FM confirms Level One likely for Orkney

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has indicated that the Scottish Government hopes to place Orkney under Level One of the new five-tier framework for lockdown.

The proposed new measures will allow for different levels of restrictions to be applied to Scotland’s various regional areas. Opening today’s debate on the framework at Holyrood,  Ms Sturgeon set out a rough plan for how the government believes tiered restrictions should be divided between regions.

Orkney, along with the Highland, Shetland, the Western Isles and Moray, may go straight to Level One.

Official confirmation of which levels will apply to each locality is not due to be made until Friday. However, headlines nationwide have reported that a leaked letter sent by the government to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) gave a clear indication of which restrictions will be applied in each area.

In the case of Orkney, it was reported that the county may be placed under Level One of the new tiered restrictions. The First Minister’s speech, this afternoon, Tuesday, appeared to endorse these reports.

Level One restrictions are broadly in line with measures as they stand, although it may allow for the reopening of some hospitality venues, and more socialising between households.

The new strategy comes into force on Monday, November 2.

In the meantime, the debate in parliament is ongoing, and MSPs are due to vote on the framework, later this evening.