Nicola Sturgeon announces Scotland-wide ban on visiting other households

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Nicola Sturgeon announced that pubs, bars and restaurants will made to close at 10pm – echoing the decision revealed in England by Boris Johnson this afternoon.

Sturgeon also decided to extend the current restrictions on visiting other households in place in the west of Scotland to the whole country.

This means that from tomorrow people cannot go into other people’s homes, and Scots are not permitted to host others inside their own homes. Measures will be reviewed every three weeks.

There are exceptions for people living alone or alone with children who form extended households, for couples who do not live together and for the provision of informal childcare.

READ MORE: Coronavirus Scotland LIVE: Household gatherings banned as Sturgeon reveals new lockdown rules

Scots can continue to meet with one other household in groups of up to six in outdoor spaces like private gardens.

Sturgeon explained: “One of the reasons we have decided to do this is that our early data suggests this restriction is starting to slow the increase of cases in the West of Scotland.

“So if we extend it nationwide now, in an early and preventative way, we hope it will help to bring the R number down and the virus back under control.”

The First Minister clarified: “Outdoors, though, we intend to exempt children under 12 - both from the limit of six and the limit of two households. There will be no limits on the ability of children under 12 to play together outdoors.

“And young people aged 12 to 18 will be exempt from the two household limit - they will be able to meet outdoors in groups of up to six, though we will need to monitor this carefully.”

On the matter of the hospitality curfew, Sturgeon explained why pubs were not being shut altogether. 

She said: "If the Scottish Government had greater powers to borrow money, or the ability to extend the Job Retention Scheme, for example, it is possible that we would reach a different balance of judgment on some of these issues.

"But we don’t. So this decision today means we can reduce the amount of time people are able to spend in licensed premises, thereby curtailing the spread of the virus, while still allowing businesses to trade and provide jobs."

Further guidance announced in the speech included telling people to work from home if possible and advising people not to travel in cars with those from outside their own household.

This decision was made because Test and Protect data shows that sharing car numbers presents a “significant risk of transmission”.

The First Minister also announced a new package of support for those who must self-isolate. The Scottish Government aims to raise awareness of the importance of self-isolation and will work with local authorities to ensure people self-isolating receive the practical support they need.

There will be financial support of £500 for those on low-incomes required to self-isolate – more details on this will be published shortly.

There will also be a big push to promote the FACTS guidance across the media.

Sturgeon spoke of the “circuit breaker” lockdown – which would see much stricter “Stay at Home” measures in place for a short period. She told the Chamber: “The Scottish Government has not made any decision at this stage to implement such a policy - however, we are actively keeping it under review.”

People were urged not to book travel overseas for the October break – and told to think of that period as an “opportunity to further limit social interaction”.