UKPOL.CO.UK

Tag: Nicola Sturgeon

  • Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Speech to the Nation

    Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Speech to the Nation

    The speech made by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on 14 December 2021.

    The last two years have been the toughest most of us can remember.

    I can never thank you enough for the sacrifices you have made.

    This winter, just as we thought we had turned a corner in the pandemic, the emergence of Omicron struck us a cruel blow.

    Omicron is much more transmissible than previous strains, and it is now spreading very quickly.

    We anticipate a steep and rapid rise in cases.

    We don’t know yet if Omicron’s impact on individual health is milder than variants like Delta.

    Some have suggested it might be, and let’s hope so. But there is not yet strong or consistent evidence of that.

    And even if it is the case, the challenge Omicron poses is real.

    When we are facing, as we may be, thousands upon thousands of cases per day – perhaps as high as 15,000 or more – even if just one in every hundred of those cases needs hospital care, the burden on the health service quickly becomes impossible.

    Omicron can do this through sheer weight of numbers. More people infected will lead to more people with serious illness and, tragically, more people will die.

    We are also already seeing an impact across the economy, and on public services.

    Staff absence caused by COVID means trains without drivers, classrooms without teachers, wards without nurses and businesses without workers.

    That’s why this is not a choice between protecting health and protecting the economy.

    If we don’t act now to protect health, Omicron will inflict untold damage on businesses and critical services across Scotland.

    That’s why we must act to slow it down, as we speed up vaccination.

    Getting boosters into arms as quickly as possible is our top priority.

    Vaccination is our best defence. And boosters give us much more protection against Omicron than just one or two doses.

    So our plan is, before New Year, to offer every eligible adult the chance to book an appointment.

    If you are over 30, you can already book online.

    From tomorrow over 18s can do so too.

    Our mission is to get the overwhelming majority of people boosted before the bells.

    In January, we will catch up with anyone who couldn’t be done before Hogmanay.

    My thanks to everyone doing truly heroic work to get jags in arms as fast as possible – and to everyone rolling up their sleeve to protect themselves and others.

    Boosters are how we will beat this.

    But in this race between the virus and vaccines, as we speed up their delivery, we also need to slow down the virus.

    Put simply, that means all of us having fewer contacts with fewer people – and making sure those we do have are safer.

    To help workers and customers to do that, we are putting a legal requirement on businesses to take reasonable steps to reduce transmission on their premises.

    So in supermarkets, for example, you will see the return of some of the measures that were in place at the start of the pandemic.

    And we are asking employers to do even more to support working from home.

    We know this is worrying news for business – especially in the hospitality trade which is being hard hit as people rightly follow advice to defer Christmas parties.

    So today, we have put in place a package of financial support to help them.

    And we are making more money available to ensure eligible people can claim isolation payments. No one should find themselves unable to afford to do the right thing, to protect themselves and others from COVID.

    The reality, however, is that our resources are limited. The UK government holds the purse strings, and only they can put in place critical support such as furlough.

    Alongside the Welsh and Northern Irish governments, we are hoping they will do more.

    My biggest request today is to all of you.

    Please believe me when I say I would not be asking you to sacrifice more, if I did not think it essential for the health and well-being of all of us.

    We are not banning household mixing in law, as we had to do before. We know the impact of this on mental health.

    And I am not asking you to cancel or change your plans for Christmas Day, Boxing Day, or whenever you have your main festive celebration.

    But in the run up to, and in the aftermath of Christmas, I am asking – I am appealing – to everyone to cut down as far as possible our contacts with people in other households.

    My key request to all of you today is – as far as you can, please minimise your indoor social interactions with other households at this time.

    And, if you do plan on socialising – either at home or in indoor public places – please limit the number of households represented in your group to a maximum of three. And test before you go.

    We are asking this because Omicron is so infectious. Our experience says if it gets into a group of people, it will infect many of them. So limiting numbers helps us restrict its spread.

    Speaking to you in these terms is the last thing I wanted to be doing a few days before Christmas.

    We’ve all had enough of this.

    But the threat from Omicron is severe. And we must respond seriously.

    This is another difficult juncture in the course of the pandemic – but vaccines and home testing do put us in a better position than last year.

    And wearying though all this is, we are not powerless.

    So let’s pull together and look after each other again.

    We know what we need to do.

    Keep windows open.

    Wash our hands.

    Wear face coverings.

    Limit our contacts.

    Test before we go anywhere.

    And get vaccinated.

    Thank you – for everything.

    And in sending you my Christmas wishes, let me more than anything wish for all of us a happier and brighter new year.

  • Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Speech to SNP Conference

    Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Speech to SNP Conference

    The speech made by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on 29 November 2021.

    Good afternoon everyone.

    Welcome to the SNP’s annual conference – an occasion much enjoyed by party members across the country.

    Sadly, we are meeting online again.

    Given current circumstances, this is sensible – but I hope, in spring, we’ll be together in person.

    Our debates and discussion – if not always the conference karaoke – are much better when we meet up, and I can’t wait to see you all again.

    Of course being forced to take a political conference online is a mere inconvenience compared to the sacrifices made by so many over these past two years.

    Life today is much more normal than it was when I spoke to you a year ago.

    We have come so far and – while it has not been easy – a spirit of solidarity with, and compassion for, each other has helped us through.

    Now, as the emergence of the new Omicron variant has reminded us, we must harness that spirit again as we prepare for a winter that might be tougher than most of us have ever experienced.

    In recent weeks, we have had much in Scotland to feel thankful for.

    Compared to many countries across Europe, Covid cases here have been stable – indeed they have been declining slightly.

    To be frank, that’s a much better position that I had dared hope for a couple of months ago.

    But there are big and very real challenges ahead over the winter months.

    Cases are rising in countries all around us.

    We know that colder weather, forcing us indoors, coupled with festive socialising will create increased opportunities for the virus to spread.

    And, most seriously of all, the Omicron variant is causing profound concern here and across the world

    So we must not drop our guard. This is a time to be more vigilant, not less.

    In the past few days, the new variant has led the Scottish Government to impose tighter restrictions again at our borders.

    A number of countries have been added to the travel red list.

    Travellers from these countries must go into managed quarantine.

    And we are asking all travellers – no matter where they are travelling from – to isolate until they get a negative result from a PCR test that they must do on day 2 after their arrival.

    We are also asking close contacts of any confirmed cases of Omicron to isolate.

    That none of this was even contemplated just a few days ago, is a reminder of how fast this virus can move and change.

    We must, all of us, therefore redouble our efforts to stop it in its tracks.

    The good news is that we know how to do that. We’ve done it before.

    So today, before I talk to you about politics, I want to ask again for your help.

    Over these next weeks of winter, we need to pull together and look after each other.

    I promise that the government will do our job.

    That means getting all of you who are eligible vaccinated with boosters as fast as possible.

    Thanks to teams across the country, Scotland is already the most vaccinated part of the UK – but we will not let up. Instead we are working to speed up.

    And while I still hope it will not be necessary, if difficult decisions need to be made to keep us safe, we will not shy away from them.

    Steering the country through this winter is my priority. It is my duty.

    But no government can fight a virus alone.

    We all need to play our part.

    That was true before the detection of Omicron, and it is even more so now.

    If all of us increase our compliance with the protections already in place, we will help slow transmission.

    So I am asking everyone to please, take the time now to think afresh about the basic steps you can take to keep yourself, your loved ones and the country safe.

    Wear a face covering in indoor public places.

    Keep following hygiene advice – wash your hands and surfaces.

    Open windows if you have people round – ventilation really helps.

    Work from home if possible.

    And please, please – if you haven’t done so already – get every dose of vaccine you are eligible for, including flu.

    I know there is a concern that the vaccines might be less effective against Omicron than against other variants.

    We don’t know yet if that’s the case.

    But even if it is, getting vaccinated will still matter.

    Less effective does not mean ineffective.

    You will still be much more protected with vaccines than you will be without.

    So if you could be fully vaccinated right now and you have chosen not to be, you are putting your own life at risk.

    You may say that’s your choice – though it is one I really struggle to understand.

    But it’s not just your own life you are risking.

    You could be risking the life of everyone you come into contact with.

    Vaccines save lives.

    And don’t just take my word for that.

    A World Health Organisation study published last week demonstrates that life saving power.

    Hundreds of thousands of people across the world who would otherwise be dead from Covid, are alive today only because of vaccines.

    Here’s what the WHO said about us:

    “In countries like Scotland, where vaccination rollout was early and uptake was high, a larger share of lives were saved”.

    It found that in Scotland, without vaccines, around 32,000 people over the age of 60 would have died from Covid this year.

    86% of these deaths were prevented by vaccines.

    That’s 27,000 people alive today who would not be if we had no vaccines.

    For all I know that might include my mum and dad, or yours. Or indeed many of you.

    So, for goodness sake, get vaccinated – with your 1st, 2nd and, if eligible, your 3rd and booster doses as soon as you can.

    If you don’t do it for your own sake – though you really should – do it for those you love.

    Being vaccinated is the most precious gift we can give this Christmas.

    But there is one more, really important festive effort I am asking everyone to make.

    And, once again, the emergence of Omicron makes this even more vital.

    Lots of people with Covid don’t have symptoms – they might never know they have the virus and so spread it inadvertently.

    That’s why we’ve been asking everyone to test with lateral flow devices twice a week.

    But from now, through the festive period, we are asking you to test much more.

    Please – even if you are feeling fine – test yourself on each and every occasion you intend to mix with people from outside your household.

    That means before you go to the pub, or to a restaurant, or to someone’s house, or even to a shopping centre.

    And if the test shows up positive do not go.

    Instead, get a confirmatory PCR test and self isolate until you get the result of that.

    If you don’t have a supply of tests, order them now through NHS Inform or pick them up from a local pharmacy or test centre.

    They are free so get as many as you need and keep your supply topped up.

    If we all do this, we will slow the spread.

    And we will maximise our chances, not just of a more normal Christmas but a safer Christmas too and, let’s all hope, a much brighter new year.

    Friends,

    I talked earlier about the government’s responsibility in leading the fight against this virus. It is a solemn duty.

    But I am all too aware that the heaviest burden in tackling the virus has been carried by those working in our NHS and in social care.

    If we all follow the advice on fighting Covid we will be helping them, as well as ourselves.

    That really matters. Health and care services are under more pressure now than ever before.

    The staff who care for us in our times of need are exhausted – physically and in many cases emotionally.

    Words will never adequately express my gratitude to them.

    But words are not enough.

    I am proud that NHS staff in Scotland have been awarded the highest pay rise in the UK.

    And that we have promised to increase investment in the NHS – already at record levels – by a further 20 per cent over this term of Parliament.

    I can confirm today that our budget on 9 December will deliver a significant down payment on that commitment.

    In the years ahead, this extra funding will help build new capacity in the NHS and improve the way care is delivered through, for example, a network of elective treatment centres.

    And at the heart of our plans for reform is the establishment of a National Care Service.

    Just as the National Health Service became in the aftermath of the Second World War, this new National Care Service, if we get it right – as we must – will be a fitting legacy from the trauma of Covid.

    So our plans to build and secure a sustainable future for our health and care services are bold, and rightly so.

    And to help right now, we have committed an additional £300 million for winter support.

    This money is supporting the immediate recruitment of 1,000 extra NHS workers.

    It is helping increase the pay of social care staff – giving those earning the living wage a rise of over five per cent.

    And it is funding more care home places and care at home packages to ensure that older people don’t languish in hospital when they would be better cared for elsewhere – and in the process free up hospital beds for those who do need them.

    Friends,

    The frontline of the NHS is so often primary care and general practice.

    Good access to GPs and other primary care services is essential for patients – but it also helps reduce unnecessary pressure on hospitals.

    I know how hard GPs and practice staff are working just now.

    Face-to-face appointments are resuming – although phone and video consultations will continue to play an important part in any modern healthcare system.

    And we know demand is increasing due to the direct impact of the pandemic and the backlogs caused by lockdown.

    So GPs and those who support them are working overtime to meet patient needs.

    I want to thank them for all they do.

    Of course, we must do more than say thank you, and we will.

    That’s why I can announce today funding of £30 million to help GPs further increase primary care services in their communities

    GPs will be able to use this funding – which will be delivered in December and April, in two equal instalments – in ways they judge will deliver the greatest impact for patients.

    That might be through extra GP sessions or additional practice nurse time.

    In short, it will allow practices to target investment where it is most needed to improve access to primary care and help ensure patients get the care they need as close to home as possible.

    Friends,

    Tackling the pandemic, supporting and protecting the NHS and social care – these duties will be the focus of the Scottish Government each and every day as we navigate this winter and beyond.

    That is what people across Scotland expect, having placed their trust in us – once again – to govern and lead our country.

    However, as we emerge from the darkness of winter into what we all hope will be a brighter spring, with Covid more firmly in the rearview mirror, it will be time to look ahead with optimism and consider the kind of country we want to rebuild.

    We should embrace that opportunity with relish. I certainly do.

    As you know, I’ve just marked seven years as First Minister.

    In some ways, I find it impossible to believe that so much time has passed – but then, of course, I look in the mirror and see the evidence of what I am sorry to say seems more much than seven years!

    Being elected to lead this country is a privilege and it is a serious responsibility.

    Seven months ago, the people of Scotland gave me and all of us in the SNP a job to do when they re-elected us so emphatically.

    They voted for us in historically high numbers, and told us to get on with the job.

    I intend to repay that trust – to lead Scotland not just through Covid, but into and through the process of recovery and renewal.

    The duty and responsibility of being First Minister weighs heavily on me every single day – as it should.

    But it is not a job I do out of duty alone.

    I do it because I relish the opportunities that lie ahead for Scotland.

    And I know that to harness these, Scotland needs a government – like ours – with ambition, aspiration and real confidence in this country.

    We already have a track record of delivery.

    We are laying the foundations for a stronger future.

    When people ask me what I’m proudest of so far in my time as First Minister, I always point to our transformational – and I use that word deliberately – our transformational support for children.

    Today, for example, we’ve announced that the 200,000th baby box has been delivered in Scotland.

    A practical, tangible and powerful manifestation of our commitment to every child – no matter their family circumstances – having an equal start in life.

    And then there’s the doubling – yes, doubling – of state funded early years education and childcare.

    Every 3 and 4 year old – and 2 year olds from the most vulnerable backgrounds – are now entitled to the same number of hours in early years settings as older children get in school.

    This policy saves parents thousands of pounds a year. But much more importantly, it gives children the best start in education.

    In my first conference speech as SNP leader, I said this would the most important infrastructure investment of my first full term as First Minister – and in August this year, we marked its delivery.

    We have also created, from scratch, a new social security system.

    It has measures to tackle child poverty – the root cause of the poverty-related attainment gap in education – at its heart.

    All of this is underpinned by a new income tax system – just like Social Security Scotland, built entirely from scratch, and with the progressive principle embedded from the outset.

    And – also with an eye to the future – we have set up the new Scottish National Investment Bank.

    This is the first development bank of its kind anywhere in the UK, and it is already making investments to drive our journey to net zero and build a more sustainable future for this and future generations.

    We don’t see the full benefits of transformational policies like these overnight.

    But they and many like them are already changing the future of tens of thousands of children, and of the country as a whole.

    So we have much to be proud of. But we have so much more still to do.

    It is that combination of delivery and ambition that drives the SNP’s success.

    The fact is governments don’t get re-elected – and certainly not with the level of support we won in May – unless we have improved people’s lives and offer a clear and credible vision of what’s possible for the future.

    Most of our opponents seem incapable of accepting the basic point that our success is hard earned – it is not an accident or a fluke.

    So they end up dismissing as irrelevant the choices voters have made.

    Or even worse – as with the current assault on devolution – they seek to over-turn those choices.

    They act like they think the ambitions of people across Scotland have got out of hand and need to be reined in by those who know better.

    The SNP will not let that happen.

    We’re not here to see the aspirations of people in Scotland reined in or diminished.

    We want to raise those ambitions ever higher.

    We dedicate ourselves to that every day.

    And we recognise that working with others who also want to move Scotland forward will help us all achieve more.

    That’s why we struck a Co-operation Agreement with the Scottish Green Party.

    Putting our differences aside to co-operate where we agree won’t always be comfortable, for either us or the Greens – but it is not meant to be.

    Forcing each other out of our comfort zones so we can raise the bar of achievement higher is the whole point.

    In my view this kind of collaborative working is exactly what most people want.

    But given the challenges all countries face, it is also what we need.

    Scotland is about to enter a new world.

    A world of possibility but also of urgency.

    I hope soon, a post-pandemic world.

    And, certainly, a world we must adapt to ensure that our planet remains habitable in the years, decades and centuries to come.

    We can’t escape these challenges, and nor should we want to.

    Inherent in them are massive opportunities waiting to be grasped.

    The big question for Scotland is how we best equip ourselves to do this, and ensure that the ambitions of all those who live here can be realised in this new world.

    These ambitions are not unreasonable or out of reach.

    A higher standard of living.

    Good jobs for the future.

    A clean environment.

    Better health.

    Sustainable public services.

    And for Scotland as a whole – the ability to harness our vast resources in line with our own priorities and values, and contribute as an equal partner to building a better world.

    To meet those ambitions in this new world we must lay secure foundations on which a better country can be built.

    That’s what the SNP is endeavouring to do.

    In this task we are working in partnership as far we can.

    But this current Westminster government is not a willing partner.

    Instead of helping to lay those foundations, it is undermining them.

    And let us be clear about this – this UK government is not just seeking to block Scottish democracy and deny Scotland the choice of moving forward to independence.

    That would be bad enough.

    But worse than just standing in the way of progress, it is trying to force Scottish democracy into reverse.

    Make no mistake about it:

    Boris Johnson’s government is actively eroding the power of our democratically elected Scottish Parliament.

    It has already transferred funding from the Scottish Parliament to Westminster.

    It has torn up the convention that the UK Parliament should not pass laws in devolved policy areas without Holyrood consent.

    And it has passed a law – the Internal Market Act – that the Labour First Minister of Wales has called, and I quote, ‘a smash and grab’ on the devolution settlement.

    This crystallises the choice Scotland faces.

    If we don’t choose to move our Parliament forward and make it stronger with independence – the Tories will drag it backwards and make it weaker.

    This assault on the Scottish Parliament is of course reflected in the Tories’ wider disdain for democracy.

    Whether it is threatening to rip up anti-lobbying rules when one its own was found guilty, or restricting the right to judicial review, or undermining the independence of the Electoral Commission, the message is clear.

    Whenever the checks and balances of democracy get in its way, this UK government will try to overturn them.

    That is dangerous.

    But don’t just take my word for it.

    Ken Clarke – a former, very senior Tory Cabinet minister – has warned, quite extraordinarily, that the UK is ‘dangerously close’ to being an ‘elected dictatorship’.

    Friends,

    During the run-up to the independence referendum in 2014 the head of the No campaign dismissed the idea of Boris Johnson becoming Prime Minister as a ‘scare story’.

    We’ve been reminded over these past few weeks – and in many different ways – just why anti-independence leaders were so keen to rubbish the prospect of Boris Johnson entering Downing Street.

    The reality of it has been everything many people back then feared.

    But it’s not just about him as an individual.

    The much bigger problem is a Westminster system that enables someone like him to become Prime Minister in the first place.

    That is not a secure foundation on which Scotland can build a better future.

    Our future must be built on a platform of democracy, fairness and economic prosperity.
    That’s what we are seeking to build now.

    And it is why we want Scotland to become independent.

    In the here and now, as well as working in partnership with the Greens inside the Holyrood chamber, we are seeking to extend participation in democratic decision-making outside it too.

    We are pioneering Citizens’ Assemblies and will soon establish one for under 16s – so that the generation who will live with the impact of decisions we take now are more involved in making them.

    This cooperative, inclusive approach to politics offers a more secure basis from which to move a country forward.

    Just as our foundation must be democratic, so too must fairness permeate every stone.
    A fairer, more equal society isn’t just morally right – though it is.

    Evidence shows that the most successful independent countries of Scotland’s size are also more equal.

    A sense of social cohesion and solidarity provides the basis for long-term prosperity.
    The Tory government’s decision last month to cut Universal Credit by £20 a week could not be further removed from that ideal.

    That decision – especially at a time of price inflation and tax rises – was cruel and shocking.

    It was condemned by each of the UK children’s commissioners; by the social security committees of all four UK parliaments; by all three devolved governments; by countless campaigners; and even by former Conservative Cabinet Ministers.

    But the cut went ahead regardless and in Scotland it will push 60,000 families and 20,000 children into poverty.

    The Scottish Government is taking a different approach.

    We are determined to lift children out of poverty.

    Of the £2 billion a year that the Scottish Government invests to support people on low incomes, over £670 million is already targeted at children.

    Through the range of new payments delivered by Social Security Scotland, low income families receive, in the early years of each child’s life, £5,000 of additional financial support.

    At the heart of this is the Scottish Child Payment – the only payment of its kind anywhere in the UK, designed solely to lift children out of poverty and give them better lives.

    The Scottish Child Payment currently provides low income families with £10 per week for every child under age 6.

    Over 105,000 children are already benefiting.

    Next year, it will be extended to all children in low income families under the age of 16.

    At the election, we committed to doubling the payment to £20 per child per week within this term of Parliament.

    Our co-operation agreement with the Greens committed us to achieving this as quickly as possible.

    Friends,

    I am very pleased – indeed proud – to announce today that our budget on 9 December will fund the doubling of the Scottish Child Payment immediately from the start of the new financial year.

    The Scottish Child Payment will increase to £20 per child per week – four times the amount originally demanded by campaigners – from April.

    That means the doubled payments will reach over 100,000 children under age 6 in just four months’ time.

    And when we extend the Scottish Child Payment to all under 16s at the end of next year, over 400,000 children and their families will be eligible.

    This is, without doubt, the boldest and most ambitious anti-poverty measure anywhere in the UK.

    Delivering it isn’t easy. It will involve hard choices elsewhere in our budget.

    But it is a choice we in the SNP – in partnership with the Greens – are opting to make.

    Poverty scars too many childhoods.

    It deprives too many children of the chance to make the most of their education and enjoy life to the full.

    And it robs of our country of far too much potential.

    Eradicating child poverty is essential if we are to build the strongest foundation for Scotland’s future.

    And that is what we are determined to do.

    Democracy and fairness are key to building a better Scotland.

    So too is a strong, sustainable economy.

    Scotland is blessed with natural economic advantages.

    We have unrivalled energy resources.

    We are at the cutting edge of the industries of the future, and are home to some of the world’s best universities.

    Our food and drink industry is an extraordinary international success story.

    We are a highly skilled and educated people with a history of enterprise and innovation.

    Through the Scottish National Investment Bank, the National Manufacturing Institute and the Young Persons Guarantee, we are building for the future.

    But just as on child poverty, a UK Government that Scotland didn’t vote for us is undermining the strong foundations we are seeking to build.

    This UK government has taken Scotland out of the EU; out of European Single Market; and out of the Customs Union – all against the wishes of the majority who live here.

    The Brexit it has imposed upon us is already damaging our economy and restricting opportunities for our young people.

    All of that is bad enough – but there may well be much worse to come.

    The Tories appear to have embarked on permanent conflict with the European Union.

    Instead of building bridges they are burning them.

    They are threatening to rip up the Withdrawal Agreement that Boris Johnson himself hailed as fantastic and ‘oven-ready’.

    And in so doing, they risk a trade dispute with the EU that will set back our recovery from the pandemic and do untold damage to our economy.

    This may suit a Tory Party that sees EU-bashing as a vote winner.

    But it would be a disaster for Scotland.

    Years or even decades of arguments with the EU is a recipe for instability and economic weakness.

    In the post-pandemic world we will need more co-operation between independent countries, not less.

    And the only way for Scotland to build those relationships on a secure basis is through independence.

    Nowhere is co-operation more essential than in tackling the climate emergency.

    As a rich developed nation, Scotland shares a responsibility for a climate crisis which is already wreaking havoc in some parts of the world.

    Just as we have helped cause the problem, Scotland has a moral duty to be part of the solution.

    And whether independent or not, Scotland, with an SNP government, will always show leadership on this most pressing of issues.

    That means leading by example – which we did, and were recognised as doing, throughout COP26.

    It means making the investments needed for our transition to Net Zero – our forthcoming budget will set out the next steps we intend to take.

    It demands accelerating our move away from fossil fuels, but doing so in a fair way which protects the livelihoods of those working in oil and gas and secures a low carbon energy supply.

    That’s why we are establishing the North East Just Transition fund.

    These transitions are not easy but they demand leadership, urgency and rational decision-making.

    And here, again, we have a UK government that too often hinders rather than helps our progress.

    In the run-up to COP, the Tory government made two inexplicable decisions which passed none of these tests of leadership, urgency and reason – decisions which will undermine efforts to tackle the climate emergency.

    Firstly, it cut Air Passenger Duty for short haul flights within the UK.

    And, second, it refused to give priority backing to the obvious site in the North-East of Scotland for Carbon Capture and Storage.

    This is a decision that will cost Scotland jobs and make our journey to net zero even more difficult.

    It should be reversed.

    But we should not be reduced to pleading with a UK government to do the right thing.

    With independence, we won’t have to.

    Friends,

    My task as First Minister, above all, is to do whatever I can to keep Scotland safe.

    That is my first duty – and during this pandemic it is the heaviest duty imaginable.

    I will always seek to discharge my responsibilities as First Minister with energy and commitment and to the very best of my ability.

    But keeping a country safe is not just about the short term.

    It is also about building the strongest possible foundation on which to build our future.

    I defy anyone to look at the broken, corrupt, self-serving Westminster system that we are currently part of and conclude that it provides a secure basis for the future of Scotland.

    So I would not be discharging my duty to the people of Scotland if I did not seek to keep the promise on which we were elected – to offer the people of Scotland the choice of a better future through independence.

    Friends,

    Next year, Covid permitting, as we emerge from winter into spring, the campaign to persuade a majority of people in Scotland that our future will be more secure as an independent nation will resume in earnest.

    In the course of next year, I will initiate the process necessary to enable a referendum before the end of 2023.

    And just as importantly, our party will set out afresh the positive case for independence.

    We will outline the opportunities and advantages that independence will open up.

    The opportunity to repair the damage of Covid – including the fiscal challenges it has created for all countries – in a way that aligns with our values and priorities as a nation.

    To use our financial and human resources to tackle poverty and give young people a better life.

    To use our vast natural resources to help safeguard our planet and secure green jobs for the future.

    And to rejoin the European family of nations, so that we can expand not narrow our horizons, and grow our trade across the whole of the continent.

    We will also be candid about the challenges the transition to independence will present, and set out clearly how we can and will overcome them.

    And then, friends, we will ask the people to decide.

    Now, what the UK government’s response to this will be is not up to me, but my message to Prime Minister is this:

    If you have any respect at all for democracy – and if you have any confidence whatsoever in your argument against independence – you too will let the people decide.

    Friends,

    Let us make our case with confidence.

    Often in Scotland, we talk about becoming independent as if it’s something unusual, something that no country has ever done.

    The reality is very different. In the last 60 years or so, more than 100 countries have become independent.

    Very few – if any of them – have the resources and advantages of Scotland.

    The fact is independence is the normal state of affairs for countries the world over.

    The self government it encapsulates is the building block for the progressive internationalism that we stand for.

    And for countries of Scotland’s size, the simple truth is this: independence works.

    Our neighbours across north-west Europe are all wealthier than the UK, more equal than the UK and have lower levels of poverty than the UK.

    With all the resources and talents we have available to us, I simply do not believe that Scotland can’t match – perhaps even surpass – the success of Denmark, Norway, Ireland, Austria and the many other prosperous independent countries that are all around us.

    I do believe, more than ever in this new world we are facing, that the best way to secure a better Scotland is to take our future into our own hands.

    An independent Scotland will be an outward looking, welcoming nation.

    A country that celebrates diversity and works with others to shape a better world.

    We will be a partner with our closest friends in the rest of the UK, and an EU member committed to values of equality, democracy and human dignity.

    For people today and for generations to come that is a future worth standing up for.

    It is a future worth campaigning for.

    And it is a future worth winning.

    So let us put our shoulders to the wheel of winning and building that better Scotland.

    Thank you.

  • Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Statement on COP26

    Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Statement on COP26

    The statement made by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on 16 November 2021.

    Presiding Officer, on Saturday, COP26 concluded with 197 countries endorsing the Glasgow Climate Pact.

    Today, I will report on the Scottish Government’s activities during COP and offer our preliminary view on the agreement.

    Firstly though, I want to record my gratitude to all those who ensured that the hosting of the summit was a success.

    COP26 was one of the most important events ever held in Scotland – and also one of the largest.

    More than 40,000 people registered to attend – a higher number than for any of the previous 25 COPs.

    In addition, tens of thousands of activists visited the city.

    Some inconvenience was inevitable and I know the city did experience disruption.

    But the warmth and enthusiasm of Glasgow’s welcome was praised by every international visitor I met.

    So my first, heartfelt thank you is to the people of Glasgow.

    I also want to thank the Scottish Events Campus, Glasgow City Council, all volunteers, and partners across the public and private sector whose hard work made the event possible.

    My thanks go also to the United Nations and in particular to the Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, Patricia Espinosa.

    The UK COP president, Alok Sharma, also deserves huge credit. He and his team worked tirelessly to secure the best possible outcome. I am also grateful to them for keeping me well briefed throughout the negotiations.

    Finally, peaceful protest is vital at any COP.

    It keeps pressure on negotiators and reminds those inside the blue zone of the vital job they are there to do.

    Over the course of the two week event, more than 400 protests were staged in Glasgow.

    That there were fewer than 100 arrests in total is a real credit to protestors, but also to Police Scotland.

    COP 26 has been the biggest policing operation ever undertaken in the UK and I pay tribute to the Chief Constable and to all officers, from forces across the UK, who worked under his command, for the highly professional manner in which it was conducted.

    Over these past two weeks, the eyes of the world have been on Scotland and we have shown the best of our country to the world.

    Amongst the almost 500 meetings, events and other engagements undertaken by Ministers – including almost 100 that I undertook personally – many were with businesses and potential investors in green innovation.

    We also took the opportunity to strengthen our bilateral relationships with a number of countries and regions across the world.

    As well as showcasing the country, the Scottish Government also set clear objectives for our participation in COP itself.

    Firstly, we aimed to amplify voices too rarely heard in these discussions – for example, of young people, women and those from the global south – and be a bridge between these groups and decision makers.

    To that end, we funded the Conference of Youth when the UK government opted not to.

    We supported the Glasgow Climate Dialogues to give a platform to voices from developing and vulnerable countries.

    And, in partnership with UN Women, we launched the Glasgow Women’s Leadership Statement on gender equality and climate change.

    I was joined for the launch by the leaders of Bangladesh, Tanzania and Estonia, and the statement has now been signed by more than 20 countries.

    We also endorsed the UNICEF declaration on children, youth and climate action.

    Second, we worked hard to ensure that cities, states, regions and devolved governments played our part in securing progress.

    Scotland is currently co-chair of the Under2 Coalition, which held its General Assembly during COP.

    More than 200 state, regional and devolved governments are now members of the Coalition.

    Collectively, we represent almost 2 billion people and account for half of global GDP.

    In the run up to COP, the Coalition launched a new memorandum of understanding, committing members to reach net zero by 2050 at the latest. 28 governments have already signed up and we are encouraging others to do so.

    Finally, more than 200 cities and states have now signed up to the Edinburgh declaration on biodiversity. That represents welcome progress as we look ahead to the biodiversity COP next year.

    Our third objective was to use COP to challenge ourselves to go further and faster in our own journey to net zero.

    That is why I chose – as my first engagement at COP – to meet with climate activists Vanessa Nakate and Greta Thunberg.

    It is also why we moved away from our previous commitment to maximum economic recovery of oil and gas and embarked on discussions with the new Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance.

    We also published additional detail on our policy ambitions for onshore and offshore wind, and launched a new Hydrogen strategy, and a £55 million Nature Restoration Fund.

    We published a new planning framework with climate action at its heart.

    And we promoted our Green Investment portfolio to a range of businesses and investors.

    We also launched the Blue Carbon International Policy Challenge; supported international agreements on low carbon transportation and reducing agricultural emissions; and signed new Memorandums of Understanding on heat with Denmark, and on peatlands with Chile. A full list of these initiatives will be placed in SPICE later this week.

    Of course, our most important objective was to use our engagement, influence and interaction to push for an international agreement that would live up to the urgency of the climate emergency.

    We wanted to see action to limit global warning to 1.5°C – and, as a minimum, a tangible mechanism to keep 1.5 alive.

    We wanted the $100 billion of finance, promised by the global north to developing nations 12 years ago, to be delivered.

    And we wanted to see the developed world recognise its obligation to help developing countries pay for loss and damage they are already suffering as a result of the climate change they have done so little to cause.

    The Glasgow Climate Pact represents progress on many of these issues – but it must be built on quickly if climate catastrophe is to be avoided.

    It is important that the necessity of capping temperature increases at 1.5 degrees is no longer questioned.

    However, the world is still on a path to temperature increases of well over 2 degrees – a death sentence for many parts of the world. To keep 1.5 degrees in reach, global emissions must be almost halved by the end of this decade.

    So the requirement for countries to come back next year with substantially increased nationally determined contributions is vital.

    Finance is crucial to faster progress.

    I welcome the aim of doubling finance for adaptation by 2025, and the commitment to a longer term finance goal.

    But it is shameful that the developed world could not deliver the $100bn of funding promised in 2009, by the 2020 deadline – or even by 2021.

    This COP also delivered significant commitments on methane and deforestation. And for the first time – albeit in language watered down in the final moments – a COP cover text has agreed the need to move away from fossil fuels.

    In the run up to COP – and as a result of what we heard during the Glasgow Climate Dialogues – the Scottish Government decided to champion the issue of loss and damage.

    Two weeks ago we became the first developed country in the world to make a commitment to support countries experiencing loss and damage. I’m delighted that our commitment has since been supplemented by Wallonia, and by a contribution from the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation.

    The final position agreed at Glasgow represents progress in recognising the loss and damage that the climate crisis created by developed nations, is already causing in developing nations – but it does not go nearly far enough.

    I particularly regret the decision by some developed nations to block the establishment of a Glasgow Financial Facility on Loss and Damage.

    Over the weekend I met with Dr Saleemul Huq, one of the leading campaigners on this issue. I have pledged that the Scottish Government will continue to work with him and others to build the case on loss and damage ahead of COP27 in Egypt.

    Loss and damage was an example of Scotland’s leadership during this COP.

    But ultimately Scotland can only lead and speak with credibility, if we deliver our own net zero targets.

    As I reflect on the past two weeks, I feel pride in the leadership that Scotland has shown and been recognised for.

    However, I also feel a renewed sense of responsibility to go further and faster, to face up to tough challenges as well as the relatively easy options, and to help raise the bar of world leadership more generally.

    And so our focus in the months and years ahead will be firmly on delivery.

    This decade will be the most important in human history.

    The actions we take between now and 2030 will determine whether or not we bequeath a sustainable and habitable planet to those who come after us.

    The stakes could not be higher – and so I understand why many are angry and frustrated that more progress was not made in Glasgow.

    However the Glasgow Climate Pact does provide a basis for further action. The key test will be whether it is implemented fully and with urgency.

    That is what all of us must focus our efforts on between now and COP27.

    Scotland will continue to play our full part.

    While we can be proud of the part we played at COP26, our responsibility now is to ensure that future generations will look back and be proud of the actions we take in the months and years ahead.

  • Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Comments on Working With Sajid Javid on Green Investment

    Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Comments on Working With Sajid Javid on Green Investment

    The comments made by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on 3 November 2021.

    COP26 provides what is possibly our best chance to advance the societal and economic change that is demanded by the climate emergency, delivering lasting action towards net zero and a climate-resilient future.

    By grasping the opportunities provided by green industries and supply chains, we can create the good green jobs of the future and secure a just transition away from fossil fuels.

    The role of private capital is fundamental to achieving this and governments must do what they can to channel investment into areas supporting transformational change.

    Through our Green Investment Portfolio, which is already valued at £2 billion, the Scottish Government highlights a range of exciting, commercially assessed investment propositions to investors and showcases businesses in Scotland as world leaders in innovative green industries of the future.

  • Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Comments on COP26

    Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Comments on COP26

    The comments made by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on 28 October 2021.

    From 31 October to 12 November, Glasgow will host COP26, and welcome leaders, scientists and activists to my home city.

    As any Glaswegian can tell you, we are proud of the city’s role as a birthplace of the industrial revolution in the 18th and 19th centuries. I hope that we can see our city now usher in a net-zero revolution around the world.

    There’s no doubt that the stakes are high for COP26. It is the world’s best – and quite possibly its last – chance to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

    Leaders must come to Glasgow committed to the objectives of the Paris Agreement and ready to turn promises into action.

    Climate change is the greatest challenge facing the planet. Global temperatures have already risen by more than 1°C on average since 1880. And people around the world are already living with the impact of that.

    Limiting global warming to 1.5°C won’t prevent all the potential effects of climate change. But every fraction of a degree above that threshold risks making those impacts more catastrophic. If we allow temperatures to continue to rise, life on this planet will become increasingly unrecognisable.

    Everyone who is meeting in Glasgow for the summit knows that. There is simply no excuse for inaction. But despite this, the world isn’t yet meeting the challenge.

    It is important to recognise that countries with rich industrial pasts have a special responsibility. We have contributed disproportionately to climate change, so we must now do more to help tackle it.

    Understanding that responsibility led Scotland to become one of the first nations to declare a climate emergency.

    We have cut our greenhouse gas emissions by more than half since 1990, and since 2008 we have decarbonised faster than any country in the G20. And we now have some of the world’s most ambitious targets for future cuts in emissions.

    We recognise that to have credibility we have to act as well as talk. We must meet targets, not just set them.

    That’s why, as part of the cooperation agreement between my government and the Scottish Greens, we committed to increase and accelerate our climate action, to go further, faster, and – as we have now set out – to begin work on improving the pace at which a just transition away from fossil fuels is delivered in industries such as oil and gas, so that we are living up to the Paris Agreement.

    Small countries such as Scotland can lead the way – and I am determined that we will – but in the coming days it is the countries that emit the most that most need to step up.

    They must make ambitious, credible pledges to achieve near-term emissions reductions and ultimately to reach net zero. COP26 must secure commitments that keep alive the chance of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

    Global finance, too, needs to be part of the plan of action to help the communities facing the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

    In Copenhagen in 2009, developed countries promised to provide $100bn of climate aid every year from 2020. In Paris in 2015, that commitment was repeated. After Glasgow, it must be delivered.

    Action must be taken to support countries already living with the often devastating impact of climate change, particularly in the Global South. We must ensure that the nature-based and technological solutions that can help countries adapt to, mitigate and prevent global warming are available to all.

    The loss and damage caused by climate change is being discussed in the second week of the summit, but it can’t be merely discussed – we must see some real progress.

    This summit must be the first at which the world takes this issue seriously. Scotland has recently doubled our climate justice fund – an extremely small gesture compared with the scale of the problem, but one that at least acknowledges its significance.

    Leaders in Glasgow must also focus on fairness between generations, as well as fairness between nations. I’m acutely aware that young people will spend their lives living with the fallout from a climate crisis that preceding generations created.

    All leaders at COP26 need to understand younger generations’ anxiety and anger.

    To help ensure the voices of the young are heard, Scotland has funded the Conference of Youth, beginning on 28 October. During the conference, more than 400 young people from over 140 countries will gather to draw up their demands of world leaders.

    Scotland will do everything we can to ensure the summit’s success. We are not around the United Nations table as an independent state. But Scotland is the location for this year’s COP, and so it has a special role.

    In practical terms, we have offered all the help we can to the UN. And we will support the COP presidency of the UK government in any way we can to deliver the bold, progressive, fair and just outcome that is needed.

    After all, this summit could shape the future of the world we all live in. Absolutely nothing – and certainly not party politics – is more important than working together to make meaningful progress.

    Ultimately, however, the true test of COP26 will be whether the summit delivers the outcomes the world needs.

    Global leaders must agree to actions that will secure 1.5°C as a genuine prospect, not just as a slogan.

  • Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Speech on the SNP Partnership with the Green Party

    Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Speech on the SNP Partnership with the Green Party

    The speech made by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on 20 August 2021.

    I am delighted to confirm that the Scottish Government has reached a proposed Co-operation Agreement with the Scottish Greens.

    “Working Together to build a greener, fairer, independent Scotland” is a groundbreaking agreement – in both Scottish and, perhaps even more so, UK politics.

    Most importantly, it is an agreement that meets the challenges and opportunities of our time.

    Scotland is of course more than our politics – but it is through our politics that we express our hopes for a better future and turn those hopes into reality.

    We live in a time when the challenges we face have rarely been greater.

    The climate emergency;

    Recovery from a global pandemic;

    An assault by the UK government on the powers of our Parliament;

    And the consequences to our economy, society and place in the world of a disastrous Brexit that Scotland did not vote for.

    And, yet, despite the magnitude of these challenges, many of them global, today’s politics can too often feel small – polarised, divided and incapable of meeting the moment.

    This Agreement is intended to change that in Scotland.

    It is about doing politics and governance better.

    Co-operation and collaboration – in place of division and acrimony – is, in my experience, what most people want to see much more of from their politicians.

    It is also essential if we are to find the solutions needed to solve the problems confronting the world today.

    And of course, that spirit of co-operation and consensus-building is very much in keeping with the founding principles of our Scottish Parliament.

    Our parties will retain our distinctive identities – this is not a Coalition – and we do not agree on everything. But we are coming out of our comfort zones to focus on what we do agree on.

    Despite all the risks inherent in any decision of two parties to co-operate more closely, we are choosing to work together.

    And we are doing so – not out of political necessity – but for the common good.

    The agreement delivers bold policy action on pressing issues.

    A commitment to more affordable housing, a better deal for tenants and action to tackle poverty and inequality.

    Steps to accelerate our transition to net zero – more support for active travel, transformation of home energy and a ten year transition fund for the North East of Scotland.

    A focus on green jobs and fair work – and a sustainable recovery from Covid.

    And action to improve mental health and reform public services – including the establishment of a National Care Service.

    We also reaffirm in this Agreement our shared commitment to securing independence for Scotland, and to giving people the right to choose our country’s future through a referendum.

    The Agreement also sets out the processes of co-operation and consultation that will enable a stable parliamentary majority for the delivery of the Scottish Government’s legislative and policy programme.

    And, of course, for the first time in UK politics, it will see Greens enter national government as ministers, working in a spirit of common endeavour, mutual challenge and collective responsibility to deliver for the people we serve.

    In the coming days, this Agreement will be scrutinised by our respective parties. I will commend it strongly to mine.

    But the publication of this Agreement today marks a historic moment.

    It recognises that business as usual is not good enough in the times we are living through.

    It grasps that – out of great challenge – a better world and a better Scotland is capable of being born.

    And it understands that achieving it will take boldness, courage and a will to do things differently.

    That is what we offer.

    I want to thank the Scottish Greens for the constructive process that has led us to this agreement and say how much I hope that we will work together in the years ahead to secure the greener, fairer, independent Scotland that we know is possible.

  • Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Statement on Covid-19

    Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Statement on Covid-19

    The statement made by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on 3 August 2021.

    Thank you Presiding Officer.

    In updating Parliament today on the Government’s decisions about further easing of Covid restrictions, I will confirm that from next Monday, Scotland will move beyond the current level 0 restrictions, and I will set out the basis for that decision.

    However, in line with the cautious approach we have taken throughout this pandemic, I will also set out a number of mitigation measures that will remain in place.

    I will then outline changes to the requirement for self-isolation of close contacts of positive Covid cases.

    And finally, I will summarise the key points from new guidance being published today on arrangements for the start of the new school year.

    However, let me start by summarising today’s statistics.

    The total number of positive cases reported yesterday was 1,016 – which is 8.1% of all tests.

    There are 406 people receiving hospital care – one fewer than yesterday.

    And 61 people are 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.

    And 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.

    So all of these 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.

    And although as we can see today this fluctuates on a daily basis, the average proportion of tests that are positive has also fallen – from more than 10%, to now less than 6%.

    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.

    And the number of people in intensive care also now seems be declining, albeit gradually, as well.

    So all of this is good news. And I think 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. These were key milestones for moving beyond level 0.

    These milestones have been met. And take-up of vaccination has been exceptional by any previous standard, or indeed by comparison with our expectations.

    90% of over 18 year olds have now had at least one dose of the vaccine, and 72% of all 18 year olds have had both doses.

    93% 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% as could reasonably be hoped for.

    There is of course still more to do, and I want to stress this point, especially amongst 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 underway 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. And this 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.

    And we stand ready to implement any recommendations as soon as possible.

    And 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. And I am grateful to everybody who has and continues to help deliver it.

    Presiding Officer, Ii is the combination of the steady decline in cases, the success of vaccination helping to weaken the link between cases and serious illness, and of course 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 forms the basis for our decision today to move beyond level 0.

    The 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 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 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.

    So 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.

    Firstly, 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 & Protect will continue to contact-trace positive cases.

    To assist with this, there will be an ongoing requirement for indoor hospitality and similar venues to collect the contact details of customers.

    And 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 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 may, of course, have benefits beyond the need to control a virus.

    Fifth, 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. And this will allow us and local authorities simply to be assured of the arrangements in place to reduce the risk of large scale gatherings.

    And 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 hand washing, 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.

    And 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.

    Presiding Officer, 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. This 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 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 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’s 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 previously have 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 future.

    I want now to turn to the change 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 for 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.

    And 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 five will be encouraged but not required to take PCR tests.

    In addition, Test and Protect will implement revised guidance for under 18s, including in schools.

    This 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.

    So fewer young people will be asked to self-isolate, and most will be asked to self-isolate for a much shorter period of time.

    Obviously his 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 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 Sub-Group 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.

    This also reflects the unique environment of schools, where large numbers of unvaccinated children and young people mix with adult staff.

    So 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.

    And we’ve 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 difficult – and 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 Sub-Group 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 these should be used to assess the quality of ventilation in schools and childcare settings, and identify any necessary improvements.

    These assessments will be ongoing obviously over the coming weeks, but we expect them to be completed – and necessary improvements identified – by the October half term.

    And I can also 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.

    This 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.

    Presiding Officer, 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 cooperation shown. The new school and academic year will still bring challenges, I think there is little doubt of that. But I hope it will also bring fewer disruptions, and also allow a much more normal learning environment for young people.

    Presiding officer, today’s decisions are – in my view, and I hope 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, and many of us I suspect will resolve not to take them quite so much for granted in future.

    Undoubtedly, 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 get that balance right.

    We all hope – I know I certainly do – that the restrictions we lift next Monday will never again have to be re-imposed. But no-one can guarantee that.

    This virus remains a threat – and as we enter winter, it may well pose challenges for us again.

    So as we have done throughout, the government will seek to take whatever action is necessary to keep the country safe.

    But as has also been the case throughout, we all have a part to play in keeping the virus under control.

    And as always, although counter-intuitive 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.

    So I want to end by stressing again what all of us can do to help 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 through the NHS Inform website, or by going to a drop-in centre.

    Second, please test yourself regularly. Free lateral flow tests are available by post through NHS inform, or collection from test sites and local pharmacies.

    If you test positive through one of these – or if you have symptoms of the virus – you should still self-isolate and get a PCR test.

    Third, stick to the rules which remain in place – for example, on face coverings. And keep being sensible about the things we know can help to 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 from people in other households and avoiding crowded indoor places – even if no longer legally mandated – these are still sensible precautions.

    And continue to wash your hands and surfaces as much as possible.

    In short, enjoy being able to do more and meet up more. We’ve 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.

  • Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Comments on Rumours Scots Throughout UK Could Vote on Independence

    Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Comments on Rumours Scots Throughout UK Could Vote on Independence

    The comments made by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on 21 June 2021.

    I see the anti independence campaign is trying to rig the rules of #indyref2 again (tho in doing so they also concede that it’s going to happen). Maybe they should just argue their case on its merits and allow everyone who lives in Scotland to decide #democracy

  • Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Statement on Covid-19

    Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Statement on Covid-19

    The statement made by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on 4 June 2021.

    Good afternoon. Thanks for joining us today.

    As you can see, Jason is here with me and he will help me answer questions later.

    Before then though, if I can just give an update on the overall Covid situation, starting obviously as usual with today’s statistics.

    Yesterday, there were 992 positive cases reported.

    304 of these are in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, 213 in Lothian, and 144 in Tayside.

    The total number of cases represents 3.9% of all of the tests carried out, and the overall number of confirmed cases is now 238,893.

    There are currently 116 people in hospital, with Covid – and that is 6 more than yesterday.

    And 8 people are receiving intensive care, which is the same as yesterday.

    Sadly, I need to report that 2 deaths were reported over the past 24 hours which means that the total number of deaths registered, under the daily definition, is now 7,676.

    And as always, I really do want to convey my condolences to everyone who has lost someone.

    Let me also briefly update on the vaccination programme.

    As of this morning, and I’ll slow down a bit here for the benefit of our signer, 3,326,005 people have received a first dose of the vaccine.

    That’s an increase of 20,193 since yesterday.

    In addition to that, 32,952 people got a second dose yesterday. And that brings the total number of second doses to 2,170,570.

    So as you can see, the vaccination programme continues to progress extremely well, and again I want to say thank you to everyone across the country who is delivering that.

    However – as I set out earlier in the week – and as you can very clearly see from today’s figures, we are at a very critical juncture right now, in what we still hope, very much still hope and believe is a transition to a less restrictive way of dealing with Covid. But the position we are in now on that transition is a fragile one and that will inform my comments today and the tone of the comment I want to make today.

    On the downside, as we can see, cases are rising again – and they have more than tripled in the last month. Today the more than 900 cases that have been reported is the highest number of new cases since the 17th February.

    The R number is now estimated to be above 1. Indeed, many experts believe that not just Scotland, but the UK is now at the start of a third wave of Covid.

    Underlying this – and indeed driving this – is the new Delta variant, which now makes up the majority of all new cases in Scotland.

    This variant is thought to be quite significantly more transmissible than even the Kent variant that we were dealing with at the turn of the year. And there is as you may have seen reported last night and this morning, there is early data suggesting that – all else being equal – it may increase the risk of hospitalisation.

    Now, hopefully vaccines are reducing overall the risk of hospitalisation but even if it is a lower risk, the early data suggest that this new Delta variant has a higher risk than the variants that went before it. But it’s important to say, that is something that’s still under investigation and what has been reported in the last 24 hours is early data.

    Now all of that obviously gives us cause for concern and right throughout this I’ve never tried to shy away from saying to you when we’re in a period, that should make all of us sit up and remember that this virus isn’t done with us yet.

    However, that said there is an upside now as well, and it’s an upside that we didn’t have at the start of the first wave or even at the start of the second wave – and that is, of course, the vaccines.

    We do need to analyse the data on an ongoing analysis – so again, a bit like the data on hospitalisations I’ve just spoken about, it is too early to be definitive – but the strong indications that we have so far is that vaccines are weakening the link between rises cases and cases of hospitalisations, intensive care and people dying.

    Now that is really encouraging and it is that which is giving us hope that we can move beyond the very restrictive approach to dealing with Covid that has been necessary over the past year, or in fact more than a year now.

    But, although that link appears to be weakening, it hasn’t yet been completely broken. Hospital admissions are rising. The number of people in hospital with Covid has again as you can see from today’s figures, risen above 100 over the past week, and the number of people in intensive care, although it’s stable on today’s figures, has shown upward tick in recent days as well.

    So, that might not be increasing as fast as would have been the case earlier in the year before vaccines but there is still an increase there that again we need to pay attention to.

    So, as I said a moment ago, our situation right now – while still hopeful because of the vaccines and nothing has changed on that front – is nevertheless fragile. And while there is still a significant proportion of the population that has not yet had both doses of the vaccine and of course we are working as fast as we can to get people double vaccinated as quickly as possible, but while there’s still a proportion of the population that is not fully vaccinated, we need to exercise continued care.

    And that is why the decisions I set out on Tuesday about the level of protection that will apply, from tomorrow, to different parts of the country were so cautious – and indeed for much of mainland Scotland, they represented a pause in our easing of restrictions.

    I know that is frustrating, it’s certainly never easy to take these decision or to set them out to the public, but at this particular moment it is necessary and my judgement to be cautious whilst we continue to vaccinate more and more people.

    So, I just want to recap on the levels of protection as we go in to this weekend.

    There are still some parts of mainland Scotland where case numbers are very low – or where rising case numbers are associated with defined clusters that are being managed – although today, we have at least one case reported in every health board area, but nevertheless there are parts of particularly rural and island Scotland were case numbers remain very low. So those parts of mainland Scotland where that is the case, they will move down to level 1 tomorrow as planned.

    And these are:

    Highland, Argyll & Bute, Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire, Moray, Angus, Perth & Kinross, Falkirk, Fife, Inverclyde, East and West Lothian, West Dunbartonshire, Dumfries & Galloway and the Borders.

    If you live in one of these areas, please check on the Scottish Government website what that means. In summary, it means that more people can meet outdoors – up to 12 instead of 8. And slightly more can meet in indoor public places – up to 8 from 3 households, rather than 6 just now.

    Remember though that 6 from 3 households remains the limit inside your own home or inside somebody else’s home.

    In level 1, the limit for some events increases too.

    However, and this is where the tone of what I’m saying to people today has to take account of the figures that we are reporting, for those of you living in level 1 areas please remember that there is still a need to exercise great care – and this is especially the case if you, or someone you are interacting with, hasn’t yet had both doses of vaccine.

    Although limited indoor meetings are possible, please meet outdoors as much as you can. And please follow all the public health advice.

    Turning now to the rest of the country briefly –

    Glasgow – which of course had the toughest restrictions in place for longest – is going to level 2 tomorrow.

    That is possible because the collective sacrifice of people in the city – and the massive public health effort that is still ongoing – had stabilised the situation.

    And being able to visit family and friends or have a drink in a bar will be a great relief to people in the city. It’s 8 or 9 months since visiting family or friends indoors has been possible and as someone who lives in Glasgow, I know how difficult that has been.

    But, please still be careful. Case numbers as you can see are still high. So again stay outside as much as you can, hopefully the weather over the next few days will stay nice but stay outside as much as you can, especially if you are not yet double vaccinated.

    If you are meeting indoors, stick to the limits, which again in your home, or in cafes and bars, is a maximum of 6 from 3 households, and take all necessary precautions – clean your hands and surfaces regularly and keep your windows open because that helps with ventilation.

    For Glasgow, the move to level 2, I know will feel like a relief but we can’t throw caution to the wind. For other parts of the country staying in level 2, I know feels like a setback – even though it is a pause in our easing of restrictions.

    But the situation we face now does demand caution.

    So to recap, the areas staying in level 2 – in addition to Glasgow – are Edinburgh and Midlothian, Dundee, East Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire, the three Ayrshires, North, South and East, North and South Lanarkshire, and Clackmannanshire and Stirling.

    Please again continue to follow all of the rules that apply to level 2 – if you live in these areas and you can check the detail on our website.

    Now there is one further change that I want to highlight today, which takes effect from Tuesday and that relates to travel overseas, and again as you’ll have seen in the news, Portugal has been transferred from the green list for international travel to the amber list.

    So anyone who returns to Scotland from Portugal from Tuesday onwards, will be required to self-isolate at home for 10 days, and to take two PCR tests during this period.

    In addition, several countries have been added to the red list – full details of those can be found on our website.

    Fundamentally, though and I want to stress this point, the Scottish Government’s basic guidance on international travel remains unchanged. If you don’t have to travel at the moment, if your journey is not essential, then please don’t. Travel does, unfortunately, create an additional risk that we bring new variants of the virus into the country.

    In summary, just to draw my remarks to a close, because of the impact that this new variant has now, we have not been able to move as quickly as we wanted back to normality and that is frustrating for all of us but it is, I think, the right cautious approach to take right at this juncture.

    On the other hand, thanks to the vaccines, I do believe we are still moving in the right direction, although it’s difficult always feel that and I do believe that this summer we do have the prospect of living with much less restrictions that we’ve become used to over the past year. Indeed, we’re already living with fewer restrictions than we have been in months going past.

    But the road back to normality – in the face of this virus – unfortunately, was never going to be completely smooth.

    So, yet again, my message today, has to be – please stick with it and please continue to take care, exercise caution and remember that this virus and the new variant of this virus is still very much out there, so getting back to normal need all of us.

    So let me end really, with stressing the three key things which I’m asking everybody to do to try to help with that collective effort.

    The single most important thing is to get vaccinated, when you get the invitation to come forward for your jag.

    And make sure you attend for both doses. It is only with a second dose that you get significant protection against the virus.

    If you can’t make the appointment you are offered – and often there will be good reasons for that – please rearrange it.

    If you haven’t received an appointment letter yet, and you think that you should have done, please go to onto the NHS Inform website to arrange a new appointment.

    If you are aged between 18 and 29, you can now register online to make sure your details are all up to date. So please do that too.

    More information on how to do all of that can be found on the vaccinations section of the NHS inform website.

    But please – make sure you get vaccinated.

    This is what will take us back to normality and it is in all of our interest to get these jags just as soon as we can – whatever age we are, vaccination reduces our chances of getting seriously ill from Covid.

    And of course getting vaccinated helps to keep our family, friends and neighbours safe as well.

    So it really is part of the civic duty, that as citizens we owe to each other as well as to ourselves.

    The second thing we can do to try to stop the virus spreading is to get tested regularly.

    We are continuing to increase the number of walk-in centres in communities across the country. The 50th walk-in centre has opened today at Crossmyloof – which is actually in my constituency in the south side of Glasgow.

    Like other walk-in centres, it’s open to anyone – if you have symptoms, you can get a PCR test there, and if you don’t have symptoms, you can collect lateral flow tests from these centres.

    In addition, you can order lateral flow tests through the NHS inform website. If you order them one day, then a pack will be mailed to you and they arrive very quickly, often the very next day.

    And they give you a quick result. I took my latest lateral flow test before I left for work this morning. It was negative, I hasten to add. It’s simple to do but it is really, really important. They will tell us if we might have Covid, even if we don’t have symptoms and that obviously helps to break the chains of transmission,

    If you test positive through the lateral flow test, it is important that you book in and get a confirmatory PCR test. Support obviously is available there for you, if you need to self-isolate.

    The third and final thing I’m asking everybody to do on a continued basis is to follow all the public health advice –physical distancing, hand-washing, cleaning surfaces and wearing face coverings, all of that I know is getting more and more tedious with every week which passes but it remains more and more important to help keep ourselves and others safe.

    So I know that’s been more of a challenging update than you would have wanted to hear today. We are in a difficult and fragile position right now but not the same as would have been the case earlier in the year because we now have this vaccination programme that is powering on, motoring ahead and is offering us the route back to normality. But while we still have some people not yet fully vaccinated it is vital for all of us that we continue to exercise that caution.

  • Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Comments on Scottish Lockdown Roadmap

    Nicola Sturgeon – 2021 Comments on Scottish Lockdown Roadmap

    The comments made by Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, on 1 June 2021. At the base is the press release regarding the decisions.

    I appreciate that today’s decisions will feel like a mixed bag. That reflects the fact that we are in a transition phase. No part of the country is going backwards today. Before the vaccines, that would have been impossible on case numbers like this. But the vaccines are changing the game. And that means we can still be optimistic about our chances of much more normality over the summer and beyond.

    As always, all of us have a part to play in beating this virus back. So please, stick with it, and each other.

    PRESS RELEASE

    Glasgow to move to Level 2 and Scotland remains on the right track.

    As the vaccination programme advances through age groups some restrictions are to be eased sooner in areas where case rates and prevalence of coronavirus (COVID-19) allow.

    The First Minister outlined the next steps to Parliament and confirmed that Glasgow will move to Level 2 from 00:01 on Saturday 5 June 2021.

    The following mainland local authority areas will also remain at Level 2, while the situation with the virus is monitored closely:

    East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire and Renfrewshire

    East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, and South Ayrshire

    North Lanarkshire and South Lanarkshire

    Edinburgh and Midlothian

    Stirling and Clackmannanshire

    Dundee

    At the same time, from 00:01 on Saturday 5 June 2021, these 15 mainland local authorities will move to Level 1:

    Highland and Argyll & Bute

    Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and Moray

    Angus and Perth & Kinross

    Inverclyde and West Dunbartonshire

    Falkirk

    Fife

    West Lothian and East Lothian

    The Scottish Borders

    Dumfries & Galloway

    All islands currently in Level 1 will move to Level 0 at the same time due to sustained low numbers of cases. Everyone is encouraged to get tested to help stop the spread of COVID-19 by finding cases that might be missed, as around 1 in 3 people with COVID-19 don’t have symptoms.