Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton Constituency, has urged the First Minister to explain the rationale for her decision to keep West Dunbartonshire under tier three restrictions.

This follows the announcement made today that West Dunbartonshire will remain under tier three restrictions for at least another week. Jackie Baillie raised concerns about the way in which tier allocation decisions are made. She asked the First Minister to explain why West Dunbartonshire – with 75 cases in the last seven days and a positivity rate of 4.2% – has been kept under tier three while the Scottish Borders – with 97 cases in the last seven days and a positivity rate of 4.4% – is allowed to remain in tier one

Jackie Baillie said she understood the First Minister’s cautious approach but that local people – in particular local businesses who are struggling to survive – deserve an explanation.

Jackie Baillie MSP said:

“I know that local people have been making every effort to follow all the guidance that we have been given and a concerted effort is being made to drive down the rate of infection in our community.

“It is therefore disappointing that, once again, West Dunbartonshire finds itself remaining under tier three restrictions, when areas in other parts of the country, with higher COVID-19 statistics, are allowed to be in tier one. The First Minister tells us that she takes multiple different factors into account when making these decisions – but almost every factor that I have seen would suggest that West Dunbartonshire is the same as areas in lower tiers.

“Local businesses are in a desperate situation and many are not going to survive much longer under the current restrictions. If the Scottish Government deems these restrictions to be necessary, it must ensure that businesses and workers have all the help that they need to get through this period.”