible Jackie Baill said that the UK Government has dedicated 34 million pounds to long Covid specialist clinics I do not want any money that is spent on those things and the Scottish Government certainly will dedicate resource to appropriate specialist clinics in the coming period but I simply ask people to take a step back and analyse that 34 million pounds in an English context is about 3 million pounds for Scotland you are not genuinely going to get many real clinics for that amount of money so I would question to the extent to which some of the headlines we hear are matched by the reality of provision I think it's important that we do make sure that we have the right specialist provision in place but we build that on the basis of the best understanding our understanding will obviously develop but we build that from an evidential base and that we do it properly rather than saying here's 3 million pounds knowing that that's not going to deliver a lot of specialist clinics we need proper investment and we need proper development of the understanding that will make sure that specialist provision does what we require it to do I call Paul MacLennan to be followed by Rachel Hamilton Thank you Minister, restrictions on international travel play an important role in our response to the pandemic guarding against the importation of new cases Can the First Minister provide an update as to the Scottish Government's latest engagement with the UK Government to ensure that a joint-up approach can be taken to international travel where possible First Minister We continue to try where we think the UK Government is taking the right approach to co-ordinate and have a four nations approach speaking, our approach on international travel at this point is consistent across the four nations that hasn't always been the case because there have been times where we have thought that a more rigorous approach was required so we are working hard all four Governments are working hard to try to co-ordinate the substance of our policy approaches and the announcement we don't always succeed in getting that four nations operation in the last couple of weeks about announcements that were made ahead of that four nations agreement to make the announcements but we will continue to do that I don't want travel restrictions to be in place any more than I want any other form of restrictions to be in place but again we would be irresponsible given that perhaps the biggest risk we face and the next phase of this pandemic is from a new variant that I so hope this never happens but the possibility of a new variant challenge the efficacy of our vaccines so we have to keep in the toolbox the tools to deal with that as effectively as possible and of course given the nature of the island we live on the more consistency across the different Governments the better but my first and most important responsibility is to take the decisions I think are right for Scotland and we will continue to seek to do that Rachael Hamilton to be followed by Rona Mackay Thank you The SNP manifesto promised to set out a national recovery plan for the NHS within 100 days of the election which is fast approaching with potential winter crisis circling towards us and a requirement for boosterjags in the autumn I'd like to ask the First Minister if she believes that the NHS should have to wait weeks for her health secretary to publish a re-mobilisation plan when health services are already overstretched with a backlog of cancellations, staffing issues and an urgent need for additional support First Minister I guess I do think it is right that my health secretary takes the time to consult not just with officials working in the health department here in the Scottish Government but with people across the health service to make sure that our NHS recovery plan which will not be a plan for the next weeks or months but will be a plan for probably the duration of this Parliament that we get that right and we do the proper work to ensure that it is a solid deliverable ambitious plan that the health service needs that will be published within the 100 days as we committed to and Parliament can scrutinise it when that is the case. Of course we continue to give additional support to the NHS now the NHS is not simply doing nothing waiting for this plan the NHS is already in a process of recovery deported by additional resource and other support from the Scottish Government and that will continue to be the case and of course while I wish it could be more because they deserve as much as we could ever give them we've also given our hardworking NHS staff the best pay rise anywhere in the UK because we recognise it without our staff the NHS can't do what it does so we will continue to support the NHS in the best way we possibly can as it continues to cater for those with Covid and there are many Covid patients still in our hospitals but increasingly gets the health service back to being the service that deals with people regardless of their conditions and does so as quickly as possible and to the high standards that all of us know that we can expect from our national health service. There are many members requesting the opportunity to ask a question today and to be very grateful if we could have succinct questions and responses I call Rona Mackay to be followed by Neil Bibby. Thank you. In September the UK Government plans to end the furlough scheme and the £20 uplift in universal credit does the First Minister agree with me that this will be a disaster for businesses and people in low incomes and can I ask what engagement the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government to ask for a reversal of these damaging plans? I very much agree with Rona Mackay on both of those points and we continue to engage on a regular basis with the UK Government seeking to persuade it to change its position both on furlough and on the clawback of the increase to universal credit on furlough. I have addressed this point already in response to a previous question businesses although we want to get businesses back trading normally as quickly as possible needs support for as long as is required and I think the premature ending of furlough will be very damaging to many people's jobs across the country and even at this late stage I would urge the chancellor to change his mind and give a further extension to furlough and on universal credit I don't know how anybody in good conscience having given an uplift to universal credit to people who are struggling the most from all of the we're struggling the most before Covid and are probably struggling the most from many of the impacts of Covid to suddenly claw that money back at a time when this is unconscionable it will take perhaps over a thousand pounds a year from people who need it most and it should not happen so I'm urging the chancellor to change position on furlough I would go even stronger than that of the pockets of those who can least afford it make the uplift to universal credit permanent and make that clear without any further delay to do anything else would simply be unforgivable there is widespread concern about compliance with Covid safety rules and wearing of face coverings on public transport ministers were exercised about the actions of LNER and have they taken to address compliance on ScotRail services and bus services in Scotland. This is not a small minority of cases. Why are levels of compliance on public transport not good enough and since the First Minister stated today that face coverings will still be required what confidence can the passengers have that rules will be adequately enforced next week because this isn't happening right now? We've got to continue to support compliance and that has a number of different strands always and as we ease restrictions in some areas it's all the more important that those we still think are required that there is high compliance. I know very well how difficult it can be for people to be compliant 100% of the time with all of these measures and that's not easy for anybody but it is really important that we all do that so we will continue to communicate clearly to the public about why we're asking for certain things such as face coverings to be done and we will continue to engage with and support businesses including ScotRail to enforce and to encourage people to do the things that we consider are necessary. We've all got a part to play in this obviously from our own compliance encouraging compliance on the part of others and making sure that we communicate widely about the need for this. One final point I would make here is that with restrictions people should understand that if there are things that we are still mandating in law then there must be a good reason for that and that is the case with face coverings if you wear one then you're protecting others and if others wear one they're protecting you so it is one of the remaining things that we can all do to protect each other and I would encourage everybody no matter who they are to make sure they do that. On 25 March the Scottish Parliament went into recess for our election the UK Government announced that £1.5 billion was being made available for a discretionary relief scheme for businesses outside of the retail hospitality and leisure sectors and Scotland's share of that was to be £145 million. By the 16th of July in a written answer to me we still hadn't seen a penny of that money could ask the First Minister if there has been any progress in releasing this money to Scotland as many of our local businesses are still feeling the impact of Covid and need further help and will she press the case until this is resolved? First Minister Yes we will continue to press the case until such times that money flows and then of course it's up to the Scottish Government those who need it. I will check with the finance secretary and her officials to see what the current state of play is with that particular funding and write to Willie Coffey as soon as possible. Miles Briggs to be followed by Marie McNair. My question relates to unsuitable accommodation orders. Charities like Shell to Scotland and Crisis are in and out about the poor conditions that they are facing in temporary accommodation like EMVs and hotels from lack of space or basic cooking and cleaning facilities to intimidation by staff or arbitrary curfews that limit people's opportunity to work and live normal lives. Are there for us the First Minister if the Scottish Government is planning to delay the full implementation of the unsuitable accommodation order which will leave more families living in hotel rooms? First Minister We don't want any suspension or delay to that to be any longer than necessary. I absolutely share the view that we should not have people in unsuitable accommodation and that while Covid has caused unavoidable disruption and difficulties for local authorities, we need to make sure that they don't last for any longer than necessary. I know this is something that social justice secretary has been looking closely at and I will ask her to write to the member with an update on the current situation as soon as possible. Marie McNeer, to be followed by Maggie Chapman. Thank you, Presiding Officer. With school pupils going across western and eastern barter preparing for the new school term can the First Minister outline what communications dear the education secretary has had with unions, teacher and parents associations to ensure a smooth transition of pupils and staff returning so that both pupils and staff feel safe and supported? First Minister. There is on-going engagement with local authorities, teachers' unions, parents and young people themselves that has, throughout the pandemic, taken place under the umbrella of the education recovery group. I indicated in my statement that we are publishing probably already published by now updated guidance today setting out the expectations of mitigations that will be in place from the start of the term. I went through some of those in my opening statement. I suspect that the position on self-isolation is what will get most attention today and the continuation of face coverings but, in many respects, the most important part of that that I outlined today was the strength and guidance around ventilation in schools and the additional funding that we are making available to local authorities to ensure co2 monitoring in schools and the use of that to assess what is required. Local authorities will be continuing to laze with schools, pupils and parents ahead of the school return to make sure that all appropriate steps including around LFD testing are taken. To be followed by Pauline McNeill. Thank you, Presiding Officer. We know that vaccination does not prevent all infections or transmission of the virus. We also know that many young people will not be fully vaccinated because their colleges and universities are due to resume in just a matter of weeks. Many college courses in particular require students and lecturers to be physically present because of the high proportion of practical learning and yet they still do not have the information that they need to plan effectively. Safety should be the top priority but how can lecturers plan and prepare courses safely when they do not even know if their whole class will be able to attend at the same time when they are available? As I said in my opening statement, there has been guidance published for further and higher education but there is no further work continuing to make sure that the arrangements that will be in place for the start of the new academic term are appropriate ones. It will be the case that all over 18-year-olds will have been offered a first dose already and then eight weeks on from that September all 18-year-olds who have been vaccinated will have been offered their second dose and we continue to encourage uptake. I have already said that we hope although that is dependent on JCVI advice to move with vaccination into slightly younger age groups as well. There are also issues that I have already set out today around our expectations on testing for students in schools, colleges and universities will be looking closely not just at the position with the move beyond level 0 and what that means in terms of legal requirements but what also is a sensible and safe approach to the mix of on-site learning and remote learning and as well as guidance being published I would expect learning institutions to be liaising both with their staff and with their students well in advance of the new term. Pauline McNeill, to be followed by Neil Gray. Thank you. The First Minister rightly acknowledged the deep sacrifices made by the hospitality sector with some businesses shut for the full 18 months. But there is still some clarity required in relation to vaccine certification and masquering indoors. Will the First Minister clarify masquering in night clubs, weddings and concerts? While dancing in clubs or weddings is a key scenario, there is some confusion about how it is intended to work in practice. Will the First Minister give me any details now or can she give me an assurance that she will engage with the sector as soon as it is practically possible to discuss this and how they might have confidence that they can operate in this new environment and give them the clarity that they need? As I said earlier on, we are retaining the requirement to wear face coverings in indoor settings where that is required just now.  Night clubs have not been open. I think that it is important that we have similar mitigations in all indoor settings, so that we will be engaging with the night-time industry sector about exactly how we would hope as they are able to reopen from Monday, they will ensure that the right mitigations are in place and what will be expected of them as well as what we would encourage them to do. It is a long, long time since I was in a nightclub, maybe I should get back there sometime, I do not know, but it is a long time since I was a regular frequenter at nightclubs, but I have had some discussions in the past few days about allowing nightclubs to open again as everybody wants to do and what restrictions might be necessary. Clearly, there are some restrictions that would make no sense, because even if a nightclub was technically allowed to open, it would make it really impractical. I am saying that simply to reassure that as we finalise guidance for the reopening, we will be mindful of the practical realities in settings like nightclubs. One thing that I would take the opportunity to say on nightclubs to young people if there are any young people listening to me right now and if they are, they are probably switched off when I said that it is a long time since I have been in a nightclub, but if you intend over the next few weeks to go back to a nightclub and who could blame you for that, please make sure that you are over 18, make sure that you have your vaccine and don't want people to be able to responsibly enjoy things again but protect yourself as you do. You will be taken away or not taken away but reducing the risk of becoming ill and you will be helping to protect others as well. For all the detail around the return of nightclubs that is an important one that I don't think any of us should overlook. Neil Gray to be followed by Liz Smith. Thank you, Presiding Officer and I thank the First Minister for her statement that contained much very welcome news. The First Minister rightly emphasised how difficult the last 18 months has been for our school people, staff and parents. Can she therefore expand on her expectations for the return of school in the coming weeks after the initial six-week period is over? Can pupils expect to be able to take part in larger assemblies with singing, for example? Does she also expect parents to be able to enter school buildings for meetings and events in the coming weeks? The guidance that we have published today will set out much of the detail of this in terms of, for example, early year settings about the ability of parents to go in there again. We want to move forward in that direction. The decision around keeping most of the current mitigations in schools was not an easy one because I know from speaking to young people in my own life that having to wear a face covering in the classroom is not something that they enjoy doing, although many of them feel that it gives them some added protection. Those are the kind of things that we do not want to have in place for any longer than is strictly necessary. It was the clear advice of the education subgroup that if we were to change the position on self-isolation, as we wanted to do to minimise disruption, and given the unique nature of schools with unvaccinated young people and adults coming together in large numbers, it was appropriate and proportionate to keep those other mitigations in place for a longer period. We said that the first six weeks will be reviewed on an on-going basis and if we decide to extend beyond six weeks, we would set out the reasons for that clearly. There are a few things more important than getting schools and the lives of young people back to something as close as possible to normality and doing that as quickly as possible and that is something that we are very, very focused on. Liz Smith, to be followed by Audrey Nicholl. Thank you. Just in relation to that, First Minister, the Covid self-isolation and social distancing rules prevented our outdoor education centres from any residential purposes which opposes the main source of their income and they are desperate for more clarity from the Scottish Government when they will be able to reopen for residential purposes. Can I ask that information that is now available? I will ensure that there is contact made with the outdoor residential sector as soon as possible today or tomorrow to discuss in detail what today's changes mean for it. While we did try to support the outdoor residential sector with additional money but also allowing as much of the activity to happen as possible, the absence of residential stays has been very difficult and we want to get that back to normal as quickly as possible. Audrey Nicholl, to be followed by Sarah Boyack. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Last week, along with my Aberdeen Donside MSP colleague, I attended a briefing with the Scottish coordinator of veterans charity and heard a sobering account of the multiple challenges that homeless veterans and the North East are continuing to face a situation exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic. I'm aware that the Scottish Veterans Commissioner report Housing Making a Home in Civilian Society is currently being considered by ministers. Therefore, can I ask the First Minister what update she can provide considering and adapting upon the recommendations made in the report? First Minister. Veterans issues are always extremely important to the Government and I think particularly given the impact on many veterans of Covid, we recognise the responsibility to take forward these recommendations as fully and as quickly as possible. I can't give a conclusion to, I can't outline the conclusion of that today, I know these matters are under active consideration by the veterans minister who of course is a veteran himself, keep round the justice secretary and I'll ask keep round to write to the member with an update as quickly as he is able to do so, having given the issues the proper consideration that we made it. Sarah Boyack, to be followed by Stuart McMillan. First Minister, I've had constituents in touch upset about the cost of testing in advance of people travelling abroad. Given the NHS charger nominal fee to provide the service and cover the costs, while ensuring a safe, reliable public service is available, not all travels for holidays, many people of families abroad or need to travel for work, especially those who work in the transport sector. Just to say, First Minister, I'm still waiting for the response from the Cabinet Secretary for Health to my question to you last month. I hope that Sarah Boyack will forgive me. I answered a lot of questions last month in the session rightly. I can't remember exactly what the subject matter of our question was. There may be a good reason why we've not been able to respond yet, but I will make sure that is looked into as soon as I get away from the session today. In relation to the first point, we've been looking at this and I personally have been looking at this over the last few days. I'll be corrected if I'm long in any point of the detail here, but I don't think I am. We are not able in the Scottish Government to change the cost of the NHS test that is decided through the UK Government because that, in many respects, would be the simplest thing to do, but we are not able to do that. We have been looking at whether we can open access to privately provided tests. The reason we haven't done that so far is concerns about the quality of the service, about the turnaround times of the test and the reporting of the test to allow proper analysis and reporting. There has been further work under way, including work that I know the UK Government has been doing, looking at making sure that there are performance standards mandated for private providers and we are looking at that right now to see whether that opens up the possibility of tests being accessible from other providers at lower cost. I hope that everybody, particularly Sarah Boyack, knows where she comes from on issues like that. I hope that everybody would recognise that making sure that people have access to quality tests and that the service around that is of an acceptable standard given what we are dealing with here is really important and that is why we have thus far mandated NHS tests. Richard McMillan, to be followed by Liam Kerr. Thank you very much. It is very much welcome that we are seeing a route through normality. Can the First Minister highlight where anyone who may be apprehensive about readjusting the changing restrictions can access support should they actually require it? First Minister. As I indicated in my statement, we will be issuing guidance advising people of the basic things that we can all do and all should still do to try to minimise the risk of transmission. We cannot get out why it is no longer in our judgment necessary or proportionate and therefore if we cannot satisfy those tests we cannot always satisfy that these things are lawful to keep legal restrictions in place on all those issues. We will still advise people that when you are with people you do not know keeping a safe distance is a sensible mitigation. If you are going to somewhere particularly indoors and it is very crowded perhaps do not go when it is so crowded. Handwashing is really important personally and this is a personal thing I am not sure I will start shaking hands with people immediately because there are other ways to reduce the risk. We all have to think about in terms of our own risk approach and to try to operate in a way that reduces the risk. We will issue guidance, that is the first thing that we will do and that information will continue to be available through all the usual Scottish Government sources and particularly for those who have been at the highest risk and who previously shielded the chief medical officer well as he has done on previous occasions right directly to them with the spoke specific advice about how risk can be mitigated so that those in that category like the rest of us can responsibly enjoy the things that we are now looking forward to. I call Liam Kerr to be followed by Eleanor Whitham. Thank you, Presiding Officer. It was reported recently that Aberdeen has the third lowest proportion of double-jagged people in Scotland and that last week NHS Grampian reported more than 100 positive Covid cases in 24 hours. So, what is the Government doing now specifically in the north-east to address this and change these worrying statistics for the better? First Minister. Vaccine uptake is high in every part of Scotland. I said earlier on that our coverage of the population for first and second doses is now higher than it is in England. There are regional variations just as there will be variations between different age groups and every health board, including NHS Grampian, I know is working hard here and now probably as we speak. There are people working to try to get vaccines to the remainder of those in the eligible groups who have not yet come forward and no stone will be left unturned to do that. But in saying that, let's also remember that vaccine uptake is high. I said this before, but it's worth repeating. Even in the younger age groups at the start of this year, as we embarked on this programme, my advisers had told me that we would reach the percentage uptake that we have done. I would have struggled to believe that that was possible. We have done outstanding success, but the job now is to make sure that we don't let up until we have literally got the vaccine to everybody who is eligible or as close to that as it is possible to do. Such is the interest in this important statement that there are still more than 20 members keen to ask a question and I'd be very grateful for succinct questions and responses. I call Eleanor Whitham to be followed by Paul O'Kane. I have been contacted by immunosuppressed constituents who have received both doses of the Covid vaccination. They have raised their concerns that due to the medication they are taking following organ transplants, that they will not produce sufficient antibodies to protect themselves against the virus. Can I ask the First Minister what consideration the Scottish Government has given to providing antibody tests to immunosuppressed people to assess the effectiveness of the vaccination and whether any further guidance will be issued to this vulnerable group in the future? The First Minister I will try to be briefer in my answers but I do want to do justice to some of the really important questions that I know some people will listen to the answers to so I'm happy to stand here for as long as necessary to get through all of the questions. You're in charge of the timing but just to be clear that I'm happy to do that. On this, this is an important issue that I know is of concern to people with suppressed immune systems. Currently the guidance from the chief medical officer is to focus on using antibody tests to improve our understanding of Covid and in the clinical management of patients where that is appropriate. However, clinicians including GPs have the discretion to request an antibody test for an individual if they think that the result of that will be of benefit to the clinical management of the patient. We know that the vaccine offers significant protection against the virus but we don't yet have evidence on exactly how effective it is for people with an impaired immune system. Therefore, any constituents in this position should continue to be cautious about keeping themselves safe and to take sensible precautions such as the wearing of face coverings. Research is on going to further our understanding of the immune response to Covid vaccinations in patients with immune suppressed conditions and obviously, we understand more about that. The advice and guidance that we give will be updated. To be followed by Gordon MacDonald. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Having raised the issue of the need for a digital vaccine pass for and travel over the weekend, I do note that the First Minister outlined that such a digital app will be available from next month. It would be helpful to have a clear time skill on that if possible, on some of the commentary that has been vague in the past. Constitutions have been rightly asking why it has taken us so long in Scotland to have a digital app given that this exists elsewhere in the UK and in other parts of Europe. Will the First Minister confirm that the app will be compatible with vaccination records across the UK, particularly for students who are travelling for university, and will she ensure that where somebody has had one dose of the vaccine in Scotland and one in another nation of the UK or vice versa? That can be the fight of the app, because I know that, from Constitutions, it has already been problematic with the paper copy. First Minister. I would say that I indicated the last parliamentary statement that was in development before that. I give credit to Paula Cain in suggesting that it was his call for it at the weekend that led to my statement today, but it has been under development quite some time. I am not able to give an exact date, but we anticipate that the app will launch by the middle of next month at the latest. Obviously, we will try to accelerate that if at all possible. We are working with UK Governments on making sure that there is consistency in the approaches, although we have different systems that we are using here in Scotland. In terms of the points about, in fact, the paper-based system right now for vaccine certification we have also been working on the wording and the branding of things like that as well. The questions about the use between the four nations, yes, compatibility and consistency is important, but I would refer back to my earlier statements and my earlier answers on this today. We have not yet decided whether we will seek to use vaccine certification for domestic purposes in Scotland. We are developing the functionality to make that possible, but we have not yet taken the decision that that functionality will be used. Thank you, Presiding Officer. First Minister, you highlighted that the Scottish Government is funding nine research projects until long Covid, which will help build the services that will be needed to deal with implications of what steps is the Scottish Government taking to ensure that sufferers can share their experience with the specialist currently working in the country's long Covid strategy? First Minister. That is a really important point. We have worked closely with the Health and Social Care Alliance to understand the views and experiences of people living with long-term conditions generally but including long Covid as we remodelise services in the health service generally, but also as we consider our response to long Covid. Officials continue to engage with third sector organisations and patient groups in order to further inform the approach to long Covid to ensure that people are receiving the best possible care in the right settings and with the right specialist approach behind it. Pam Goswll to be followed by Emma Harper. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The First Minister said that office working would begin to return from June, but now we are in August and it still has not restarted. Only last week I spoke to the Scottish Chamber of Commerce and businesses are eager to get staff back into the offices. Will the First Minister commit to publishing a plan for staggering the return of office workers and the data behind her Government's approach to the sequencing of the phase return? First Minister. I will be corrected if I am mixing this up with something else. There is guidance, and if it has not been published I will look to see if it can be published, although it may well have been published, but there is guidance on the phased return to offices and will continue to work with businesses and with sectors about that. Again, this is one of those issues where I know people are, or not everybody is desperate to get back to the office but many people are employers and indeed some workers now are in the office. We have to make sure that we do this at the right pace, because if we do not all we run the risk of doing is setting back our progress and taking everything in the wrong direction and that is not responsible. My biggest responsibility here is to take the decisions that are necessary regardless of how unpopular they are or how unpopular they might be because if I do not do that then I am not doing a service to the country. We will continue to try to get this right. The last thing that I would say here and I know, because I have had conversations with some, most businesses are not planning a wholesale return to the office. Most businesses are thinking about a new normal where, yes, they would want to see more of their workers back in the office but they recognise it might not be exactly as it was pre Covid. That is an approach to encourage. The Scottish Government is looking to a more hybrid model of home and office and I think not just for the purposes of controlling Covid but even after Covid there are issues of wellbeing there are environmental issues that surround these debates and at an earlier stage of this pandemic we all talked about not necessarily coming out of the other end and going back exactly to normal and this is one of these areas where perhaps a bit of pause for thought and a consideration of the best way of thinking in the future is appropriate. We know that there are other reasons to want people back in offices. City centre economies, for example, cannot dismiss any of that but this is a moment to think seriously about what balance we want to seek to strike in the future. Emma Harper, to be followed by Katie Clark. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I welcome the further easing of Covid-19 restrictions which allows people to meet up in greater numbers but more people indoors means more risk of Covid-19 virus spread but this can be mitigated by good ventilation as the First Minister has described by introducing co2 monitoring in schools and even HEPA air filtration for virus that is aerosolised as well. Can the First Minister expand on introduction of co2 monitoring and whether further support in ventilation or HEPA filtration for public third sector or business places that are considered? As I indicated earlier on a focus on ventilation and better ventilation in places like schools but across the public and private sectors is really important as we return to greater normality and I think we need to have a much greater focus on that which I have set out today in relation to schools but we have issued guidance emphasising the need to ensure good ventilation across all indoor settings and that guidance does include reference to the possibility of using air cleaning or air filtration devices and so we are currently considering what further steps we can take to support good practice ventilation across all settings regardless of where they are and this does include I can confirm consideration of the role of air cleaning and air filtration technology. Katie Clark to be followed by John Mason. Thank you, Presiding Officer. The SNP First Steps document committed to establish a Covid public inquiry within 100 days of the election. Could the First Minister outline what steps have been taken to establish a public inquiry and when we can expect to hear a start date, remit and chairperson announced? First Minister. Not what our First Steps document said it did say that we would take steps and do the initial work with a view to setting up a public inquiry. It did not say that the public inquiry would be established within the first 100 days. It remains my commitment to have a public inquiry up and running within this calendar year and we are currently considering the steps we need to take to do that. We will fulfil the terms of our 100 days commitment and we will set it as soon as possible for exactly how we intend to take forward the commitments of public inquiry. We are, of course, and I've been very open about this and I would be getting criticism if I wasn't doing this. We are talking to the UK Government about the potential remit of the public inquiry. It has committed to so that we understand what issues it is going to be looking at and therefore what issues at separate Scottish public inquiry would look at and how all of that would interact and we'll set out more of our considerations about that shortly. John Mason to be followed by Beatrice Wishart. The First Minister has already mentioned booster jags or third jags and I just wonder if she could give any more information about that. For example, are we going to be using pharmacies more as we do with flu jags and also depending on what to vaccinely use, are there sufficient supplies available? The detail that I can give at the moment is the detail laid out in the interim advice from the JCVI and, of course, that is currently being used as part of our planning process. That recommends that a booster programme, if that is the final recommendation, should begin in early September so that we maximise protection in those who are most vulnerable ahead of the winter months. It is intended that any booster programme is offered in two stages, first to those prioritised by the JCVI as part of the vaccination roll-out, notably those with suppressed immune systems in care homes, clinically vulnerable frontline health and care workers and over 70s, and the second phase would be to those over 50, those aged 16 to 49 and clinically vulnerable, unpaid carers, other adult carers and those living in households with someone who has a suppressed immune system. In terms of the operationalising of that, that planning work is under way and just as we have done with the initial vaccination programme we will want to get any booster programme done as quickly as possible but also as excessively as possible so we will be looking carefully again at the appropriate settings for JAGs to be offered and more detail of that will be set out in due course. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Schools will soon return but, while the vaccine means the virus is now a different beast, it is estimated that one in five teachers will be without full vaccine protection when they go back in the fortnight. Our FOI request found vulnerable teachers contacting the Government in droves last year anxious and asking for better safety measures. What assurance can the First Minister offer that the Government will listen to teachers this time round? We have listened to teachers all along but we also followed the expert advice of the JCVI on the order of vaccination and I have said many times before the same people who call on me to do something different to the expert advice would probably be the first to criticise me if I chose as a politician to second guess and overturn the advice of the experts. On the vaccination hasn't made the vaccine a different beast. The virus is the same beast as it has always been although it has mutated a little bit. The vaccine is helping us to combat the beast of the virus so it is absolutely right to talk about the need to get vaccine as quickly as possible to everybody in the eligible groups and teachers have been vaccinated in line with the priority set out by the JCVI. Every teacher over 40 will already have had the offer for their second dose. Any teacher over 18 will have the offer of their first dose and second doses will be under way as of now for the eight weeks after first doses where the offer of first doses were completed. That has been done quickly in line with the JCVI recommendations and teachers every day that passes more and more teachers will be getting the protection of full vaccination. Graham Simpson, to be followed by Christine Grahame. I want to ask about face coverings. The First Minister made it clear that she thinks that the law on face coverings should remain but she will be aware that a couple of weeks ago that restriction was removed in England and most people are choosing to continue to wear them. Can the First Minister tell us what needs to happen here for her to change her mind on face coverings so that we can enjoy the same freedoms as they do in England? First Minister I do not want to get totally philosophical here but I am really confused about Graham Simpson's concern here. If his argument is that everybody is going to wear face coverings anyway what freedom is it that he thinks people need to have to do? I am genuinely struggling to understand other than just trying to find a point of disagreement with the Scottish Government what the real point of that question is. We think that it is really important that people continue to wear face coverings so we are going to tell them that it is really important by saying that the law requires them to wear face coverings we will keep that under review but if at the end of the day Graham Simpson is saying he agrees that everybody should wear face coverings and how we choose to do that seems to me to be of secondary concern so if I am missing something in that I apologise but I think it is right to say to people that you should still wear face coverings. Christine Grahame to be followed by Megan Gallacher. Thank you very much Megan Gallacher, can I refer to the importance of the test and protect app? It may be that familiarity is breeding content but it seems that anecdotally increasing numbers of people are either don't have the app active either through omission or deliberately. Will the Scottish Government therefore publicise and use the importance of the app being live essential to accurate contact tracing to reduce the spread of the virus perhaps even more necessary as restrictions are lifted? First Minister? Yes, indeed we will give consideration to doing that. That is a perfectly sensible suggestion. In fact the numbers bear this out the vast majority of people who downloaded the app still have the app downloaded on their phone and still use it. There will be some people who don't realise that it has maybe switched off for some reason and forget to switch it back on so regularly reminding people that test and protect is going to continue to be important and therefore using that app continues to be a really important way of helping test and protect. If we help test and protect we help the rest of us as well. We will give consideration to reminding people of the importance of that. Megan Gallacher, to be followed by Jim Fairlie. Thank you, Presiding Officer. Parties have raised concerns over the barriers faced by some people transitioning from child to adult mental health services. Some of the barriers include outdated transition guidelines, too short a transition period and consistency between the diagnosis and treatment available across the different services and communication. As we emerge from the pandemic will the Scottish Government commit to improving continuity for young people moving from child to adult mental health services? First Minister? Yes. That is an important issue to raise. I will ask the health secretary to write to the member with more detail of what we are doing on mental health generally but on that issue in particular. The question is about mental health and it is important to focus on mental health but this transition from child to adult services can be a challenge in all aspects of healthcare. In cancer care for example I know it is a challenge so it is one of the issues that we need to focus on and get right and continue to learn and adapt but for obvious reasons it has particular importance in the field of mental health so I very much agree with the premise of the question and as I say I will make sure more detail on exactly what is being done is provided. Tim Fairlie to be followed by Monica Lennon. Thank you Presiding Officer. First Minister I am a constituent who lost her wife to Covid last October. Jane Morrison and her wife is only 49 she died and I would like to put on record that I am passing my sincere condolences to her and everyone else who has lost a loved one. The Government had agreed that they would hold a judge led human rights based public enquiry with relatives that deceased insulted on the terms of reference and I know that he did answer a question on this earlier on but in the first minister to confirm that the bereaved families will be central to this enquiry and will the Scottish Government also engage with stakeholders including bereaved family groups such as Cruz Scotland? First Minister Yes I can give that assurance and I want to give that assurance very strongly I also would want to convey my condolences to Jim Fairlie's constituent I met I think just before Parliament broke for the election with the bereaved Covid bereaved families group it may be actually although I'll be corrected if I'm wrong that Mr Fairlie's constituent was part of that discussion so it was impressed upon me and I didn't take much persuasion but it was impressed upon me the importance to families of being properly and fully consulted in all aspects of establishing a public enquiry the remit in particular and to be front and centre of any public enquiry as it undertakes its work and that's a commitment I will give I also repeat the commitment to a human rights based enquiry that is exceptionally important and also give the commitment as requested by Mr Fairlie to liaison not just with the groups of bereaved families but also with other organisations that give assistance to families suffering bereavement and Cruz was mentioned and no doubt will be others so I very strongly commit to all of these things Monica Lennon to be followed by Siobhan Brown Thank you We heard the First Minister confirm that consideration has been given to the limited use of Covid status certification for access to certain higher risk venues Can the First Minister elaborate on what she means by higher risk venues and could this include care homes which weren't mentioned in the statement today and continue to be subject to restrictions on visiting First Minister I do not favour the use of vaccine passports for access to care homes there may be arguments that can be made but I don't know if Monica Lennon heard it certainly wasn't my statement but I think I gave this in answer to Patrick Harvie or Liam McArthur who was commonly opposed to using Covid certification for access to public services or places where people have no option but to go and obviously visiting people in care homes that is not to say that I do not believe we have to take the most stringent measures to protect vulnerable people in care homes but we also have to make sure that people have access to care homes I nobody elaborate too much I haven't taken decisions and I think it's important Parliament is properly and solely consulted obviously the kind of setting that has been talked about and is most often talked about are places like night clubs places where young people not all young people but many young people like to go that have higher risks of transmission where not as a substitute for other precautions but as an additional measure it is possible that there is an argument that is something we should do I am not convinced yet that that is definitely the case and no decision has been taken which is why I continue to voice caution and give a commitment to fully involve Parliament in these decisions It's very encouraging that so many pregnant women in Scotland have taken the vaccination the evidence has been overwhelming and shows that getting vaccinated is the best way to keep pregnant women and their unborn children safe from Covid-19 but can I ask what assurances can the First Minister provide to women who might still have concerns and what support and information is available to them Thank you Well thanks, this is again a really important issue so I'm grateful for the opportunity to reiterate our advice on this The vaccines that are available in the UK have been shown to be effective and safe and that's an important assurance In line with guidance from the JCVI and following safety data we are recommended that pregnant women get the vaccine as soon as they're asked to do so and it's important to stress that this is advice supported by the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Orthodistritions and Gynaecologists pregnant women who have concerns with their clinician and get the latest evidence on safety and obviously what vaccines they will receive but vaccination is the best way of protecting against the risks of Covid in pregnancy that includes admission of the pregnant mother to intensive care but also the possible premature birth of the baby I would ask all members to do everything they can to get that message across to pregnant women to take up the offer of vaccination as soon as it is available I noticed and it was drawn to my attention yesterday that voices in the Royal College of Midwives in putting forward this sensible advice and doing that rightly were subjected to all sorts of abuse from anti-vaxxer voices on social media and I want to condemn that and show my solidarity to those professionals who are giving important and responsible messages to people who stand to benefit so much from vaccination Jamie Halcro Johnston to be followed by Claire Adamson Thank you The First Minister has confirmed today that she feels there is a debate to be had on vaccine passports and that the Scottish Government is still considering their use for access to certain high-risk venues Can I ask the First Minister when a final decision will be made on vaccine passports and which sectors are currently being consulted with on any potential introduction? First Minister No, I'm not going to give a date at least because Parliament has to be fully involved in all of these discussions as well and if I was to say by such and such a date we're going to have decided this then I wouldn't be doing justice to parliamentary consultation and I think it's important that we consider all of this carefully and consult with sectors that could possibly be part of that debate and there's work to be done on this we're seeking to have a four nations discussion although when the Prime Minister announced that they were going to use vaccine passports for night clubs we weren't consulted in advance in fact that was a change in what we thought was the position of the UK Government so we'll try to have sensible discussions across the UK but fundamentally take decisions in proper consultation with Parliament that we think are right for Scotland and we'll do that with all of the proper discussion and consideration that I think is appropriate given the sensitivities around this issue I call Clare Adamson to be followed by Julian Mackay Thank you First Minister health and social care services across the country are under immense pressure and we saw severe pressure in Lanarkshire last week on the health and social service GP practices and hospitals Can I ask the First Minister for an update on the services in Lanarkshire and what steps can my constituents in Motherwell and Wishaw take to alleviate pressure on these services and ensure that those most urgent in need are effectively prioritised First Minister In answer to the question what can all of us do even as legal restrictions lift we can all behave in a way that minimises the risk of Covid transmission because the more we reduce the pressure from Covid on our national health service the more we enable our national health service to catch up with the backlog and treat non-Covid patients as quickly as they want to do and we all have a responsibility in the vast majority of people have taken that responsibility to protect our NHS extremely seriously since the start of the pandemic The Government continues to work through our NHS recovery plan which as I indicated earlier on will be published shortly and to make additional resources and other support available to health boards that have received their share of additional funding to support reducing waiting times for urgent and emergency care and also the funding to boost staffing levels and available beds We also remain in daily contact with boards as they manage their capacity effectively between Covid and non-Covid care and the last thing I would say is that we are very conscious of the on-going pressure and care and that is why it is really important that we do all of those things and indeed more to support them as effectively as possible Gillian Mackay to be followed by Jackie Dunbar I welcome the First Minister's commitment to continue to provide support to those who are eligible if they are required to self-isolate Given that the latest figures show that only 24.2 per cent of people aged 18 to 29 receive two doses of the vaccine many will be unable to take advantage of exemptions to self-isolation and will therefore be great as defected by isolation requirements Will the First Minister consider extending self-isolation support to those who are not yet or who cannot be double vaccinated so that they are not unfairly penalised? I can consider that until I give a guarantee that we will do it but there is certainly a point that we will have fewer people that are requiring to self-isolate for 10 days and therefore it may enable us to look to extend the eligibility for that support so I will certainly undertake to go away and look at that Obviously the numbers of people in the youngest age group who are double doses will be rising on a daily basis and it is indicative of the fact that first doses came later so that eight-week interval for second doses means that not all young people are yet eligible for their second dose but obviously that is a moving picture with every day that passes but it is a reasonable suggestion and one that I will undertake to explore further Julian Mackay to be followed by Alexander Stewart My apologies Jackie Dunbar Jackie Dunbar to be followed Alexander Stewart Thank you, Presiding Officer The tourism and aviation industries have been particularly and severely impacted by restrictions Can the First Minister provide an update as to the Scottish Government's latest engagement with the UK Government regarding what support can be made available to these sectors while restrictions on international travel remain in place? First Minister Engagement with the UK Government on all of those issues is, as you would expect, to be on-going I will ensure that some further information about the detail of that and when we last engaged on particular issues around tourism and aviation is provided to Jackie Dunbar We have always been frank that the impact on aviation and by extension on tourism certainly international tourism into Scotland the impact of that is going to be longest lasting We continue to do what we can to support these sectors and encourage the UK Government to do likewise Alexander Stewart to be followed by Emma Roddick Thank you, Presiding Officer Long Covid could be affecting over 100,000 Scots and may have a major long-term impact on people's health our public services and our economy with general practitioners having to deal with the lion's share of the extra workload Can I ask the First Minister what her response is to the Royal College of General Practitioners who are calling on her to boost the GP workforce First Minister We continue to support expanded staffing across the national health service and of course we look to support our NHS workers in various different ways I won't repeat everything I've said about the work that we're doing that is important and no doubt we'll talk more about that in weeks and months to come There is often a contradiction here in terms of long Covid when people, like the member has just done rightly talks about the risk of long Covid in one breath but then to be fair to him, not him in that question but some of his colleagues also call on us to be less cautious about our approach to the virus We've got to make sure the services are there for long Covid and others are supported to deal with what they have to deal with but we also need to make sure that we continue to show the caution that minimises the number of people who will get Covid and therefore the number of people who will suffer from long Covid so all of that of course hangs together and all of that is in the interests of GPs as well as in the interests of everyone else Emma Roddick to be followed by Bob Dorris Thank you Presiding Officer I appreciate the information that's been given so far this afternoon on the advice of the JCVI on vaccinating under 18s Can I also ask the First Minister if the advice expected in the next day or so does recommend expanding the vaccine programme to include students whether every student will be offered a first dose before they start university in September First Minister I don't want to go much further and absolutely understand the importance of these things but as I've said we're expecting to see the advice obviously I have to wait and see what that advice says if it does say that we should go beyond the current groups of young people in terms of vaccination I need to wait and see exactly what order it proposes for that as I have said I am hoping there will be a priority for 16 and 17 year olds for the reasons that we understand but I don't know so we need to see what that advice is what I can say is that we will move to operationalise and implement any new recommendations as quickly as we can and in trying to encourage the JCVI to look at this again and to do so as quickly as possible we've been very mindful of our earlier return to school date than other parts of the UK but also mindful of the fact that all of us have the return of colleges and universities looming soon to and Bob Dorris Thank you First Minister, my constituent received the first Covid vaccine in England and the second in Scotland I understand the NHS here in Scotland we're going to get confirmation of the details of the first vaccine until we are able to issue the relevant official documentation to confirm my constituent has indeed been double jabbed what steps have been taken to ensure information is transferred accurately and securely across UK health services something that will become increasingly important particularly as students many of who will have had their first jab elsewhere in the UK arrive in Scotland to study First Minister If Bob Dorris will allow me I will take that away and come back to him with more detail I would also be grateful if he wishes to if he can pass the details of his constituents to see if we can help to speed up that process but that is something we need to make sure if it's not happening as smoothly as it needs to then I will undertake to make sure we give attention to working with other Governments in the UK to improving that That concludes the First Minister's statement on Covid-19 update there will be a brief pause before we commence the next item of business