Coronavirus dominates our lives
Daily life is now dominated by the outbreak of COVID19, with my time at Parliament busy with meetings, briefings and Ministerial Statements on the issue.
I have repeatedly raised the issue of those who don’t just face the health threat, to them and their family, but also financial issues such as entitlement to sick pay.
I called on the UK Government to make provision for workers, whose contracts do not include sick pay or who don’t earn enough to be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay, to ensure those who are advised to self- isolate during the COVID19 outbreak don’t go into work for fear of having no money.
In the subsequent Budget, the Chancellor advised there will be changes made to the benefit system to allow those in low paid jobs or who are self- employed to access benefits and that the minimum income floor will be removed from Universal Credit.
The concern now is how the DWP will ensure people get the money they need quickly.
He also announced welcome support for small businesses but, as yet, the Scottish Government have not been told what share of funding they will receive with which to support Scottish Businesses.
The COVID19 outbreak is a rapidly moving situation and the response from the UK and Scottish Governments will evolve on a daily basis but the more clarity we have the more people can adapt their behaviour.
What we can already do is establish community support networks, in tenements, streets or parishes, for our elderly neighbours who have no family nearby. Swapping phone numbers and calling regularly for a chat, as well as fetching shopping, will becoming more important as this outbreak proceeds.
On Friday, I attended a meeting with representatives of NFU Scotland Ayrshire to discuss issues of concern to the local farming community.
While we also discussed COVID19, clearly the big concerns for farmers are around the future trading relationship with the EU, to avoid tariffs and other trade barriers, an d indeed the threat of other trade deals letting in poor quality produce which would undercut them.