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Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain questions Nicola Sturgeon on household visits ban in Highlands


By Tom Ramage

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Highland MSP Edward Mountain
Highland MSP Edward Mountain

The First Minister today confirmed that the Highlands and Moray will remain under Level One restrictions along with the Shetland Isles, Orkney Isles, the Western Isles, the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway.

However, indoor socialising continues to be banned on mainland Scotland despite regions such as the Highlands and Moray having low infection rates and being at Level One.

Highlands and Islands MSP, Edward Mountain pressed the First Minister to set out when the no household visits rule will be relaxed given that infection rates remain low across the two regions.

Edward Mountain MSP asked: “First Minister, on December 1 I asked you to reconsider allowing up to six people from two households within Level One areas to meet within their homes. Today you have eased it for some islands but not on the mainland. I’ve written to you twice asking for Moray and the Highlands to be included, and the Leader of the Highland Council has publicly backed my call. First Minister, given that the Highlands and Moray remain with very low cases and, rightly within Level One, when do you see the no household visits rule being relaxed?”

The First Minister replied: “We’ll review that on a weekly basis. I appreciate the views of local members and members of the local councils but the clinical advice at the moment is that outside of the island communities, and these are islands that often are at a great distance and don’t have links to the mainland, it would not be a safe thing to do right now but we will continue to review that on an ongoing basis.

"I understand how difficult that is, I think it is difficult for every one of us not to be able to visit other people’s houses, but I know that it is even more difficult for people that live in rural and remote communities where there may not be other more public facilities where they can meet other people. So it is an issue we take very seriously.”

Following his question, Mr Mountain commented:“Week after week Highlanders are doing everything that is asked of them and through their hard work have kept infection rates low. However, the First Minister continues to ban household visits.

Despite a relaxation of this ban being supported by figures from the public health office and Cllr Margaret Davidson, Leader of the Highland Council, we are seeing no movement from the Scottish Government.

There is no doubt that many areas within the Highlands are just as remote as the islands. There is no reason why both regions should be treated differently despite being at the same level.”


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