Coronavirus (Discretionary Compensation for Self-isolation) (Scotland) Bill - financial memorandum

Overview

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, health boards were required to compensate people who they asked to self-isolate due to an infectious disease. This was required by the Public Health etc. (Scotland) Act 2008.

The Coronavirus Act 2020 changed this. The 2020 Act let health boards decide whether people who are self-isolating because of COVID-19 received compensation under the 2008 Act. The relevant provision of the 2020 Act will expire in March 2022.

This Bill would change the law so that health boards will still have the option to provide compensation. However, they will not be obliged to do so, to anyone they ask to self-isolate due to COVID-19. Instead, people earning the equivalent of the real living wage or less would continue to be eligible to claim a Self Isolation Support Grant.

The law will apply until 31 October 2022. The Bill allows for the Scottish Government to reduce or extend that period if required.

Current status of the Bill 

This Bill was introduced in the Scottish Parliament by the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for COVID Recovery on 15 November 2021.

Read and find out more about the Bill: Coronavirus (Discretionary Compensation for Self-Isolation) (Scotland) Bill.

Stage 1

The lead Committee responsible for scrutiny of the Bill at Stage 1 has yet to be designated. A separate call for views on the Bill’s policy provisions will be issued by the lead Committee in due course and will be published on this consultation platform.

Financial Memorandum

As with all Bills, the Finance and Public Administration Committee invites written evidence on the estimated financial implications of the Bill as set out in its accompanying Financial Memorandum (FM).

Read the FM for this Bill: Financial Memorandum (parliament.scot)

Questions

1. Did you take part in any consultation exercise preceding the Bill and, if so, did you comment on the financial assumptions made? 
2. If applicable, do you believe your comments on the financial assumptions have been accurately reflected in the FM?
3. Did you have sufficient time to contribute to the consultation exercise?
4. If the Bill has any financial implications for you or your organisation, do you believe that they have been accurately reflected in the FM? If not, please provide details.
5. Do you consider that the estimated costs and savings set out in the FM are reasonable and accurate? 
6. If applicable, are you content that your organisation can meet any financial costs that it might incur as a result of the Bill? If not, how do you think these costs should be met? 
7. Does the FM accurately reflect the margins of uncertainty associated with the Bill’s estimated costs and with the timescales over which they would be expected to arise? 

How to submit your views

Please submit your views using the online submission form, linked to below.

We welcome written views in English, Gaelic, Scots or any other language. 

The call for views closes on 8 December 2021.