Emergency covid laws in Scotland to be extended to 2022 under government plan

The Scottish Government plans to extend emergency covid laws until next year under plans announced today.

John Swinney told MSPs they would have a chance to vote on the extension before Holyrood enters recess at the end of this month.

Emergency powers were first introduced, with the backing of all parties, in April 2020 to allow ministers to regulate businesses and public services when the coronavirus pandemic first hit.

The new laws made changes to the justice system, including allowing for the early release of prisoners if the virus caused issues within the prison service, the rental sector and the functions of public bodies.

Swinney announced on Wednesday that work is being done on a new Bill that would extend some of the provisions until March 30 next year, with another possible extension – pending parliamentary approval – to September 30.

The MSP said some of the measures will be dropped, though he did not say which.

John Swinney said the powers were still needed to deal with covid pandemic (WPA Pool)

But the Tories today accused the government of attempting to "railroad" through the Bill with little time for proper scrutiny.

Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser said: "It is hard to see how these extraordinary and unprecedented powers, which were granted to ministers last spring to deal with a public health emergency, can be justified for that additional length of time - particularly given the success of the vaccination programme.

"Even more worrying is the timetable for this proposed Bill. The Scottish Government are trying to railroad through this new law, with its extension of extraordinary powers, through parliament in two weeks' time before the summer recess, with no time for detailed consultation, and more than three months before the current power are set to expire.

"Why can't this wait until early September, by which time we will be much clearer as to the covid situation going into the autumn, and whether the powers are still necessary?"

Swinney replied: "The Bill that is brought forward is a temporary extension of some of the existing powers in place.

"That temporary extension is for a six month period, which if parliament then agrees, can be agreed for a further six month period."

He added: "There will be no new measures introduced in this Bill - it will be setting out the basis for taking out a depleted set of provisions which parliament has already agreed to put in place."

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