Paragraph 4 of schedule 4 of the Representation of the People Act 20003 makes provision for absent voting at a particular election in Scotland and subparagraph (2)(a) specifically provides that the returning officer shall grant an application to vote by proxy where satisfied that the applicant’s circumstances of the date of the poll will be or are likely to be such that the applicant cannot reasonably be expected to vote in person at the polling station allotted or likely to be allotted to the applicant. The circumstances of individuals shielding or self-isolating would fall into that category.