 That concludes topical questions. My apologies to those members we were unable to reach. The next item of business is a statement by Nicola Sturgeon on Covid-19 update. The First Minister will take questions at the end of her statement, and so there should be no interventions or interruptions. I call on Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister. Thank you. Today I will give a further update on the levels of and trends in Covid infections. I'll also confirm that when Cabinet reviewed Covid protections this morning, as we are required to do every three weeks, our decision was to keep the remaining baseline measures in place for now. I'll then give brief updates on guidance for schools and early year settings on the BA2 subvariant of Omicron, which is currently under investigation and also on vaccination. I'll conclude with a reminder of the basic steps it is still important to take to help curb transmission and reduce pressure on the NHS economy and wider society. First, today's statistics, 7,565 positive cases were reported yesterday through PCR and lateral flow tests. 1,177 people are in hospital with Covid, 30 fewer than yesterday, 42 people are in intensive care, three fewer than yesterday and this includes 13 patients who have been in ICU for more than 28 days. Sadly, a further 30 deaths have been reported taking the total number of deaths under this daily definition to 10,341. Again, my condolences are with everyone morning a loved one. The most recent data does continue, though, to give us grounds for optimism. The situation we are in now is certainly much less severe than we had thought it might be. That said, case numbers do remain high and the significant fall in the first three weeks of January has now levelled off somewhat. Last week I reported that the number of new cases had fallen by just over a quarter in the previous seven days. This week cases have actually risen, albeit very slightly, for more than 7,200 new cases a day to just under 7,400, an increase of 2 per cent. The picture across different age groups is mixed. The biggest increase in the past week of 7 per cent was in the under 15s. That, though, is significantly lower than the 41 per cent rise in that age group recorded in the previous week. That may well, indeed. I hope that it does indicate that the impact of the return to school after the Christmas break is beginning to tail off. Cases also increased last week by 5 per cent amongst 25 to 44-year-olds, which is likely to reflect infections amongst children now feeding through into that age group, many of whom, of course, are parents or carers. The numbers are still falling in all other age groups, although they are falling more slowly now than was the case seven days ago. The weekly survey data from the Office for National Statistics, though not as up-to-date as the daily case numbers, is another important measure of infection levels. It shows that, in the week to 22 January, the percentage of people in Scotland infected with the virus declined to around 1 in 30 from around 1 in 20 in the previous week, and those figures are consistent with the trends in the daily data for that period in January. There is a further point about the daily data that I want to highlight today. Right now, someone who is reinfected with Covid does not count as a new case in the statistical reports. For example, if you received a positive PCR result yesterday, you will not be included as one of the new cases reported today if you had also tested positive on a previous occasion. As of yesterday, reinfections have been reported by the UK Government in the Daily Figures for England. That means that, for a short period, the daily case numbers for England will not be directly comparable with those for Scotland. However, that will be temporary, as Public Health Scotland is also planning to report on reinfections. I can confirm that initial data will be included in the PHS weekly report tomorrow, and data on reinfections will be included in daily case figures from later this month. That data on reinfections obviously becomes more important as the pandemic progresses and more people get Covid for a second time. That said, it is important to stress that, as things stand, the current daily figures do capture the significant majority of people who test positive each day. To return to the most recent data, though the declining cases in the first three weeks of January is now being reflected in a fall in the number of people being admitted to hospital. In the week 2, 21 January, 768 patients with Covid were admitted. In the following week, that was down to 602. Hospital occupancy has also fallen. This time, last week, 1,394 patients with Covid were in hospital. Today, that stands at 1,177. The number of people with Covid in intensive care has reduced to from 49 this time last week to 42 today. Those improving trends are a result of booster vaccination, the proportionate measures introduced in December, and the willingness of the public to adapt behaviour to STEM transmission. That has enabled us, over the past two weeks, to remove virtually all of the additional measures introduced in December. Most recently, as of yesterday, guidance on home working was updated to enable a partial return to the office with hybrid working where appropriate. From the end of next week, 11 February, the requirements for overseas travel will also be eased. Fully vaccinated travellers will no longer need to take a test on their arrival into Scotland. That return to much greater normality is, of course, very welcome for individuals, households and businesses across the country. However, common sense, coupled with the very strong desire that all of us feel not to go backwards, does demand continued caution. The NHS remains under very acute pressure. As I reported a moment ago, the number of people in hospital with Covid is falling, but it is still double what it was just before Christmas. As I also reported earlier, the recent fall in cases is now levelling off. Of course, as often happens, when protective measures that have helped STEM transmission are lifted, cases may start to rise again, exacerbating the already significant pressure on the NHS. That is why Cabinet took the decision this morning to retain for at least a further three weeks the current baseline measures. Those are the Covid certification scheme and the following requirements to collect customer contact details in settings such as hospitality, to wear face coverings in many indoor public places and on public transport, and for businesses and service providers to have regard to guidance and take all reasonably practical steps to minimise the incidence and spread of infection on their premises. We will also continue to ask the public to take lateral flow tests before mixing with people from other households. Complying with those basic protective measures will help, I hope, STEM infections and therefore relieve pressure on the NHS while allowing all of us to get back to living much more normally. There are three further issues that I want to touch on today. The first is to update Parliament briefly on the subtype of Omicron known as BA2, which was recently designated as a variant under investigation. As members will recall, with the main Omicron variant, what is called the S-gene is absent in PCR tests. However, in BA2 cases, the S-gene shows up. In the past week, the proportion of PCR tests with an S-gene dropout, which indicates the main Omicron variant, has declined with a corresponding increase in the proportion of tests showing S-gene positive results. That could be accounted for by delta cases, which also show positive S-gene results. However, it may also indicate increasing transmission of the BA2 subvariant. Genomic sequencing is being used to investigate that further. So far, I can confirm that, in Scotland, 26 cases of BA2 have been confirmed through genomic sequencing, but we would expect this number to increase as more sequencing results are reported. Of course, given that not all tests are able to be genomically sequenced, it will be an underestimate of the presence of this subvariant here. It is important to stress at this stage that there is no evidence that BA2 causes more severe disease than the main Omicron variant, nor at this stage is there any evidence that BA2 has any greater ability to escape the immunity conferred by vaccines or previous infection. However, BA2 does appear to have the ability to outrun the main Omicron variant, which may indicate that it is more transmissible. Investigations into this are on-going both in the UK and in other countries, like Denmark, where the subvariant has been circulating for longer. At the moment, therefore, this BA2 subvariant is not a cause for any alarm, nor a cause to change our approach, but it does warrant further study. It is also a reminder that the course of the pandemic of any pandemic does remain uncertain, so even as we get back to normal life, we must take care and remain vigilant. We must remember that, as this is a global pandemic, developments in other countries will impact on our ability to control the virus here. That underlines the vital importance of extending the protection of vaccines to all countries as quickly as possible. I also want to report that the advisory subgroup on education met last week to review Covid measures in schools and early learning and childcare settings. I can confirm that, in light of its recommendations, revised guidance is being published today, which effectively returns schools and early years settings to the situation before the emergence of Omicron. The revised guidance eases requirements for bubbles or groupings within schools and is less restrictive in its advice on visitors to schools and on school trips. The subgroup also considered the issue of face coverings last week. It concluded that, although we may be close to the time when face coverings no longer need to be worn in classrooms, assuming, of course, that current trends continue, we have not yet reached that stage. No one wants young people to have to wear face coverings in the classroom for a moment longer than necessary, but given the current uncertainty about infection trends in the immediate future and the relatively high levels of Covid in younger age groups, continued caution is prudent at this stage. The subgroup will consider the issue of face coverings again at its meeting on 8 February. At the final point, I want to cover relate to Covid and flu vaccination. In December, flu vaccination was paused for some groups to allow priority to be given to the delivery of Covid booster jags. However, flu vaccinations have now resumed for higher risk groups, for example the over 65s. Uptake in these groups was already high in December, but if you are in one of these groups and have not yet had your flu vaccine, the NHS informed website will provide details of how to arrange it in your local health board area. In terms of Covid, vaccination has now started for 5 to 11-year-olds at the highest clinical risk and also those 5 to 11-year-olds who are household contacts of someone who is immunosuppressed. Parents and carers of children in these groups will receive a letter or a phone call about vaccination. Soon indeed some will have received this already. In addition, booster invitations are now being sent to all 18 to 59-year-olds who are eligible for the booster but have not yet had it. Approximately 580,000 people are in this category. Invitations to scheduled appointments are being sent in blue envelopes with the first appointments scheduled from Monday onwards. If you have not had a booster yet but you are eligible for one, please look out for the blue envelope and go along to the scheduled appointment. If the appointment time you are given is not convenient, you can rearrange it to a more convenient time. For anyone who has had just two vaccinations, and this is an important point, protection against serious illness from Covid does wane significantly over time. The booster is a vital, essential way of maintaining that protection. Please get boosted. It is the best way to protect yourself from serious illness and also to protect the NHS. In conclusion, we can continue, in my view, to be optimistic as we look ahead to the spring. Case levels are likely to remain high for some time and they may increase further as a result of the recent easing of protections. There are good grounds at this stage for confidence that we are again entering a calmer phase of the pandemic. Our revised strategic framework will be published following the February recess. It will set out in some detail our approach to managing Covid more sustainably in the remaining phases of the pandemic, and then as the virus hopefully becomes endemic. Between now and then, we will continue to engage on its contents and, of course, Parliament will get the opportunity to debate and vote on the framework. For the moment, though, I will close with the steps that we can all continue to take to protect ourselves and others while we do return to more normal lives. Firstly, to repeat, please do get fully vaccinated as soon as you can. Second, continue to take care when out and about socialising. In particular, take a lateral flow test every time before meeting other people socially. Remember to take the test as soon as possible before you go out rather than several hours before. Finally, please take the other precautions that we do know make a difference. If you are meeting indoors where a face covering on public transport in shops and when moving about in hospitality, talk to your employer about a return to hybrid working and follow the guidance and the precautions that they adopt to make your workplace safe and follow all advice on hygiene. Those measures are making a difference. They will help us to protect the NHS and help to get it back to normal and they are enabling us to keep each other safe even while other protections are lifted. Please stick with them. Once again, let me thank everyone across the country who is doing exactly that. Thank you. The First Minister will now take questions on the issues raised in her statement. I intend to allow around 30 minutes for questions after which we will move on to the next item of business. I would be grateful if members who wish to ask a question were to press their request to speak buttons now or enter R in the chat function. I call Douglas Ross. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. The latest figures show that Covid is under control. The success of Scotland and the UK's vaccination scheme means that we can get back to normality. Yet even though the data is very positive, the SNP Scottish Government is still insisting on the use of face masks in schools. Adults can go to the pub and not wear a face mask, but pupils in the classroom have to. The First Minister said in her statement that no one wants young people to have to wear a face covering in the classroom for a moment longer than necessary. So, First Minister, just what needs to happen for your Government to remove the requirement of face coverings in our classrooms? But face masks are not the only Covid rule that this Government is keen to continue. The coronavirus bill that they proposed last week is a dangerous power grab. SNP Members are laughing at this. Their legislation that they are putting forward says that it would give the Government the power to close businesses and schools, to let prisoners out of jail early and force people back into lockdowns in their own home. That is a power grab from this SNP Government. What is more worrying than anything is that it could do all of that without ever coming back into this chamber and this Parliament. Those powers are extraordinary. They were introduced to be used in an emergency only. Outside of the most severe crisis, the Government should not have such sweeping, extensive powers to curb freedoms and control people's lives. So, First Minister, why does your Government need to retain those emergency powers indefinitely? First Minister. Not for the first time, I can't help wondering if Douglas Ross listened to a single word of the statement that I have just delivered to Parliament. He gets up here and blithly, with an air of complacence, he says, Covid is now under control, the pandemic. He didn't say this, but the implication is that the pandemic is over. Yes, we are in a much stronger position because the figures show the virus is under control. I then accepted that he didn't say that the pandemic was over, but the air that he gives is what he wants us to think. Why I narrated here was a situation that, because of the sensible proportionate measures that I have been taking, is much better than it would have been. Experts and other countries across the world are all of the view, or many are of the view, that continued caution in the face of the risks and uncertainties is the best way to see us get through the remainder of this pandemic. On the issue of face masks in schools, Douglas Ross asked me, why is it that adults can go to the pub? Can I remind them that we are asking adults to go to the pub to wear face coverings as they move about in hospitality? Children don't. Let me point out a couple of important differences. Firstly, adults have a choice about going to the pub and mixing with other people. Children don't have a choice about going to school and mixing with other people. Secondly, children are still less vaccinated than adults because the vaccination of children was recommended by the JCVI at a much later stage. Those are all the reasons why it is right to continue to take a precautionary approach to the protection of children. In another context, one of Douglas Ross's members last week when the chamber was talking about exams had the question posed to her, that the safety of children is the most important thing and her answer was no, I don't. That seems to sum up the attitude of the Conservatives. We will continue in line with the views of the advisory council who give us expert opinion on those things to take that cautious approach. Interestingly, it was last week that Douglas Ross quoted the chair of the National Parent Forum of Scotland at me when she said that it would be sensible to have a phased approach to lifting restrictions. On the point about the Covid recovery and reform bill, incidentally, it will bring public health protection powers in Scotland into line with public health protection powers that have been in place in England under Conservative Government for the last 10 years. Douglas Ross calls those dangerous. Perhaps that is not a surprise coming from the leader of the Scottish Conservatives because one of the powers in this bill is to give continued protection to tenants. Here's what the Homeless Charity crisis said about this in the consultation. Those protections can give private tenants more time and support to work through rent arrears and we welcome plans to make them more permanent. Perhaps it's not a surprise the leader of the Conservative Party describes that as dangerous. Paul Jackie Baillie. Could I also send my condolences to all those who have lost loved ones? As we begin the slow return to some form of normality, we cannot allow the children of Scotland to be left behind. Thousands of pupils across Scotland have endured two years of disruption to their education, but as Scottish pupils prepare to sit prelims, we're faced with high numbers of Covid cases in schools. There were almost 33,000 children not in school because of Covid-19 on just one day last week. They're currently happening across the country, and for many S5 pupils they've never sat formal exams before. They cannot afford to miss out at such a crucial time. For months, Scottish Labour have asked the Government to address ventilation in our schools. At the start, the Government offered money to diagnose the problem with CO2 monitors, but there were few solutions to actually improve the ventilation other than to pop open a window. Pupils and teachers had to suffer through the cold months before Christmas in coats and scarves. Three weeks ago, the First Minister announced £5 million to improve ventilation in schools, which is welcome. With 2,476 schools and at least 25,000 classrooms across the country, that will barely touch the sides. If we are to live safely with Covid, we need to make our schools safe for pupils and teachers. That's why Labour have repeatedly called on to deliver filters in every classroom. That needs a fourfold increase in the budget and will also help to ensure that masks can be removed. Will the Government finally listen and deliver these filters? Will they do so urgently to minimise disruption so that thousands of young people are not further disadvantaged at such a crucial point in their lives? First Minister, trying to ensure that disruption in our schools is kept is one of the reasons we need to be cautious on an on-going basis about the mitigations that are in schools, including face coverings, to lift that as I think Jackie Baillie and her party agree with would take us potentially in the opposite direction. The Education Secretary will make a statement later this afternoon, confirming our intention that exams will go ahead this year but setting out some further decisions about support for young people will need up to that. On the issue of the £5 million ventilation fund, it is important that it is not the case that every space in our schools or early years setting need measures like this but the funding that has been made available on the assessment of the number of spaces that may need some additional mitigation would be funding that is adequate for the purchase of air cleaning or filtration it would also cover for example the need for small mechanical ventilation or extractor fan units and also it would allow for repairs to for example doors or windows to be made to improve air flow so this funding covers what it is assessed is needed but we will keep that under review with local councils as we continue to take the steps to ensure that we can live much more sustainably with Covid in the months ahead. Alex Cole-Hamilton Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. We've just heard from Jackie Baillie why we need to limit the impact of Covid in our classrooms and that's why air quality and air flow really matter it was astonishing therefore to learn this morning from the education secretary herself that 2,000 classrooms in Scotland currently fall below standards for air quality added to which this morning I was passed a paper commissioned by Edinburgh City Council confidential and kept from the public since last May which showed the extent of the problem with all but two schools surveyed in this report failing air quality co2 threshold tests all that time parents, pupils, teachers have been kept in the dark so can I ask the First Minister does she recognise that she's not been open with us on air quality in this schools and will she now publish all the data about school classroom air quality so we can make up our minds whether this is just the tip of the iceberg? No, I don't accept that I will obviously look to see what information the Government can publish that isn't already published we do assess and I think this is what he is referring to in terms of the education secretary's comments that it is not all spaces in schools early year settings that require additional measures but those who do those measures may be on temporary basis because this is not the recommended long term solution air cleaning or filtration units it could be for a longer term solution mechanical ventilation or extractor fans or it could be increasing the space at the bottom of a door or allowing windows to open that's what the £5 million ventilation fund is for we will continue as I said to keep that under review this is going to be a long term issue making sure not just in schools right now have the right ventilation measures in place because we know that good ventilation is one of the best mitigations we can take against Covid so I think the actions that we have taken to date demonstrate how seriously we take this and we will continue to take it seriously as we go through the months to come and of course we will continue to report fully to Parliament on that I call everyone Tweet to be followed by Liz Smith thank you failures of leadership and judgment and serious failure to observe the high standards expected of those working in government but also of the standards expected of the entire British population at the time just a few of the points in the conclusion of the report published by Sugare yesterday does the First Minister have concerns that public confidence in the integrity of those making decisions to safeguard the NHS and the economy may now be eroded and that the risks undermining all that this risks undermining all the efforts made so far First Minister obviously I have concerns about that and I would be surprised if every member of this chamber doesn't share those concerns I think there is very little public trust in the integrity and the decision making of the Prime Minister and his Government over these matters Sugare report published yesterday was obviously heavily constrained in what it was able to say but what it did say I think it was very clear in its conclusions narrated by Evelyn Tweed I think it is also now impossible to reach any conclusion other than that the Prime Minister has seriously and serially misled the House of Commons and I have had cause over the past year or so to reflect very carefully on these things myself it is really important that what people like me and the Prime Minister say in chambers of Parliament can be trusted but that is never more important than during the times of crisis that we are living through and my views on these matters I suspect are shared by people across the chamber and more importantly by the vast majority of people across the country Liz Smith to be followed by Annabelle Ewing Thank you, Presiding Officer First Minister, yesterday each MSP received a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance which details some of the allocated spending for the business support from Omicron that was part of the £375 million package announced by the First Minister herself This morning at the Finance Committee the Finance Cabinet Secretary confirmed that there is still £103 million unallocated Can I ask the First Minister when that allocation will take place and crucially will it also include £2 million of funding which was desperately sought again in the letter sent to all of us by the outdoor education sector who are desperate for support in this pandemic The remaining funding will be allocated and then distributed as soon as possible We are rightly taking time to consult to ensure that the remainder of the support gets to sectors where it is needed most and perhaps the sectors that without that consultation don't get the support and the attention that they merit The outdoor education sector Liz Smith has raised it before the Government has provided support I'm not going to pre-empt decisions that are yet to be taken but I think we can take from our previous actions that the needs of that sector are very important to us because they are important to children across the country and we'll continue to take that into account as we reach final decisions on all of this Annabelle Ewing to be followed by Pauline McNeill Thank you, Presiding Officer As we return to a much greater degree of normality in our lives thoughts inevitably turn to the longer term and in that regard can the First Minister advise as to where matters stand on the possibility that our fourth Covid vaccine does being required and also as regards the potential need for annual Covid immunisation First Minister We continue to follow JCVI advice I would take the opportunity to thank the JCVI for all the advice that they have given us so far it has evolved in line with evolving understanding of the virus and the considerations of the JCVI about how vaccination can help to reduce in particular serious illness and hospitalisation We will continue to be guided by the JCVI in future but I very much hope that we will see further recommendations coming from it that will allow us to extend even further the scope and the coverage of the vaccination programme including to more people in the 5 to 11 age group Pauline McNeill to be called by Stuart McMillan The easing of Covid restrictions is leaving a community of patients facing uncertain future may have needed a lot of them to agree that the use of lateral flow regular testing is vital for everyone but in particular for the group in order to feel safe and that free lateral flow test are therefore essential for the group Can the First Minister indicate if public health officials have estimated how long we might need regular testing First Minister can I check that you heard enough of the question to find it helpful if Mr McNeill repeated the question I think I've got the gist of the question I think what Pauline McNeill was asking me about the use of lateral flow devices generally but in particular in relation to people who are immunosuppressed if she can nod if I'm getting that correctly so I think I've got the gist of the question Yes I do strongly agree with that as I indicated in my statement and have indicated now for several weeks we recommend regular use of lateral flow tests for everybody as they go out and about and socialise with others but those who are at greatest potential clinical risk it's particularly important that they take that precaution so I would strongly encourage it in terms of how long it may be required I think that is difficult to answer right now it's one of the things we will consider on an on-going basis and of course it's one of the things that will be included at least in terms of our up-to-date understanding in the updated strategic framework my view is that it is one of the protections that we are likely to ask people to follow for longest because it is such an important way of trying to break chains of transmission the final point I would make on this of course is that it remains a matter of on-going discussion between the four nations of the UK the procurement of these tests and whether as I believe should be the case they will continue to be provided to the public free of charge and I've made the view very clear to the UK government that no change to that should be made without the agreement of all four governments across the UK Stuart McMillan to be followed by Ross Greer thank you as restrictions are raised and this is very welcome can the First Minister advise how the Scottish Government will continue to highlight the messages via social media and also traditional media campaigns that face coverings should still be worn in indoor spaces to increase protection and cut down on the transmission of the virus First Minister The most up to date polling which is from December showed that the vast majority of adults in Scotland more than 80 per cent in fact believe that wearing a face covering is very or fairly important so support for that is already very high but it is important that we continue to emphasise it the living safely this winter campaign which is running right now we will continue to amend that as circumstances change and we will continue to ensure that there are strong appropriate public health messages through mainstream media, television, radio but also across social media it's important that for as long as we are asking the public to do certain things to change their behaviour in certain ways then there is good communication to make it clear to them what it is they're being asked to do and we will seek to ensure that that's the case through all of our marketing and public campaigns Ross Greer to be followed by Claire Adamson Thank you hospital admissions for under 18s or second only to the over 70s reflecting the relatively high infection and low vaccination rate amongst this age group and as the First Minister acknowledged the rising infection rate for 25 to 44 year olds is likely a consequence of infections amongst children and young people this causes concern for school staff in particular so can I ask the First Minister she acknowledges the heightened risk by adults in indoor settings with large numbers of unvaccinated young people and what further assurance she can give to school staff who've already given so much themselves throughout this pandemic Yes I do recognise that there is a heightened risk to people who are in indoor settings with large numbers of people particularly where some of those people are likely to be unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated that doesn't just apply to schools but clearly it does apply to schools and is a subject of the question so that is one of the reasons why we are taking a deliberately very cautious approach to the mitigations in school the guidance that is being updated today does ease some of those mitigations around bubbles or groupings within schools for example it also eases the requirements around visitors to schools but it does as I have narrated already it does ask for the current requirements around face coverings to be continued and that is part of just that cautious sensible approach to make sure that in settings where the risks are perhaps higher for the reasons that have been set out we're doing everything we can to protect people and of course in addition to that the steps around ventilation are important as well Clare Adamson to be followed by Douglas Lumsden Thank you Presiding Officer to ask the First Minister what our response is to reports that almost 5 billion items of protective equipment procured by the UK Government at a cost of £2.7 billion will be wasted as they are surplus or unsuitable to safeguard NHS staff First Minister but obviously we want to make sure and I know all Governments want to make sure that we have adequate supplies of PPE we work very hard in the Scottish Government and we do so also at times in partnership with the other UK Governments to make sure we have that supply to the full and that we're getting the right PPE to the people who need it that will be a matter of on-going focus for as long as this pandemic is with us as indeed beyond that because it's important in normal times as well it's not for me to comment on the procurement decisions of the UK Government although I know many of them are under great scrutiny and question right now but we'll continue to take sensible procurement decisions to ensure that we have the right supplies of PPE and the other items that those working in the front line of our national health service need Douglas Lumsden to be followed by Stephanie Callaghan Presiding Officer, we've been told that restrictions would not remain a minute longer than necessary from when Covid passports were announced infection rates are lower, hospital admissions are lower and ICU admissions are lower does the First Minister agree with me that the time has come to remove this financially disastrous restriction from the night time economy which has been so devastated by the pandemic is to get back on their feet and properly protect the tens of thousands of jobs which are still at risk First Minister I wonder if it ever just ever crosses the mind of the Conservatives that perhaps cases are down, hospitalisations are down, people in intensive care are reducing at least in part because of some of these protective measures we're taking not in spite of them and without these protective measures we might not be in as positive or relatively positive a position as we are in right now and again I would say to the member did he listen to any of what was reported today cases are down compared to the point at the turn of the year we are in a much stronger position partly because of measures like that than we might have been but the immediate future trends remain uncertain we have seen cases in the past week begin to rise again I reported on a sub variant that may be more transmissible there are reasons to be very optimistic and confident but common sense and experience tells us that there are also reasons to be cautious if we want to avoid setbacks the Conservatives have opposed virtually every protective measure that we have come forward with if we hadn't come forward with them no doubt they would have said we should have done the opportunism and the opposition for the sake of opposition I think speech rather badly of the Conservatives for my part I'm just going to go on with taking the best decisions we can to keep driving and steering this country through the pandemic as safely as we possibly can I call Stephanie Callaghan to be followed by Bill Kidd Presiding Officer Public Health Scotland's latest data indicates the pandemic has resulted in a 60% decrease in the number of people visiting NHS dentists and while there is cost for optimism a number of Covid cases remain high and full resumption of dental services needs a cautious approach Can the First Minister outline what engagement the Scottish Government has had with the sector to prepare for the remobilisation of dental services in a way that is safe? First Minister It has been very challenging for dentists as it has been for others across the health service to keep seeing patients during the pandemic even as we have had periods of recovery from the pandemic we are working to assist dentists to get back to normal as quickly as possible we are providing dentists with an additional £20 million of funding from this month to help them to see more patients the budget for 2022-23 delivers a 9% increase in the budget for NHS dentistry which is record investment so we are moving forward with NHS dentistry recovery and aim to return to much more normal levels of activity just as soon as the virus allows we are also discussing with BDA Scotland how we can continue to support NHS dentistry in the longer terms as we continue to secure a sustainable public service Bill Kidd to be followed by Katie Clark Thank you very much One of my constituents is a doctor working for both NHS Scotland and NHS England Although he had his first two vaccine doses in Scotland, he was given his booster dose in a hospital in England when he was at work there due to that his booster dose cannot currently be recorded in the Covid vaccination status app As the First Minister may be aware hospitals in England do not provide vaccine certificates or a QR code nor was this particular hospital able to change the postcode on his vaccine record to his Scottish address I'd be grateful if the First Minister could advise what steps should be taken when Scots do not have a QR code but need to request an update to their vaccine record I think that Bill Kidd for that question I will ask the health secretary to write to him just setting out in full detail the answer to the question In general terms though the Covid certification scheme allows people who have been fully vaccinated to evidence this if they need to do so so if someone has received a Covid QR code as proof of vaccination from that country to the Scottish vaccination record through NHS inform where a QR code is not available alternative evidence can be provided to the local health board in addition to that work is currently under way to include booster information with the automatic transfer of information between Scotland and England and that will allow individuals to receive a combined fully vaccinated status which will serve them both for safety purposes and travel purposes so that's the broad situation in general terms but I'm aware there was some particular details in Bill Kidd's question so I will ask the health secretary to write in a way that addresses any of the points that this general answer has not done Katie Clark to be followed by Ruth Maguire Thank you, Presiding Officer The BMA and health unions are calling for the use of the better FFP3 masks which the BMA has described as a matter of life and death In a recent BMA Scotland survey only 15% of clinicians who responded said that they were regularly provided with FFP3 masks or respirators when working in clinical areas with Covid patients Could the First Minister take action to ensure that sufficient supplies are obtained of FFP3 masks for all NHS staff who need them? The guidance on the use of PPE and what PPE is appropriate and what circumstances is very carefully considered is guidance that is in place based on the recommendations and advice of experts. It's something I regularly ask my officials about to assure myself that it is still as we would expect it to be given the current state of the pandemic and I will continue to do that I will write to the member or ask the health secretary to do so on that guidance It gives a lot of latitude to NHS workers if they feel that they should be using a particular grade of PPE to do that and obviously the responsibility of government going back to an earlier question of course is to ensure that we are procuring adequate stocks of appropriate PPE but I'll ask the health secretary to write to the member with a bit more detail just exactly on what the guidance says and the steps that we take through procurement to ensure that they are fulfilled. Andrew McGuire Emergency restrictions and protections were legislated for quickly when required during the pandemic if necessary and will have saved and protected lives. However, some may feel that these types of provisions should only ever be temporary and for emergencies. Whilst Scottish ministers have already removed many of the temporary measures that supported our country's response to the pandemic what assurances can the First Minister give that those measures that are being kept are those that have delivered clear benefits and therefore merits being extended in the long term? That's an important point it's an assurance that we will give at every stage of the progress of this legislation through Parliament I think an important assurance to give right now is that this is not emergency legislation this is legislation that will be subject to full and normal and proper scrutiny of Parliament. We have and will remove any of the emergency measures that rightly should be temporary and are not needed any more. It is also the case that some of the measures that were introduced on a temporary basis have proved to be worthwhile for the longer term and as I said earlier on will bring public health protections in legislation more into line with those that have been in place in England and Wales for some time. I gave an example earlier on of the greater protection for private sector tenants this will also allow us for example to continue to allow for remote registration of deaths and buffs for example so these are the kind of common sense measures but we will continue to ensure that Parliament is fully consulted and that we continue to seek the right balance on this. Those are important issues and I think it's important everybody treats them seriously and responsibly and I'm sure most people if not all people across this chamber will do so. That concludes the First Minister's statement Covid-19 update there'll be a brief pause before the next item.