Covid in Scotland LIVE as Nicola Sturgeon to make statement on pandemic in parliament

Conservative conference in Manchester. Ross will argue the Scottish Conservatives are the only party to represent the working classes against the “cosy Holyrood consensus” on issues like free speech and fair justice.

Queen has met with Nicola Sturgeon for the official opening of the new session of the Scottish Parliament. In a speech, the Queen urged MSPs to “help create a better, healthier future” by tackling climate change ahead of the COP26 conference in Glasgow.

Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon asked the SNP leader at First Minister's Questions earlier today about the important issue. Lennon, an MSP for the Central Scotland Region, said abortion rights are under attack around the world but also in Scotland with many women being confronted by protesters at clinics.Sturgeon was asked to speed up the process of implementing buzzer zones around facilities after it has "stalled".

covid-19. There have also been 2,556 new cases of the virus recorded in the latest 24 hour period, bringing the total number of positive cases since the pandemic started to 550,090.

Sarwar will call for the SNP to fill the gap as the cost of gas and electricity is due to rise steeply within days.The energy price cap will increase by £139 to £1277 on October 1 this year leaving 150,0000 Scottish pensioners living in poverty facing a desperate choice.The push from Labour comes after it was revealed that a woman in her 90s starved to death, the first fatality from lack of food recorded in Scotland for at least 20 years.Sarwar will tell conference that the Scottish Parliament

nationalised by SNP ministers in 2019 to prevent it going bust - had failed to make even the shortlist to build two new boats to serve island communities. Four firms based in Turkey, Portugal and Poland have been invited to submit detailed tenders for the works by the Scottish Government-controlled Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL).

covid cases across the country. Soldiers, taxi firms and firefighters have been drafted in to help ease pressure on the ambulance service which is also at breaking point.

covid pandemic in Scotland later today. The First Minister will address MSPs in the Scottish Parliament about the latest figures and announce measures, if any, that will be imposed in order to deal with the surge in cases.

First Minister will address the Scottish Parliament about the high level of covid cases across the country as hospitalisation remain at an alarming level. Cases have surged over the last month-and-a-half after the majority of lockdown restrictions were lifted on August 9 on Scotland's 'Freedom Day'.Sturgeon and other government ministers have urged people to practice good personal hygiene in a bid to halt the surge in cases of the deadly virus.

covid booster vaccination programme for elderly people in care homes will get under way today. Scotland will also be offering children aged between 12 and 15 the first dose of the coronavirus jab.

First Minister faced tough questions from MSPs in the Scottish Parliament over the current situation. The crisis comes as the NHS attempts to recover from being hit hard by the covid pandemic with many services struggling to cope with the virus and normal health concerns.

pressure points in the service - an action already taken in parts of England.The SNP leader spoke out following reports that a frail pensioner found collapsed at his home in Glasgow died following a 40-hour wait for an ambulance.Relatives of Gerard Brown, 65, said they had been told the delay cost the former engineer his life.

traffic light system for travel later today. In the latest review more countries around the world are expected to be removed from the red list as speculation grows about the list being scrapped altogether.

coronavirus vaccine from Monday. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced in the Scottish Parliament that kids can visit a drop-in clinic across the country to get a first dose of the jab.

sustainable growth commission for Nicola Sturgeon, insisted independence could allow Scotland to copy the path of other small, successful nations like New Zealand or Finland, Remaining as part of the UK poses “a clear and present danger to the wellbeing of the economy” said Wilson, who believed that having a second vote in either the autumn of 2022 or at some point in 2023 would be “ideal”.

First Minister will address MSPs in Holyrood on what her power-sharing SNP/Green government plans to implement over the next year. It comes after Sturgeon's SNP reached an agreement with the Scottish Greens which created a majority for the nationalist parties in the chamber.

Nicola Sturgeon is set to make a big announcement on her plan for government over the course of the next year later today. The First Minister will address MSPs in the Scottish Parliament about what her government plans to do following the devastating coronavirus pandemic.

Scotland are given free access to childcare. Under the First Minister 's plans school age kids will have childcare paid for before and after and over the holidays.

First Minister was interrupted by Tess White while she was answering a question from Scottish Labour MSP Pauline McNeill about sectarian singing by Rangers fans in Glasgow on Sunday ahead of the Old Firm match. Sturgeon was visibly upset by the comment from the member for the North East region and asked if an apology could be made.The SNP leader said: "We should all come together to tackle this.

the number of Scots hospitalised with coronavirus had jumped from 312 on August 20 to 629 today, although the rise in patients requiring intensive care has risen more slowly from 34 to 59. But the SNP leader said she remained hopeful the country could get through the latest surge in cases without the need to reimpose harsh lockdown restrictions.