New rules in force today as lockdown eases in Scotland

A series of new rules come into force today across Scotland as the country takes its next steps out of lockdown.

Passengers arriving from 71 different destinations across the world will no longer have to quarantine for 14 days.

Meanwhile face coverings are now mandatory in shops for most people - meaning anyone who refuses to comply could face a fine.

And as part of the latest stage of easing restrictions, people are now allowed to meet with up to two other households indoors - up to a maximum of eight people - and four other households outdoors, up to a maximum of 15 people.

The Scottish Government has been encouraging people to wear coverings in shops for weeks now, but they are now compulsory.

Ewan Macdonald-Russell is from the Scottish Retail Consortium:

Meanwhile the list of destinations exempt from the quarantine rules does not currently include Spain, one of the most popular destinations for flights from Scotland, although that will be reviewed on July 20.

Although border control is a matter for Westminster, responsibility for the imposition of penalties for people breaking the rules lies with the Scottish Government.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf said: "Having carefully considered the public health impact of proposed exemptions we will lift the quarantine requirements from a limited number of countries where the risk of importing Covid-19 is sufficiently low.

"As we have lowered the level of the virus in Scotland, we must manage the risk of more cases coming into the country, particularly from areas where infections are more prevalent than here. That makes decisions about lifting quarantine requirements particularly difficult.

"Anyone travelling should follow public health advice at all times including wearing face coverings, avoiding crowded places, washing hands and surfaces, staying two metres apart and self-isolating if you get symptoms and immediately registering for a test."

Countries exempt are: Andorra; Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; Australia; Austria; The Bahamas; Barbados; Belgium; Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba; Croatia; Curaçao; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Dominica; Faroe Islands; Fiji; Finland; France; French Polynesia; Germany; Greece; Greenland; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Hong Kong; Hungary; Iceland; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg; Macau; Malta; Mauritius; Monaco; The Netherlands ; New Caledonia; New Zealand; Norway; Poland ; Réunion; San Marino ;Seychelles; St Barthélemy; St Kitts & Nevis; St Lucia; St Pierre and Miquelon; South Korea; Switzerland; Taiwan; Trinidad & Tobago; Turkey; Vatican City State and Vietnam.

The fourteen UK overseas territories also on the list of exemptions are: Akrotiri and Dhekelia; Anguilla; Bermuda; British Antarctic Territory; British Indian Ocean Territory; British Virgin Islands; Cayman Islands; Falkland Islands; Gibraltar; Montserrat; Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands; Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha; South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the Turks and Caicos Islands.