Summary

  • Nicola Sturgeon says it is "utter nonsense" to say the Scottish government covered up a Covid-19 outbreak at a Nike conference in Edinburgh at the end of February

  • UK Chancellor says the coronavirus job retention scheme will be extended to the end of October, but changes will be made

  • Conservation charity National Trust for Scotland says its 429 staff are at risk of redundancy

  • Cancer charities call for urgent plan to safely restart cancer services disrupted by Covid-19.

  • Calls to a helpline run by Autism Scotland rise by a third since the coronavirus lockdown was introduced

  1. Jeane Freeman says Nike conference contact tracing 'happened as it should have'published at 15:16 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Holyrood Live
    BBC Parliaments

    Jeane Freeman

    Neil Findlay asked the health secretary how many people were contacted following the Nike conference, given that NHS Lothian told him only 30 families were contacted.

    Ms Freeman said the contact tracing that took place was done on an international scale as it was an international conference - and that "all of that happened as it should have happened".

    She said: "I hear what Mr Findlay is saying - why did it take a BBC documentary to mention the Nike conference. I have to ask, to what purpose?"

    She said that the contact tracing done depended on individuals giving information about those they were in contact with for longer than 15 minutes - and that there would be a number of people not included in the information gathered because they did not fit the requirements.

  2. Jeane Freeman insists Scottish government had no knowledge of Covid outbreak when conference was taking placepublished at 15:12 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Holyrood Live
    BBC Parliaments

    Neil Findlay

    The health secretary tells the Scottish Parliament that all proper procedures were followed during the Scottish government's containment strategy when the Nike conference was taking place.

    It comes after a question from Neil Findlay MSP after it emerged that there was a coronavirus outbreak at the conference in Edinburgh in February.

    At least 25 people linked to the event on 26 and 27 February are thought to have contracted the virus.

    But the public was not told despite health authorities knowing about the outbreak within days.

  3. The Scottish government Covid-19 debate is under way...published at 15:06 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Holyrood Live
    BBC Parliaments

    Deputy First Miniser John SwinneyImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    Deputy First Miniser John Swinney opens the debate on the next phase of suppressing the conronvirus outbreak

    Deputy First Miniser John Swinney opens the Scottish Government debate: Suppressing COVID: The Next Phase.

  4. Meanwhile at Westminster...published at 15:04 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

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  5. Health secretary says Nike contact tracing international effortpublished at 14:56 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

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  6. 'Watered down' care home admissions guidance published 'in error'published at 14:54 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Holyrood Live
    BBC Parliaments

    Jeane Freeman
    Image caption,

    Jeane Freeman said the guidance was published in error

    Speaking earlier, MSP Monica Lennon put to the health secretary that guidance published on 8 May to do with testing policy for care home admissions "watered down" earlier guidance.

    She highlighted the document - which Jeane Freeman said was published "in error" - said that patients should "ideally have two negative tests" before being discharged from hospital into a care home.

    Ms Freeman said this was "draft guidance" and emphasised that current guidance was that hospital Covid-19 patients require two negative tests before being discharged into a care home.

    She added the draft guidance had been withdrawn from the government's website and that the revised updated guidance would be published as soon as it reaches requirements outlined by the chief medical officer and herself.

    Monica Lennon
    Image caption,

    Monica Lennon challenged the health secretary about the guidance that was published

  7. URGENT QUESTION: Edinburgh Nike conference outbreakpublished at 14:39 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Holyrood Live
    BBC Parliaments

    NikeImage source, bbc

    Labour MSP Neil Findlay asks the Scottish government for what reason Covid-19 cases identified in Edinburgh on 2 March 2020 were not made public.

    Nicola Sturgeon has just told the Scottish government media briefing it is "utter nonsense" to say the Scottish government covered up the Covid-19 outbreak at a Nike conference in Edinburgh at the end of February.

    The BBC Disclosure programme, which was broadcast on Monday night, revealed there were multiple transmissions of the virus in Edinburgh in February, well before the first confirmed cases in Scotland, but this was not disclosed to the public.

    Read more here.

  8. Scottish Tory leader welcomes furlough extensionpublished at 14:17 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Jackson CarlawImage source, Getty Images

    The leader of the Scottish Conservatives has welcomed the chancellor's announcement that the UK furlough scheme for workers on leave because of coronavirus will be extended to October.

    Chancellor Rishi Sunak confirmed that employees will continue to receive 80% of their monthly wages up to £2,500.

    Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw said the move had given "millions of workers across Scotland economic security right through until October".

    He said: "Introducing part-time flexibility into the scheme in July is something that businesses have been asking for and is very welcome."

  9. Coronavirus topical questions next...published at 14:08 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Holyrood hybrid sittingImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    Holyrood hybrid sitting

    MSPs have begun the first ever hybrid virtual and chamber sitting of the Scottish Parliament.

    • 2.05pm: Topical questions: Easing Lockdown divergence of guidance in England and Scotland, coronavirus attacks on police officers and a call for clarity on testing people leaving hospital going to care homes
  10. Is there support for people whose cancer treatment has been paused?published at 14:01 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    cellsImage source, Getty Images

    Vivienne Aitken from The Daily Record highlights the case of a patient who had started year-long treatment for a brain tumour, but this was paused in April due to coronavirus.

    She explains while he was told to return in July, this means missing three months of treatment. Ms Aitken asks about support for people struggling with concerns and anxiety about paused services.

    Nicola Sturgeon says it is important people can get support and advice where possible and reiterates the government is looking at resuming services as early as possible.

    Dr Smith says he has “real sympathy” for people and families experiencing a hiatus in their treatments.

    Decisions have been taken very carefully and risk assessed, he says.

    Fiona Macqueen recommends people contact the NHS if they have concerns as there are other ways support can be provided, such as through district and specialist nursing.

  11. MSPs to debate lockdown and urgent Nike conference questionpublished at 13:56 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Here's what else is happening at Holyrood this afternoon.

    • 2.05pm: Topical questions: Easing Lockdown divergence of guidance in England and Scotland, coronavirus attacks on police officers and a call for clarity on testing people leaving hospital going to care homes
    • 2.20pm: Urgent Question: Neil Findlay: To ask the Scottish government for what reason Covid-19 cases identified in Edinburgh on 2 March 2020 were not made public.2.35-5.30 pm: Scottish government debate: Suppressing Covid: The Next Phase

    Stay here and watch all the proceedings with us on the BBC Scotland live page.

  12. Deprived areas probably more impacted by Covid-19 says CMOpublished at 13:55 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Testing at Glasgow AirportImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Some Inverclyde residents have to travel to Glasgow Airport for testing

    Libby Brooks of The Guardian highlights Inverclyde has the highest death rate in the country and says locals are concerned about a lack of detailed data and testing. Will there be more localised data for councils if they find themselves in similar positions, she asks.

    The FM says it is an ongoing process to provide more granular data. On testing, she points to access to mobile testing facilities which can be directed to particular areas if there is a need for it.

    The interim chief medical officer says there is a lot more data to come to help better understand how data is impacting communities.

    He suggests that places which are more likely to experience deprivation will be most affected by Covid-19 because they tend to have a higher burden of other illness and people will often live closer together.

  13. Efforts under way to speed up test turnaround timepublished at 13:53 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Covid testingImage source, Getty Images

    Derek Healey of The Courier asks about using all testing capacity and improving the turnaround time for tests. He highlights some countries are able to provide a result within four hours.

    Ms Sturgeon says there are a number of things being worked on at pace in terms of testing and contract tracing. An advert is live to recruit more contact tracers now, she adds.

    She also says the government is working with labs on improving the turnaround time, not just for the test itself but also for the whole journey from first contact from a patient to a result.

  14. Accusations of a Nike outbreak cover up 'utter nonsense' insists FMpublished at 13:51 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Rachel Watson from the Daily Mail returns to the Nike conference outbreak, saying the first minister has been accused of a cover up over it.

    Ms Watson asks when exactly the first minister found out about it.

    The first minister replies: “On the accusation of a cover up, that is complete and utter nonsense.”

    She asks why would the government be trying to cover anything up.

    “There is no interest in covering these things up.”

    She says the accusation sounds “like highly politicised nonsense” adding she first knew about the first cases on the 2nd or 3rd of March.

    The first minister insists all appropriate steps were taken to protect public health.

    Kieran Andrews from the Times asks for confirmation that someone from abroad brought the virus to the conference and asks why the public were not informed about the outbreak.

    He points out the first case in Scotland was identified as having returned from Northern Italy and was in Tayside

    Ms Sturgeon again refers to the issue of public confidentiality around a conference with only 70 people at it in Edinburgh and the risk of identification was far higher than in the first case in NHS Tayside.

  15. Still questions around contract tracing apppublished at 13:49 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    App

    Neil Pooran from the PA asks about the contact tracing app and Ms Sturgeon confirms further discussions have been had, though there are still questions.

    She says she hopes the app will be of benefit but reiterates it will not be central to the Scottish test, trace, isolate strategy.

    The first minister explains the government is currently trying to understand how the app works, how it can integrate with Scottish NHS systems and whether the app meets privacy and security requirements.

  16. FM welcomes extension of furlough schemepublished at 13:47 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    closed businessImage source, Getty Images

    Raising the just announced extension of the furlough scheme, Fraser Knight from Global asks if this will be enough to keep businesses closed.

    Ms Sturgeon says it is important to be cautious and not prematurely lift the precautions put in place. If businesses in Scotland are closed now, they should remain closed she adds.

    She says the extension of the scheme until October is welcome.

  17. When will cancer services resume?published at 13:44 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Breast scanImage source, Getty Images

    Linsey Hanna from Bauer highlights calls from the Scottish Conservatives to restart cancer services. She asks about steps to deal with the backlog and timescales for this.

    The first minister says the government is working on restoring and resuming postponed NHS services, including for cancer.

    We will give an update on that as soon as we can, she says.

    Read more on calls from cancer charities for services to be restored.

  18. FM satisfied with steps after Nike conferencepublished at 13:41 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    James Shaw from BBC News returns to the Nike conference outbreak, which featured in the BBC Disclosure documentary.

    He asks about the advice received about not making details public.

    Ms Sturgeon says she was satisfied at the time with the steps taken to investigate, contract trace and mitigate risk of onward transition - and remains of that opinion.

    The chief medical officer adds he is comfortable with the advice provided to the first minister.

  19. Care homes deaths similar to international comparisonspublished at 13:38 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    Older personImage source, Reuters

    Ciaran Jenkins from Channel 4 News seeks an explanation for why the percentage of deaths in care homes is higher in Scotland than in England.

    The first minister points out that while the percentage of deaths in care homes compared to the overall figure has risen, the actual number of deaths has dropped.

    "The figures we are reporting in Scotland do not appear to be out of step with international comparisons in terms of care homes," she adds.

    Ms Sturgeon also highlights the rise in excess deaths is lower in Scotland than in England.

  20. Employers should have regard to Scottish government guidancepublished at 13:36 British Summer Time 12 May 2020

    The Scottish borderImage source, Getty Images

    Peter MacMahon from ITV Border asks if the same strong message to employers in Scotland would be given by the first minister to those south of the border.

    The first minister replies yes and she would say to employers wherever they are based if they are employing people who live in Scotland, have regard to the Scottish government guidance.