i: douglas ross.w. i: douglas ross.— now. i: douglas ross. can i begin by -auttin on now. i: douglas ross. can i begin by putting on record — now. i: douglas ross. can i begin by putting on record that _ now. i: douglas ross. can i begin by putting on record that i _ now. i: douglas ross. can i begin by putting on record that i recognise i putting on record that i recognise the hardship faced by people across scotland _ the hardship faced by people across scotland at this time. because of the restrictions we have seen scaled back or— the restrictions we have seen scaled back or cancelled christmas celebrations but there is some good news _ celebrations but there is some good news the _ celebrations but there is some good news. the booster programme continues— news. the booster programme continues to be rolled out increasing our protection against the omicron variant. anyone who has not done _ the omicron variant. anyone who has not done so _ the omicron variant. anyone who has not done so yet, get the

douglas ross. . ., . . . the next item of business. douglas ross. . . . ross.nd i've got my own scheduled for christmas eve but i also want to say to a proportion of the population out there that we often focus solely on boosters but there are people who have not had their first there are people who have not had theirfirstjab there are people who have not had their firstjab and there are people who have not had theirfirstjab and i want to encourage them to come forward as well. they haven't left it too late and there is no shame turning up to get yourfirstjab now and there is no shame turning up to get your first jab now and the vaccinators simply want to protect you so please consider doing that as well. it is our vaccination scheme in scotland and across the uk that has helped to keep covid under control and it remains our best route out of this and it is absently crucial that we see the scottish and uk governments working together and focused on omicron, but instead over the last week we have seen an unnecessary funding argument that is a distraction to the

leader of the scottish conservatives, douglas ross, says the cabinet secretary's investigation needs to light and clearly they have not given artists — answers that will satisfy the public and you can understand why opposition parties are raising questions and we can understand why the country is upset it happened and why the responses from downing street have been as they are for the last week or ten days. given what we know now, do you think that boris johnson may have misled parliament over all of this? the prime minister was very clear last weekend and again this week that he does not believe there was a party. you think there was one? that is my reading of it. but crucially we have to find out through the cabinet secretary enquiry what happened and first of all why was a party even allowed in downing street? let's take that issue first when everyone else was telling people not to have these parties yet people in downing street thought they could, and what it means for the public trust going forward and what it means for the people who did make the sacrifices and did not see thei

the leader of the scottish conservatives, douglas ross, is as well.nvestigated for a potential breach of the rules on registering outside earnings. staff from 58 universities across the uk have begun a three—day strike. it�*s to protest about their pay, pensions and working conditions, and there are worries more strikes could take place if a deal cannot be reached. our education correspondent, elaine dunkley reports. university staff on strike. angry about pensions, pay and working conditions. it�*s destroyed my faith in education. i�*ve been in higher education for 30 years. and ijust feel it needs a radical, radical change. many protesting say this is about protecting pensions, and say vice chancellors want to make changes to the scheme they on all based on a flawed evaluation of finances. our members are looking at 35% cut to their guaranteed pension, and we are arguing it is not necessary. the key reason why is, the valuation that suggested there was a deficit and therefore a need to change, that was conducted in march last year. there was a globa

their of the scottish conservatives, douglas ross, is the subject of another inquiry.s website says mr rees—mogg is being investigated for a potential breach of the rules on registering outside earnings. damian grammaticas joins me. damian grammaticasjoins me. tell us about the standards commissioner and what is going on. this about the standards commissioner and what is going om— about the standards commissioner and what is going on-_ what is going on. this is 'ust a re ort what is going on. this is 'ust a report or i what is going on. this is 'ust a report or notice �* what is going on. this is 'ust a report or notice that h what is going on. this is 'ust a report or notice that the h what is going on. this isjust a - report or notice that the standards commissioner is investigating so jacob rees—mogg on the one hand, and also douglas ross, leader of the scottish conservatives. no more information than that. but we know there have been, in all the talk recently around mps standards, both men, there were issues raised, douglas ross went forward to put before the commi

speaking to bbc scotland, douglas ross said the picture, obtained by the sunday mirror, was just onehappened. he added would not defend the prime minister if it transpired a party was held in breach of covid restrictions. this causes me no difficulty at all to comb out irresponsible behaviour. it potentially causes a huge impact in terms of compliance by the rest of the public to follow government advice that is one still picture. we need to get more information but if, as it betrays, there was a party in downing street and the prime minister tended then i'm not going to defend that. it is absolutely the wrong thing to do when everyone else here in scotland and across the uk were not having these parties. they were not having these parties. they were following the guidance to the letter of the law to suppress this virus. the test many within the article said they were four teams of six and a boozy event. staff huddled around computers. it was an online zoom christmas quiz. the prime minister was only interposed one man but he would have seen the other teams there. you would have know

douglas ross-— their request to speak buttons now. douglas ross.n as — vaccinated and get your boosterjab as soon as possible. take a covid test as— as soon as possible. take a covid test as often as you can. take a test _ test as often as you can. take a test before _ test as often as you can. take a test before you go to bars and restaurants. before you go to meet your family— restaurants. before you go to meet yourfamily and restaurants. before you go to meet your family and before you go to work _ your family and before you go to work and — your family and before you go to work. and take every precaution possible — work. and take every precaution possible to protect your family and the people around you. but the government must also live up to their— government must also live up to their end — government must also live up to their end of the bargain of the most important _ their end of the bargain of the most important defence we have against this virus— important defence we have against this virus is— important defence we have against this vir

douglas ross, leading of the scottish conservatives.but in the last hour or so senior cabinet ministers have been in number ten behind me and more recently a couple of cabinet ministers have left as we've seen grant shapps the working pension secretary, and sajid javid, the health secretary, recently leaving number ten and no responses to questions about further restrictions possibly being on the way but we were expecting ministers to meet today to discuss possible options and in response to the new omicron and in response to the new omicron and those would be under the government plan b that it set out early in the year with face mask being required in more people are asked to work from home and possibly the introduction of vaccine passports in some settings as well. if ministers have been discussing and have decided on those measures this afternoon, i would expect a statement in parliament, possibly from the health secretary and possibly a news conference at some point as well but so far no confirmation, even that the cabinet have met

however, the leader of the scottish conservatives, douglas ross, said that the current situation was expanding vaccinations — and that the measures would have a significant impact on businesses. why has it taken so long for the government the first minister announced that from _ the first minister announced that from saturday household contacts for a positive _ from saturday household contacts for a positive case of any variant had to self—isolate for a full ten days. meaning — to self—isolate for a full ten days. meaning 6 — to self—isolate for a full ten days. meaning a single positive case would be to household of four or five people — be to household of four or five people having to isolate for that entire _ people having to isolate for that entire ten day period. even if they tested _ entire ten day period. even if they tested negative. we agreed for the need for— tested negative. we agreed for the need for caution and at the level of cases— need for caution and at the level of cases that — need for caution and at the level of cases that the government is expected by next week,

separately, the leader of the scottish conservatives douglas rossis the scottish conservatives douglas rosss professor beate kampmann, director of the vaccine centre at the london school of hygiene and tropical medicine, and dr helen wall, senior responsible officer for the vaccination programme in bolton. welcome. helen, a question from paul. he said my partner and i recently tested positive for covid and have self isolated. we no longer have symptoms and are planning to travel to slovakia on the 15th of december to see family but have been told not to have a pcr test as it will probably still retain a positive result. how do we get proof that we are fit to travel and return as pcr tests are now required on return to the uk?— return to the uk? that is an interesting _ return to the uk? that is an interesting question - return to the uk? that is an interesting question and i return to the uk? that is an | interesting question and one return to the uk? that is an i interesting question and one which return to the uk? that is an - interesting question and one which i come across quite a lot.

the scottish conservative leader douglas ross has called for an end for covid passes saying there isrk at the severity of the impact of it. ~ , . work at the severity of the impact ofit. ~ , ., ., of it. i think it is a proportionate approach- _ of it. i think it is a proportionate approach- we — of it. i think it is a proportionate approach. we are _ of it. i think it is a proportionate approach. we are now— of it. i think it is a proportionate approach. we are now at - of it. i think it is a proportionate approach. we are now at a - of it. i think it is a proportionate approach. we are now at a point where the availability of lateral flow test is going to be incredibly important over the coming weeks. people are struggling to get hold of them, in fact yesterday it was impossible to get hold of them for a time on the website. i know we have tried this morning at at one point they were not any available, there are now some showing to be available. how are you going to resolve that problem of supply when people will need them everyday? the: problem is people will need them everyday? t