THERE are no plans to recall the Scottish Parliament between Christmas and New Year, the First Minister has said.
A report in The Herald stated that Nicola Sturgeon was set to recall MSPs to Holyrood during the festive period to discuss bringing in further Covid-19 restrictions.
However, the First Minister has said this isn’t the case and that the Scottish Parliament is still currently in session and doesn’t finish up for the term until Thursday, December 23.
It comes as the number of covid cases are rapidly rising due to the Omicron variant which is more infectious and became the dominant strain in Scotland last week.
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The First Minister rejected claims that she was intending to recall MSPs to discuss further measures and restrictions.
She said: “No idea what basis of this headline is, and it’s not helpful to add to anxiety people already feel. It’s a week before @ScotParl is even in recess.
“The situation is unpredictable and I’m sure Parliament will sit as necessary - but I have no plans at this stage to request recall.”
No idea what basis of this headline is, and it’s not helpful to add to anxiety people already feel. It’s a week before @ScotParl is even in recess. The situation is unpredictable and I’m sure Parliament will sit as necessary - but I have no plans at this stage to request recall https://t.co/fsGJdBDuqa
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 18, 2021
The First Minister’s chief of staff Colin McAllister also rejected the suggestion of a recall on Twitter.
He wrote: “Eh...no she doesn't. There are no plans to recall parliament. For a start, it's not even in recess until Thursday.”
If the First Minister intended to bring Holyrood back from recess, she would have to request this through the presiding officer Alison Johnstone, who has the authority to do so.
Holyrood was recalled twice for two virtual sittings over the summer months in 2021 to hear Covid related statements.
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It comes amid reports that the UK Government is considering a “circuit breaker” after Christmas in a bid to stem cases.
In December 2020, Scotland was placed into Tier 4 restrictions on Boxing Day due to rising case numbers and to protect the NHS from being overwhelmed.
Parts of the country were moved into different levels of restrictions as cases fell, but Glasgow was kept in the toughest level of restrictions for around nine months.
On Sunday morning, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said there was clear evidence people are changing their activity in response to new coronavirus guidance.
Swinney (pictured) told BBC Breakfast that the spread of the Omicron variant had been “really aggressive” and urged people to take lateral flow tests before attending events.
New guidance for retail and hospitality has also come into force, requiring businesses to take “reasonable measures” to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
Swinney said: “I think it’s pretty clear that people in Scotland are changing their patterns of activity as a consequence of the seriousness of the threat that we face from Omicron.
“The regulations came into place on Friday morning and it’s very clear and noticeable that people are following many of these restrictions.”
He added that good progress was being made with the vaccine booster programme.
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Asked what it would take for more measures to be introduced, he said the Government was continuing to monitor the “really aggressive” spread of Omicron.
He said: “We will, of course, be updating parliament in the course of this week, on the further views that we have about any other measures that we need to take.”
The Deputy FM was also asked about large events such as Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations.
Last year saw Edinburgh deserted at Hogmanay
Swinney said the Government was not asking people to change their plans for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or Boxing Day, but to “dial down” their interactions around these days.
He said: “Obviously there’s some larger events that take place, we’re saying to people before they go to them they should test themselves with lateral flow tests to make sure that they are negative.
“They should be vaccinated, they should get the booster jag.
“We’re saying to people in a whole variety of different ways to take steps to avoid being carriers of the virus.”
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