STUC Update

From our colleagues at the STUC: 

As the Scottish Government’s focus on the economic impact of Covid-19 continues, we will be providing regular bulletins to signpost you to the latest sources of information. We hope that you will find this useful and share with your networks where appropriate.

Today, social distancing guidance for businesses in Scotland has been updated to help provide clarity on protecting employees in the fight against coronavirus (COVID-19).  Further information is available here. 

The full guidance is published at:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-business-and-social-distancing-guidance/

It was confirmed earlier today that 7,000 specialist beef producers will benefit from payments worth around £40 million in the coming weeks.  Details here.

A new telephone hotline is up and running to support residents of Scotland returning on FCO repatriation flights get home as quickly as possible. There is more information at +44(0)1414651878  or  http://travelinescotland.com/repatriation

Advice for businesses and their employees is available at https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/

There is an HMRC helpline for tax issues at 0800 015 9559

NHS Inform’s coronavirus webpage is the fastest way for people to get the latest health advice and information.

Overview

• The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to hospital. It is understood that he is still leading the Government while in hospital, although Dominic Raab will chair Mondays coronavirus meeting in his place.
• The Scottish Government’s Chief Medical Officer, Catherine Calderwood, has resigned after going to her second home in Fife in breach of Government guidance. The deputy chief medical officer, Dr Gregor Smith, will lead the Scottish Government team. 
• Thirteen residents at a Glasgow care home have died in one week following a suspected outbreak of coronavirus.
• The STUC has welcomed strengthened Scottish Government guidance on social distancing for businesses while voicing concerns over the UK Government approach.

Scottish Government announcements

• The Chief Medical Officer, Catherine Calderwood, has resigned after going to her second home in Fife at the weekend in breach of Government guidance. 
• The Scottish Government have published new guidance on social distancing for business which helps clarifies what work is considered essential.
• £10 million of financial support is being made available to seafood processors help them through economic pressures related to COVID-19.
• Families unable to access food as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak will get support from local authorities with £30 million of new investment from the Scottish Government Food Fund.
• Two more deaths were announced on Sunday taking death toll to 220 but the First Minister said this is likely to be an underestimate due to changes in the system for recording deaths and is likely to increase during the week. 

UK Government announcements

• The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been admitted to hospital. It is understood that he is still leading the Government while in hospital, although Dominic Raab will chair Mondays coronavirus meeting in his place.
• The Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, has extended support available through the small business loan scheme and introduced a new loan scheme for large companies.
• The Certification Officer has published a statement recognising trade unions may have difficulty complying with some CO requirements during the pandemic.
• The Department of Health said on Sunday there had been 621 more coronavirus-related deaths in the UK in the past day, taking the death toll to 4,934.

Other announcements

• Thirteen residents at a Glasgow care home have died in one week following a suspected outbreak of coronavirus.
• The influential Professor, Neil Ferguson, said, over the weekend, that the peak of the virus is likely to be in 7-10 days.
• The Institute for Fiscal Studies says nearly a third of employees aged under 25 are in jobs that are ‘likely gone for now’ and that seven times as many of the lowest paid workers are affected by the lockdown than those in the highest 10% of the income distribution.
• The charity, Refuge, has said its National Domestic Abuse helpline has seen a 25% increase in calls and online requests since the lockdown.
• Infections and deaths have fallen in Spain and Italy in recent days - suggesting lockdowns have worked.
• Concerns have been raised that Prestwick Aircraft Maintenance continue to operate against the advice from Scottish Government.

More from Scottish Trade Union Congress here https://www.stuc.org.uk