THE prospect of the coronavirus lockdown restrictions being eased at different times in different parts of the country has been raised as the number of UK deaths rose to 8,958.
The latest daily rise for the UK is 980, the largest so far, and includes 48 in Scotland.
Thus far, the instructions to the public on self-isolation and social distancing have been adopted UKwide.
When asked about the combined approach, Downing St said that thus far all the devolved administrations had moved “in lock-step” with the UK Government on the basis of the decisions made at the emergency Cobra committee.
It pointed out that key powers like health and policing were devolved, so the Scottish Government could “make its own decisions, should it so decide” but so far this had not happened on the lockdown restrictions.
Boris Johnson’s spokesman explained: “The UK has moved as one on the various measures we have put in place. Just as a matter of fact, there are areas devolved administrations can do things slightly different to other parts of the UK should they wish but I stress that hasn’t happened so far.”
At her daily press conference, Nicola Sturgeon pointed out the Scottish Government was supporting the aim of “seeking to have a UKwide approach and come out of lockdown at the same time”.
However, Mark Drakeford, Wales’s First Minister, stressed how his Government would not be bound by Westminster over when to end lockdown measures as he warned that restrictions could get worse if people flouted social distancing rules.
Mr Drakeford said he would only relax social distancing measures in Wales "when the evidence shows it is safe" and would not be "looking over our shoulders at what others are doing".
He also warned that social restrictions could be "tightened", including people not being allowed outside to exercise, if there were "large-scale flouting" of the guidelines.
Mr Drakeford announced earlier this week that restrictions would be extended next week ahead of a planned three-week review.
He said: "I don't want to give anyone any false hope that an end to these restrictions is just around the corner.
"Of course, I know that people want to see some light at the end of the tunnel. I need us all to understand that we may all have to live with some form of restriction of movement for weeks yet."
Mr Drakeford said a "great deal of work" was going into the eventual relaxation of the lockdown but added that any decision on ending it would not be based on similar actions in England.
"We will do the right thing for Wales at the time that it is right for Wales," declared the FM and denied announcing an extension of the lockdown in Wales on Wednesday to "get in ahead of Westminster".
He said: "I wanted to be honest with people here in Wales and did not want them going into Easter believing they were on the final stretch and come next week the restrictions would be all over."
Earlier, leading epidemiologist Professor Neil Ferguson, a Government adviser from Imperial College London, suggested when the restrictions were lifted, the could be done so in stages and targeted, “probably by age, by geography,” alongside larger levels of testing at a community level to really be able to isolate cases and more effectively identify where transmission has happened".
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