[0762]

I must say the SNP govt did not explicitly blame anybody on this issue! Freeman explained that the process was held up by a security clearance through the Home Office and the FM explained it further re what is formally called an initial Memorandum of Understanding which was delayed i.e. the usual govt "red tape" that sometimes" arises re this kinda process and it arose because the process was being initiated through Public Health Scotland - required an amendment to the MOU! Hence the delay. Blame was never mentioned in the narrative!!! This issue is about checks over and above the normal process and it must be emphasised there has been a high compliance of the Scot govt requirement anyway and that fact has been confirmed by Border Patrol officials. It has taken a bit of time to formally implement this process within Public Health Scotland (worthy of scrutiny and not perfect!) but it has now been formally integrated within the system. Therefore no reliance on Public Health England. Note the prevalence of the virus in Scotland currently is very much lower than anywhere else in the UK - reckoned to be 5 x lower. IMO the words "storm in a teacup" come to mind and not many people getting too "up tight" on it apart from a few press and bbc individuals.