7. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that Scotland has one of the highest per capita death rates for Covid-19 in the world. (S5F-04180)

In my view, every death is one too many. Deaths in Scotland are higher in number than any of us want them to be. As I have said today and will continue to say, every death is a tragedy. Throughout the crisis, we have acted on the best available advice in order to keep the number as low as possible. The number of deaths is starting to fall, although I acknowledge that that is of no comfort to those who have lost loved ones to the virus.

I also acknowledge that, although the question highlights a particular measure and analysis, there are differences in how Covid-19 deaths are recorded in different countries. Individual countries are also at different points on the infection curve, so, at this stage, those factors make direct comparisons complex.

Published at the end of last week, analysis from the

Financial Times revealed that, with a total excess death rate of 891 per million people, the United Kingdom has had the second-worst outbreak of Covid-19 in Europe. On the same basis for comparison, Scotland has had 840 deaths per million people, which means that Scotland has had the third-worst outbreak in Europe—worse than Italy’s and 10 times those in Germany and Denmark. That analysis has rightly provoked questions of the UK Government regarding the timing of lockdown, the adequacy of social distancing measures, the availability and use of testing, deaths in care homes, use of “Do not attempt to resuscitate” orders and criteria for hospital admission.

Does the First Minister agree that we must hold the Scottish Government to the same standard—that the questions that are asked of the UK Government must also be asked of the Scottish Government? Can she confirm that the Scottish Government has been responsible for the timing of lockdown, for social distancing measures, for availability and use of testing, for guidance to care homes, for use of DNAR and for criteria for hospital admission?

The First Minister:

I am not sure where Daniel Johnson has been over the past few weeks, because even my worst critic could not accuse me of trying to dodge accountability on those issues. I answer questions daily, for lengthy periods, covering all those issues, and will continue to do so, because accountability is important and I have a duty to set out the steps that the Scottish Government is taking, the challenges that we face and the changes in our approach when evidence changes.

I trust the Scottish people to respond accordingly; by and large, the Scottish people have responded magnificently. At no stage will I shy away from my responsibilities and accountability. People who are watching at home can draw their own conclusions and make up their own minds about that.

I will make reasonable points about our understanding changing, and about the fact that we are not through the pandemic yet. One of the things that worries me most is people thinking that we are at the end of it—that it is all over. It is not over; we have tough times still to come, so, as well as looking back and assessing decisions that we have made, we have also to remain focused on taking the right steps for the future. I will continue to do that openly and frankly.

Right now, the only thing that matters to me is that we continue to take the steps that we need to take to suppress the virus and to protect the Scottish population. If that means learning lessons along the way, we will do that. I am not interested in political game playing of any form; I am interested only in doing the job that I have been elected to do for the Scottish people.