POLICE have been handed 125 referrals from public health officials over people not adhering to quarantine rules, Scotland’s Justice Secretary has confirmed.
Last week, Humza Yousaf told MSPs that only one fixed penalty notice has been handed out by officers, issued to Celtic player Boli Bolingoli.
But MSPs demanded more information from Mr Yousaf, who’s position on the policy was branded “chaotic” and a committee convener said it was “striking” that many questions were left unanswered.
In a letter to Holyrood’s health committee, Mr Yousaf said that data up to August 30, showed there has been 125 referrals from Public Health Scotland (PHS) to Police Scotland and officers had attended an address on 61 ocassions.
He added: “Police Scotland data for PHS referrals can cover more than one individual (ie a household) and for that reason, differs from and is not comparable with PHS data, which records individuals referred.
“Police Scotland does not have any existing recording system for the measurement of Covid quarantine and as such all of this data is extracted manually from Police Scotland’s existing command and control system.
“A review of this process to better capture more accurate information is ongoing.
“Fifty-eight of the 125 referrals have been investigated by the contact, command and control division resolution teams, whilst 61 have required local policing officers to attend at an address.”
Mr Yousaf has also stressed that Police Scotland “will continue to educate and encourage” but can only take action “when there is blatant flouting of the law”.
READ MORE: Scottish Government guidance and rules confusion has led to Scots wrongly fined by police
He added: “So far, that has led to only one fixed penalty notice issued for a blatant breach of the requirements in Scotland but that mirrors the enforcement picture elsewhere.
“For example, on Friday, August 28, the national police chiefs council confirmed that only three fixed penalty notices had been issued in England under their equivalent travel regulations."
But Liberal Democrats have called for more details to be published into the quarantine regime.
The party’s leader, Willie Rennie, said: We know the government's tracers have so far lost 821 people who arrived back in the country and were required to quarantine. The Justice Secretary says today that 125 cases have now been referred to the police but can't say how many people that covers. This is a mess.
"Quarantine is an important way to stop infections from those countries that have higher rates. Multiple ministers have repeatedly been quizzed about the operation of this system and they’re none the wiser.
"They aren't even recording how many of those quarantining become unwell. We still don't have clear answers on what happens when contact tracers can’t get hold of someone who is supposed to be isolating at home.”
READ MORE: Lack of public health staff means 'volatile' targets for quarantine checks being missed
He added: "The First Minister was unable to say this week whether the failures of the spot checks had led to the outbreak of cases in the west of Scotland.
"It's no wonder the Chief Constable recently told Parliament that the quarantine arrangements have been "problematic".
“Time is ticking on and failings in the workings of this quarantine system have not been ironed out. This could be putting lives at risk. The government needs to get to grips with it now.”
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