Question reference: S5W-32564
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 15 October 2020
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Current status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 21 December 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it collects regarding the occupations of people who request COVID-19 tests.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not collect this information.
The UK Government’s Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) holds occupation information where individuals provide it. This applies to individuals who take COVID tests through UK test centres or home test kits. The occupation information is aligned to Office for National Statistics occupation codes.
Public Health Scotland sends the Scottish Government information from Test and Protect interviews with individuals who have tested positive for COVID-19. This contains data about the sector of individuals’ occupations. The Scottish Government uses this information alongside a range of other scientific and clinical advice to inform our approach to testing.