I also welcome you, Presiding Officer, to your post, and I welcome Douglas Ross back to the Parliament.
I am grateful for the opportunity to update Parliament on the situation in Moray. With your permission, Presiding Officer, I will also take a bit of time to advise Parliament of the difficult decision that we have reached in the past hour or so in light of the significant increase in cases in Glasgow over the past few days.
The latest available data shows that the number of cases in Moray is 69 per 100,000 and the test positivity rate is 1.9 per cent. I am pleased to say that the rates for both those measures are declining, so there are grounds for cautious optimism that the situation is improving as a result of the public health interventions that have been taken.
However, case numbers remain more than double the Scottish average, and the local incident management team’s judgment, which has informed this decision, is that it is prudent for Moray to remain at level 3 for a further week, so that we can be more confident that the situation is firmly under control. The position will be reviewed again at the end of next week, at which point I hope that Moray will move to level 2.
I know that that will be disappointing for residents and businesses in Moray—I will come back to the question about business support shortly. However, in my judgment, although it is difficult, it is sensible to be cautious now and allow Moray to move with more confidence to level 2, rather than ease restrictions prematurely and risk going backwards later.
The Government is applying a similar reasoning to the situation in Glasgow city, which I must say is causing even more concern at this stage. On the latest available data, the number of cases has increased to 80 per 100,000 and the test positivity rate is 3.5 per cent. Both measures suggest an increasing level of infection. However, an additional and significant factor is evidence suggesting that the outbreak, which is currently heavily centred in the south side of the city, is being driven by the so-called Indian variant.
We do not yet have a full understanding of the impact of the variant, including on the protection afforded by the vaccines. I want to stress that nothing at this stage suggests that it is causing more severe illness. However, it is thought that the variant could be significantly more transmissible than even the Kent variant that was identified before Christmas. That alone calls for an appropriate degree of caution.
It is important to stress that public health teams are optimistic that enhanced testing and vaccination will be capable of getting the situation under control, and we will be writing to all Glasgow MSPs over the weekend with full detail of those interventions. On vaccination, that will take account of new advice that is expected shortly from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.
The advice given to me by the chief medical officer, which has informed this decision, is that we need a few more days to assess the data and build confidence that the situation can be brought under control, or at least that it is not resulting in an increasing rate of hospitalisation and severe illness. Accordingly, and very reluctantly, we have decided to err on the side of caution and also keep Glasgow city in level 3 for a further week.
Again, I know how disappointing that will be, but pressing pause for a few days will, I hope, avoid a situation in which we have to impose even more restrictive measures over the next few weeks.
To help contain the spread and ensure a quick return to a positive track for both areas, we are asking people not to travel into or out of Glasgow and Moray for the next week, except for permitted purposes.
In both Glasgow and Moray, affected businesses will receive additional financial support. Moray Council will receive an extra £375,000 a week and Glasgow City Council an extra £1.05 million a week. That will allow hospitality and leisure businesses to be given up to £750 each a week. Both situations will be reviewed again at the end of next week, when I hope that the news will be more positive.
Finally—thank you for your patience, Presiding Officer—I am acutely aware that this announcement will be hugely disappointing and frustrating. I want to stress that our progress overall remains good. It is inevitable that, as we continue to navigate our way through this difficult pandemic, we will hit bumps in the road. However, if we exercise suitable caution, as we are seeking to do today—even though that is difficult—we are much more likely to stay on the right track overall.
I am grateful for the opportunity to provide an update on the situation in both areas. I am now, of course, happy to take questions.