Coronavirus and Scotland

Scottish Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 12 May 2020 Closed: 1 Feb 2021 Parliament page
The Committee will be inquiring into the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on: the four-nation approach intergovernmental communication scientific advice policy divergence the impact of coronavirus on various sectors in Scotland Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry
16 Recommendations
6 Conclusions
2 Reports
10 Oral sessions
5 Letters
11 Events
Activity timeline 20 events
1 Feb
2021
Report published
1 Feb
2021
Report published
4 Nov
2020
Correspondence
22 Oct
2020
Report published
15 Oct
2020
Correspondence
8 Oct
2020
Correspondence
17 Sep
2020
Oral evidence
10 Sep
2020
Oral evidence
3 Sep
2020
Oral evidence
23 Jul
2020
Report published
16 Jul
2020
Formal meeting (private meeting) · Virtual meeting
9 Jul
2020
Oral evidence
Oral evidence sessions 10 sessions
17 Sep 2020
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Gillian McGregor CBE · Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland Iain Stewart MP · Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland Rt Hon Alister Jack MP · Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland
10 Sep 2020
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Dr Donald Macaskill · Scottish Care Theresa Fyffe · Royal College of Nursing Scotland Wilma Brown · NHS Fife
3 Sep 2020
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Elspeth Macdonald · Scottish Fishermen's Federation Jimmy Buchan · Scottish Seafood Association John Anderson · Scottish Fishermen's Organisation
9 Jul 2020
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Colette Cohen · Oil and Gas Technology Company Deirdre Michie · Oil and Gas UK Professor John Underhill · Institute of GeoEnergy Engineering
2 Jul 2020
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David Phillips · Institute for Fiscal Studies Professor Alasdair Smith · Scottish Fiscal Commission
25 Jun 2020
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James Withers · Scotland Food and Drink Jonnie Hall · National Farmers Union of Scotland Karen Betts · Food and Drink Federation
18 Jun 2020
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Akash Paun · Institute for Government Professor David Bell · University of Stirling Professor Linda Bauld · University of Edinburgh Professor Nicola McEwen · University of Glasgow
11 Jun 2020
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Jeane Freeman OBE · Scottish Government Professor Jason Leitch · Scottish Government
21 May 2020
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Dr Gregor Smith, Interim Chief Medical Officer for Scotland Professor Andrew Morris · Scottish Government’s Covid-19 Advisory Group Professor Sheila Rowan, Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland
14 May 2020
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Douglas Ross · Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland Gillian McGregor · Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland Rt Hon Alister Jack · Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland
Recommendations & Conclusions
6 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Not Addressed
First Report: Coronavirus and Scot…
The UK Government has failed to make clear when its messaging applies only to England,...
The UK Government has failed to make clear when its messaging applies only to England, causing unnecessary confusion in the devolved nations. There should be messaging clarity to minimise confusion across national boundaries, and this must begin to happen with … Read more
Government Response
The government's response focuses on concluding the Intergovernmental Relations (IGR) review and improving transparency of formal IGR documents and processes, but does not address the specific recommendation for immediate messaging clarity in policy announcements regarding their application to devolved nations.
Scotland Office
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3 Recommendation Not Addressed
First Report: Coronavirus and Scot…
We are concerned to hear that Ministerial Implementation Groups (MIGs) and COBRA have ceased to...
We are concerned to hear that Ministerial Implementation Groups (MIGs) and COBRA have ceased to meet in the context of the pandemic. From what we have heard about how communication standards currently stand, decision-makers in devolved nations have come to … Read more
Government Response
The government's response does not directly address why Ministerial Implementation Groups and COBRA ceased to meet or what consultation occurred with devolved governments prior to this decision. It also does not outline how decisions about the pandemic have been formally discussed with devolved nations or how regular inter-nation communication has been guaranteed, instead discussing the general role of the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland.
Scotland Office
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5 Recommendation Not Addressed
First Report: Coronavirus and Scot…
We have also noted that the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) has not been used as...
We have also noted that the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) has not been used as a method of intergovernmental communication throughout the pandemic, although we have heard suggestions that it would not have been fit for purpose in the COVID-19 … Read more
Government Response
The government's response details the commitment to undertaking a detailed evaluation of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, with reports due in 2021 and 2022, completely unrelated to the recommendation about intergovernmental communication mechanisms.
Scotland Office
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8 Recommendation Not Addressed
First Report: Coronavirus and Scot…
The Government must specify and define a clear role for the Office of the Secretary...
The Government must specify and define a clear role for the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland in the context of COVID-19 and similar UK-wide emergencies. We understand that the Department is committed to being Scotland’s voice in … Read more
Government Response
The government's response discusses the Migration Advisory Committee's recommendations on the Shortage Occupation List and encourages the Scottish Government to attract residents, but it does not address the recommendation regarding the role of the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland in UK-wide emergencies or intergovernmental communication.
Scotland Office
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9 Conclusion Not Addressed
First Report: Coronavirus and Scot…
Communication on a scientific level appears to have been regular and consistent between the four...
Communication on a scientific level appears to have been regular and consistent between the four nations. Transparency around SAGE has improved with the publication of its membership and minutes. However, it is unclear whether the advice given by SAGE and … Read more
Government Response
The government's response is irrelevant, detailing the launch of a UK Trade Hub in Edinburgh and progress on trade deals, without addressing the committee's observations about transparency of scientific advice during the pandemic.
Scotland Office
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10 Recommendation Not Addressed
First Report: Coronavirus and Scot…
We call on the UK and Scottish Governments to provide details of the procedures and...
We call on the UK and Scottish Governments to provide details of the procedures and processes used by their advisory groups for providing scientific advice. A commitment to transparency around scientific advice would provide the public and Parliament with the … Read more
Government Response
The government's response does not provide details of the procedures and processes used by its scientific advisory groups for providing advice, as recommended. Instead, the response discusses general pandemic preparedness and appears to address a separate recommendation concerning messaging clarity across the nations.
Scotland Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 22 of 16 classified
Accepted 6
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 2
Deferred 6
Not Addressed 6
Rejected 1
Total 16 recs + 6 conclusions
Correspondence 5 letters
4 Nov 2020 Follow-up email from the Royal College of Nursing Scotland, relating to current priorities and calling for a clear timetable for implementation of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act, 25 September 2020
Parliament page
15 Oct 2020 To committee Letter from Gillian McGregor, Director, Scotland Office, re: Coronavirus and Scotland: Interim Report on Intergovernmental Working, 7-10-20
Parliament page
8 Oct 2020 Correspondence with the Secretary of State for Scotland, follow-up to evidence session of 17 September, 24-09-20 and 5-10-20
Parliament page
22 Jun 2020 To committee Letter from the interim Chief Medical Officer for Scotland providing additional information on Coronavirus and Scottish Care Homes, 16-06-20
Parliament page
22 Jun 2020 From committee Letter to the interim Chief Medical Officer for Scotland requesting additional information in relation to Coronavirus and Scottish Care Homes, 3-06-20
Parliament page