Tier we go – new strategy to beat virus this winter

❚ Sturgeon says no ‘one size fits all’ approach to curbing Covid ❚ But MP claims businesses are being ‘cheated’ out of cash help

Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of “cheating” businesses in north-east Scotland out of thousands of pounds after she unveiled a new five-tier alert system to guide the country’ s response to coronavirus.

Ms Sturgeon outlined the first de tails of a new “strategic framework” that will come into force on November 2 – if it is voted through by MSPs next week – and is likely to remain in place until an effective vaccine or treatment can be found.

The first minister did so as she announced 1,401 new positive tests and a further 18 deaths.

The model consists of five tiers of measures, from level zero to level four, with restrictions ranging from just short of the nationwide lockdown implemented in March to as close to normality as possible while the virus remains a danger.

The Scottish Government hopes to keep schools and construction firms open across all tiers but levels two and three will be broadly similar to restrictions currently in place across most of Scotland, with the harsher controls similar to those active in the central belt.

Local authorities will be assigned levels next week depending on the spread of the virus, and a range of other measures, but different towns or villages within the same council area could be told to follow different rules under the new system.

Areas in the highest tier of restrictions will be forced to shut almost all hospitality, with some restaurants only able to open under strict conditions, and there will be a ban on tourism and all non-essential travel in and out of the area.

Non-essential retail will also be closed and no use of public transport would be permitted, except for essential purposes.

However, six people from two households will still be able to meet outdoors and there will be no limit on outside exercise.

Ms Sturgeon insisted the change is necessary to allow Scotland to live with the virus, while “striking the best balances we can” between suppressing it and minimising wider harms to society.

She said it would be unfair for people living in the Highlands to be subjected to the same restrictions as people living in Glasgow if their infection rates are much lower.

“It’s possible the whole country at some point could be placed in the same level,” Ms Sturgeon said.

“But it means we don’t have to take a one-size-fitsall approach if that’s not warranted.

The first minister also outlined a funding support package for businesses hit by closures or restricted trading, with payments on a par with those offered in England.

Businesses will be entitled to up to £3,000 for closure or £ 2,100 if they face restrictions for four weeks under the new rules.

But the Scottish Government was accused of “cheating” businesses out of as much as £2,000 each after failing to set out how it would match an agreement to backdate the payments in place south of the border.

Businesses in Aberdeen were forced to close from August 5 to 24, meaning the y would have been entitled to nearly three weeks of payments worth up to £2,035 – based on a daily rate of £107 – if they were based in England.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said:

“Protecting Scottish jobs has to be a top priority and to do that, businesses need support right now.

“It’s not on that they’re being cheated out of £2,000 that businesses south of the border are receiving.”

Ms Sturgeon confirmed there would be ongoing talks with opposition parties and business leaders, and said her government remained open to feedback.

Bu t S tephen Montgomery, spokesman for the Scottish Hospitality Group, said: “The new financial support package, while welcome, is the equivalent of being abandoned at sea with only a life jacket.”