Covid 19 managed isolation and quarantine: FOI release

Information requested

1. The number of individuals who have applied for exceptional arrangements to be made on compassionate grounds under Regulation 6D(2)(xi) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 since 15th February 2021.

2. The number of individuals who have been granted exceptional arrangements on compassionate grounds under Regulation 6D(2)(xi) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 since 15th February 2021.

3. The nature of the compassionate grounds that have been accepted by Scottish Ministers when granting exceptional arrangements under Regulation 6D(2)(xi) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 since 15th February 2021.

4. The nature of the exceptional arrangements that have been prescribed by Scottish Ministers to individuals under Regulation 6D(2)(xi) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 since 15th February 2021.

5. The name of the directorate with portfolio responsibility for managed isolation which has been entrusted to respond requests under Regulation 6D(2)(xi) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020.

6. The number of individuals who have lodged appeals under Regulation 6C of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 to the sheriff or the summary sheriff against the requirement to possess a managed self-isolation package or remain in the managed isolation accommodation.

7. The number of individuals who have been granted exceptional arrangements or otherwise after appealing under Regulation 6C of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 to the sheriff or the summary sheriff against the requirement to possess a managed self-isolation package or remain in the managed isolation accommodation; and

8. The updated numbers published in FOI/202100211118 and FOI/202100215743.

Response

Answers to your questions are set out below and are grouped into the themes of the questions asked. You should note that each question is addressed in this way below but that the numbering of the paragraphs do not necessarily correspond to the numbering of the questions above.

Granting exceptional arrangements under Regulation 6D(2)(xi) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020

Whilst our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the costs of locating, retrieving and providing the information requested regarding the numbers of compassionate requests for exemption and those that have been successful would exceed the upper cost limit of £600.

Under section 12 of FOISA public authorities are not required to comply with a request for information if the authority estimates that the cost of complying would exceed the upper cost limit, which is currently set at £600 by Regulations made under section 12. You may also find it helpful to look at the Scottish Information Commissioner's 'Tips for requesting information under FOI and the EIRs' on his website at: http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourRights/Tipsforrequesters.aspx.

The Managed Isolation Service in Scotland and its operations were created at pace in response to the Covid-19 pandemic around management of risks of transportation of new variants of concern into Scotland as a result of international travel. The urgency of our response, including the setting up of systems that had to respond to large numbers of travel correspondence within very short timescales, means that the retrieval and provision of the information you have asked for under The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 6D 2(a)(xi) is exempted under Section 12 of FOISA.

The nature of the exceptional arrangements that have been prescribed and accepted by Scottish Ministers to individuals under Regulation 6D(2)(xi) of the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020

Information on compassionate exemptions, including examples of conditions that may qualify for an exemption, and the process, can be found on the Scottish Government website - Coronavirus (COVID-19): international travel and managed isolation (quarantine) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). Each case is considered on a case-by-case basis and on its own merits.  

Directorate with portfolio responsibility for managed isolation

Scottish Ministers and/or any person authorised by Scottish Ministers may grant compassionate exemptions under The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020 6D.(2)(a)(xi). The Scottish Government Directorate with responsibility for managed isolation is the Directorate for Covid-Coordination. 

Appeals
For information relating to the number of people who have lodge appeals to the sheriff or summary sheriff, you may wish to contact the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service at enquiries@scotcourts.gov.uk. They can also be contacted by post addressed to Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, Saughton House, Broomhouse Drive, Edinburgh, EH11 3XD.

Managed isolation bookings
The Scottish Government has access to the booking data which is based on those who have booked into Managed Isolation however this may adjust as people amend their bookings. 7,767 people have booked into managed isolation in a quarantine hotel in Scotland from its beginning until 12 August 2021.

Positive Covid-19 cases
This is a formal notice under Section 17 of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested relating to those who have tested positive. You may wish to request the information you have requested in relation to numbers of persons testing positive from Public Health Scotland who may hold this information. They can be contacted by email at PHS.FOI@phs.scot or post addressed to Corporate FOI team, Public Health Scotland, Gyle Square, South Gyle Crescent, Edinburgh, EH12 9EB.

Statistics around positive cases of COVID-19 can be viewed at the following Public Health Scotland link: Daily COVID-19 Cases in Scotland - Datasets - Scottish Health and Social Care Open Data (nhs.scot).

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.