First minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced further changes to lockdown restrictions in Scotland, as the construction sector gets ready to move into the next phase of its restart plan. From Monday 22 June the construction sector can move into Phase 3 of its own phased six-step restart plan.
Announcing the measures, first minister Nicola Sturgeon, said: “Thank you for the personal sacrifices you’re making to tackle this pandemic. You’ve demonstrated remarkable dedication to our national wellbeing – that effort should never be underestimated, and my thanks can never be overstated.
“Because of your actions, we can now – gradually and carefully – change some restrictions.”
She added: “Ultimately, this is a social bargain. The prize for going a bit more carefully now is a recovery that is much more sustainable and will, I hope, allow more normality to be restored to our everyday lives while suppressing the virus.”
The Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum the announcement – but insists health and safety and collaboration must continue to be at the heart of an industry-wide approach.
A ‘cautious’ phased return
Alan Wilson, chair of the CICV Forum and managing director of SELECT, said: “Moving to Phase 2 of the national route map and Phase 3 of the construction restart plan is a further positive move which we wholly welcome.
“A steady, planned return to normal in both the construction industry, and in the Scottish economy more generally, could not be more desirable, but health and safety considerations remain critical.
“Our members are well prepared to meet the challenge of the phased return with caution, ever-conscious of the importance of not rushing at it, doing things properly and following the Forum-produced guidelines which are contained in a range of industry advice about correct working practices during course of the crisis.”
During its latest virtual meeting, 27 forum members were joined via phone by housing minister Kevin Stewart.
Stewart was given a high-level briefing of the latest steps being taken by Forum members to help align its members’ work practices with the Scottish Government’s Phase 2 provisions, and also answered a series of questions about next steps.
During his call, Stewart said: “I realise this has been a difficult time for us all both professionally and personally, and I’m extremely grateful for the hard work, patience and input of the CICV Forum, which has helped shape how we move forward.”