SNP press on hardship payments

The Chancellor has been urged to “do the right thing” and exempt Covid-19 support enacted by devolved administrations from tax and benefit deductions.

The SNP urged Rishi Sunak to protect things such as the Covid Winter Hardship Payment to ensure people get “every single penny” of support during the crisis.

SNP MP and former NHS surgeon Dr Philippa Whitford claims the special coronavirus payments from devolved governments should not be subject to tax.

It follows a spat over plans in Scotland to hand NHS staff a £500 “thank-you”, which the Holyrood administration said is subject to tax.

Dr Whitford said: “Rishi Sunak needs to make sure he does not penalise people who are struggling by taxing devolved coronavirus support.”

Edinburgh Airport is to trial pre-departure rapid Covid-19 testing.

The week-long trial is set to be part of the recovery plan for the aviation industry, and will start from today .

The rapid tests only require a saliva sample, meaning no nasal swab and a more positive testing experience.

The trial will be open to staff and campus volunteers due to low passenger numbers and will demonstrate how testing can be scaled at airports, potentially adding to the testing capability already in place at Edinburgh Airport.

Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh Airport, said: "We know testing will be part of our travelling future, so it makes absolute sense that we look at how that is possible in an airport environment as we prepare for aviation's recovery.

"Although there is a lack of detail on when that recovery might be able to take place, we are going to do all we can as an airport to make sure we put processes in place so we are in the strongest position possible when conditions allow.

"This trial with Pocdoc and Biosure will provide some insight into rapid, efficient and affordable testing and we will study the findings before deciding our next steps."

In February it emerged that passenger numbers at Edinburgh Airport last year dropped to their lowest level since 1995, according to new figures. In 2019 a record 15 million people used the airport but that dropped to just under 3.5 million last year.