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Public Health Scotland first published an analysis of the variation in outcomes by ethnic group among those tested positive for COVID-19 on 20 May. Updates using more complete data on ethnicity were published on 15 July, 12 August and 2 December. The analysis focussed on the risk of a more serious outcome due to COVID-19, requiring hospitalisation, admission to a critical care unit care or dying.

The ethnicity analysis in the PHS reports does not include specific information on testing or deaths as this information is not held centrally. The latest report re-enforced earlier findings, that there was evidence of increased risks of serious illness due to COVID-19 in those of South Asian origin, particularly in relation to those needing critical care or dying following a positive test.

The PHS report from 2nd Dec shows that South Asian ethnic groups (Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi) accounted for nearly 2% of patients (among those that tested positive for COVID-19), similar to the proportion of the population recorded at the last census. It also notes that among South Asians, the increased risk of hospitalisation or death was particularly evident among the Pakistani group, based on 94 cases.

The report also shows that when the analysis is restricted to COVID-19 patients with the most severe outcomes, i.e. admission to a critical care unit (ICU or HDU) or death, the increased rate of severe disease among the South Asian ethnic group was seen most markedly within the Pakistani ethnic group.

The latest report is available here:

Detailed tables showing a breakdown of all ethnic minority groups accompany the report, and are available from the PHS website here:

National Records of Scotland (NRS) also published a report on 8th July which showed that there were 23 deaths amongst the “Pakistani, Pakistani Scottish or Pakistani British” ethnicity category where Covid-19 was written on the death certificate, either as a suspected or probable contributing factor in the death. The report is available here:

Subsequent analysis published by NRS in November reiterated the elevated risk to people in the South Asian group from COVID-19, and this is available on the NRS ‘ethnicity of the deceased person’ webpage here:

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-33690 on 7 January 2021. This answer provides detail of what initiatives are being put in place to support Ophthalmology across NHS Scotland.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at

The Scottish Government is fully committed to supporting ophthalmology services across Scotland and the management of waiting times and delays to eye care treatment.

The Scottish Government has made available £3 million of additional funding to NHS Boards in the current financial year to support community optometrists to manage the care of some hospital patients with eye conditions. This will ensure that more patients can safely receive the care they require. An additional £4.5 million capital funding has been provided to NHS Boards to support the upgrade of imaging and examination equipment.

Through work to reduce waiting times and delays, patients are being risk stratified on a continual basis ensuring that those patients with sight-threatening conditions are given priority. Where possible, patients are being managed remotely where using Attend Anywhere/Near Me software, and telephone calls. These virtual clinics are also being used to safely manage patients who require assessments through automated examinations with the results are reviewed by medical teams.

Finally, NHS Golden Jubilee opened their new cataract treatment centre in December and additional staff are being recruited to support this.

The Scottish Government is not currently considering ‘health passports’ to verify negative tests and vaccine, or mobilising mass testing to allow the safe return of spectators to football stadia. In addition to ethical considerations, there are practical issues with any such approach.

Scotland's Strategic Framework published on 23 October 2020 permits limited numbers of spectators at stadia events in local authorities with protection level 1 or level 0 restrictions. Our priority remains supressing the virus and safeguarding lives – and that remains the best way to get supporters back into grounds and to allow other activities to resume.

Information on cases of hospital onset of COVID-19 is published weekly by National Services Scotland, ARHAI (Antimicrobial Resistance Hospital Acquired Infection). Reports are published here:

The agreed nosocomial case definition for the UK is based on the number of days since admission to an NHS health board to the date of specimen sampling for a positive SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR test. Time since admission to specimen sampling is categorised as probable hospital onset where the first positive specimen is on days 8 to 14 of admission to NHS board and definite hospital onset where the first positive specimen date was 15 or more days after admission to NHS board.

I refer the member to the response provided for S5W-34041 on 23 December 2020, which sets out planning considerations for UEFA EURO 2020 at Hampden in June and July 2021. Regarding health or immunity passports, there are not something that the Scottish Government is contemplating at this stage. In addition to ethical considerations, there are practical issues with any such approach - we do not yet know the extent to which vaccination prevents transmission of Covid and we cannot be sure that, just because someone has been vaccinated, they cannot pass Covid on to somebody else.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at
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The Scottish Government is working closely with our event partners, the Scottish FA, Glasgow City Council, Police Scotland and EventScotland, on preparation for the UEFA EURO 2020 matches at Hampden in June and July 2021. In response to the Covid situation we are considering a range of planning scenarios for the tournament, including spectator attendance at the stadium. It is currently too early to say what will be permitted in terms of spectator attendance, however, the Scottish Government is doing all we can to ensure fans can safely attend sporting events going forward, including EURO 2020.

Graduation is an important moment in a student’s life and a chance to celebrate their achievements and hard work paying off. As autonomous institutions, it is for each university to decide its own policy on graduation fees.

The Scottish Government provided emergency funding of £5m earlier this year to support students across further and higher education, and brought forward access of £11.4m of Higher Education Discretionary Funds. Students facing hardship should apply for discretionary funds administered by their university.

Institutions are best placed to consider the financial position of individual students, taking into account their overall income and expenditure, to decide who, based on need, should receive support from the Discretionary Fund.

Where Health Boards have concerns about cannot attend (CNA) and do not attend (DNA) rates, patients are being contacted and encouraged to attend an appointment when one is offered. Patients are being risk stratified on a continual basis ensuring that those with sight-threatening conditions are prioritised. Health Boards also have strict Health and Safety and infection control measures in place to support patient pathways.

The development of a masterplan for the Cairngorm Estate, of which the funicular railway is an important asset, aims to develop an agreed vision and strategies to support the sustainability of the resort. Alongside this, HIE is reviewing operating and governance models for the Estate and will align this work with the outcome of the masterplan. In the meantime, Cairngorm Mountain Scotland Limited (CMSL) continues to work on managing and reducing costs and improving income where possible. HIE is monitoring this and working closely with CMSL on financial matters.