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The Scottish Government continues to engage regularly with the college and university sectors, NUS Scotland, trade unions and student accommodation providers on a range of matters, including the return of students to campus.

Following the First Minister’s announcement on 8 January that the planned staggered return of students at the start of the new term would be extended, we published revised guidance for colleges, universities and student accommodation providers on 15 January, which sets out more detail on the staggered return and the measures institutions and accommodation providers should take to ensure the safety and wellbeing of staff and students. An FAQ is also available for students on the Student Information Scotland website.

Our revised guidance makes clear that during the current period of lockdown restrictions, any university education that can be done online must be done online. Our advice to all students is not to return to term-time accommodation until they have been told by their institution that in-person learning is starting. Campus and student accommodation may be open but only for students who have remained over the winter break and other exceptional returners, where their attendance is critical and time-sensitive to their course or assessment and cannot be delivered remotely or postponed, essential placements or student wellbeing. The guidance is explicit that numbers returning to college and university must be kept to an absolute minimum and the Scottish Government will work with the college and university sectors to monitor the numbers returning.

We are building on our experience of providing rapid-result asymptomatic testing to some categories of students before the winter break. For term 2, two rapid-result tests will again be offered to students changing household – the first on arrival, the second three days later. Testing will also be available for students who have remained in college or university accommodation over the holiday period.

An update of the evidence on COVID-19 in children and the role of school settings in transmission by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) highlights that the incidence of COVID-19 in school settings appears to be impacted by community transmission levels: https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/COVID-19-in-children-and-the-role-of-school-settings-in-transmission-first-update_1.pdf

The impact of school opening and closures on community transmission will also be influenced by broader factors (such as the increased opportunity for work and social contacts for parents/carers) and the contribution that transmission occurring within school settings makes to overall community transmission. The ECDC reports that where epidemiological investigations have occurred, transmission in schools has accounted for a minority of all COVID-19 cases in each country. Adherence to community mitigations by broader society will have a substantial impact.

Evidence provided to the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (the paper was approved prior to the emergence of data on the new variant (VOC 202012/01; variant B.1.1.7)) included the following summary. “Overall, accumulating evidence is consistent with increased transmission occurring amongst school children when schools are open, particularly in children of secondary school age (high confidence): multiple data sources show a reduction in transmission in children following schools closing for half term, and transmission rates increasing again following the post-half term return to school (medium confidence). It is difficult to quantify the size of this effect , and it remains difficult to quantify the level of transmission taking place specifically within schools compared to other settings.” The evidence is available online at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads
/attachment_data/file/948617/s0998-tfc-update-to-4-november-2020-paper-on-children-schools-transmission.pdf

The Scottish Government has published two updates on the state of the epidemic since the beginning of 2021. The latest report ( Coronavirus (COVID-19): state of the epidemic in Scotland 13 January 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) ) notes that over the last fortnight there has been a step change in the course of the epidemic with a sharp rise in case numbers and hospital and ICU admissions.

The new variant (VOC 202012/01), which can be transmitted more easily than other variants, is now circulating widely in Scotland. Evidence from Imperial College, published on 31 December presents a consensus that this new variant has a substantial transmission advantage, with an increased rate of transmission estimated to be somewhere between 0.4 and 0.7. It is very likely that this strain will continue to increase in dominance in Scotland in a similar way to that already seen in London and SE England.

As cases in the community rise there will be an increase in the number of children we see with COVID-19, but the overwhelming majority of children and young people have no symptoms or very mild illness only. Despite a rise in the numbers of children infected more recently, child health experts confirm they are not seeing a substantial rise in COVID-related illnesses in children in hospital.

The dosing schedule was explained by the Chief Medical Officer in a letter published on the 8 January.

CMO+explanation+of+covid+vaccine+efficiency+-+8th+Jan.pdf (www.gov.scot)

The Scottish Government does not hold this level of detail.

Information on Surveillance of Covid-19 in education from Public Health Scotland can be found here: Surveillance of COVID-19 in education: key findings for schools, pupils and staff - News - Public Health Scotland

Weekly aggregate figures collected from local authorities on teacher and staff absence due to Covid-19 related reasons can be found here: COVID19-SchoolsandChildcareInformation - SG Education Analytical Services: Learning Analysis | Tableau Public

The Scottish Government COVID-19 Advisory Group and the Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues have discussed this issue at their regular and extraordinary meetings held in recent weeks. However, the evidence of the impact of the new COVID-19 variant on children and young people is as yet insufficient in order to reach any firm conclusions. For that reason, the Scottish Government will be collecting the most up to date information on the new variant of the virus, and particularly the data on transmission among and by children and young people. The COVID-19 Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children’s Issues will consider the issue in more detail once it has that data.

The Scottish Government has not received any direct representations on establishing a retail or high street voucher scheme. However on 8 December Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) called for the Scottish Government to use rates relief returns by chain retailers to finance such a scheme to boost local economies. The Scottish Government is continuing to investigate the potential for a national platform.

Development of a longer term strategy for Scotland’s retail sector was discussed on 5 November at the most recent meeting of the Retail Sub-Group, focused on the development of safe trading guidance during the pandemic. Representatives from the Scottish Retail Consortium, The Scottish Grocers Federation and the Federation of Small Businesses, as well as representatives from USDAW and GMB, were in attendance. The Sub-Group discussed convening a steering group comprising representatives from retailers, retail trade organisations, public sector bodies and trade unions to guide development of the retail strategy.

Plans are being made for a first meeting of the new Strategy Steering Group in January. However, prior to the first formal meeting, we will continue to discuss key strategic issues with stakeholders on this crucial issue.

We aim to take forward a root and branch examination of the retail sector and how government can work with the sector in future to anticipate and prevent job losses such as these experienced by Arcadia employees. The strategy will aim to address the particular opportunities and challenges faced by the sector and to provide a more resilient future for retailers and employees in Scotland.

The loss of an historic high street presence like Debenhams, and potential closure of other shops forming part of the Arcadia Group, highlights the enormous challenges facing high-street businesses and workers alike, as a result of COVID-19 and pre-existing trends affecting the retail sector.

We are due to meet with the administrators Deloitte this week to identify any further measures the Scottish Government can take to support the affected staff and businesses.

PACE have engaged with Debenhams and Arcadia Group and appointed administrators to establish what impact this announcement will have on its Scottish operations and staff and stand ready to provide PACE support to those affected. Support for employees facing redundancy is being offered through the Scottish Government’s Partnership Action for Continuing Employment, PACE initiative. Through providing skills development and employability support, PACE aims to minimise the time individuals are out of work. We are keen that employees affected in Scotland have the opportunity to take full advantage of this support as soon as possible.

We are aware of the schemes. Many towns, and Business Improvement Districts have already introduced loyalty cards with support from Government via Scotland’s Towns Partnership and ‘Scotland Improvement Districts’.

We are now investigating the potential for a national platform, in line with all of the business support schemes that have been introduced to mitigate the economic effects of COVID.

We will continue to weigh up the impacts that each scheme can have and ensure that the most effective support is targeted to support different sectors.