Question reference: S5W-34430
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Date lodged: 11 January 2021
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Current status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 20 January 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider allowing children's shoe shops to open during the latest lockdown, in light of the importance of correctly fitted shoes for growing feet.
Answer
In order to help reduce transmission rates, it is crucial that we take action to reduce unnecessary journeys and opportunities for interaction between people, including in retail settings and particularly indoors. Therefore only essential businesses are permitted to open and stay at home regulations mean that people may only leave their homes for an essential purpose. The current restrictions are regularly reviewed to ensure that they remain in place only for as long as necessary.
We recognise the importance of access to footwear for children. Footwear retailers can continue to offer delivery of orders made online or by telephone as well as permitted collection services, subject to the applicable restrictions.