Nicola Sturgeon school review today as decision taken on phased return

daily number of covid cases dropped to its lowest level since September.A total of 498 people received positive test results yesterday - the first time the figure has dropped below 500 in more than six months.The SNP leader is due to update the Scottish Parliament on lockdown on Tuesday - and she said there could be an announcement on "relatively minor, but important changes to the rules around our ability to meet people outdoors, and also on how young people are able to interact with friends

Willie Rennie said voters could not judge the SNP leader on her promise to improve education if the landmark piece of evidence was not made public.A majority of MSPs backed a Holyrood motion two weeks ago calling on ministers to publish a review of the secondary school system carried out by international experts from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).The Scottish Government provoked outrage from opposition parties when it revealed the report - which was originally

First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament it was revealed that 500 people had tested positive for the deadly virus in the same time period.There are currently 726 people in hospital while there are 69 patients in intensive care units across the country.Throughout FMQs Sturgeon was quizzed about her appearance at the Alex Salmond harassment committee yesterday.She was also asked about the Budget and how it will hit Scotland.As a result, Scotland is due £1.2 billion in Barnett

is giving evidence today to a Holyrood committee investigating how the Scottish Government managed to botch its own internal complaints process - a mistake which ended up costing the taxpayer more than £500,000.

First Minister said there was "good evidence" the national vaccination programme was already reducing the number of deaths from the virus across the country.And the SNP leader revealed the average number of covid cases being reported each day in Scotland had dropped to 657 - the lowest rate since October.It means all primary school pupils will be able to return to class as of March 15 - with high schools reopening full-time after the Easter break.Sturgeon added that a further review of easing

coronavirus in the last 24 hours, the Scottish Government has announced.542 new cases have been identified overnight across the country.Since the start of the pandemic, 7,164 people have lost their lives to coronavirus in Scotland while 203,012 have tested positive.A total of 784 people are being treated in hospital for the virus with 71 in intensive care.Yesterday Health Secretary Jeane Freeman marked one year since the first confirmed case of coronavirus in Scotland.She said: “During the last

school after the Easter holidays.In a statement to MSPs the First Minister said all primary school children will be back in the classroom in two weeks time by March 15.The resumption of face-to-face learning is dependent on the state of the virus in Scotland.Last week kids from primary one to three were allowed back to the classroom after restrictions were lifted slightly.The SNP leader said all primary school pupils will be able to return to childcare as well in the coming weeks.Sturgeon told

Sturgeon is the focus of an investigation over whether she misled the Scottish Parliament on when she knew about allegations of harassment made against her predecessor Alex Salmond.Sturgeon said she first learned of the complaints in a meeting with Salmond at her home in early April 2018, but it later emerged she had been told by his former chief of staff in her Holyrood office a few days prior, a fact she claims to have forgotten.The First Minister has referred herself for investigation by

Anas Sarwar after he became the new Scottish Labour leader.Despite being longtime political rivals the First Minister has admitted she 'likes and rates' Sarwar after he scooped the top job.It comes after he beat out Monica Lennon the Labour leader position this morning.The Scottish Labour leadership contest finally drew to a close as this morning as politicians rallied round Sarwar's win.Sturgeon tweeted: "Congratulations to @AnasSarwar- he (and his dad before him) and I are longtime political

latest plan to ease restrictions yesterday but it was criticised for not looking beyond the end of April.The UK Government's routemap out of lockdown for England claimed all social restrictions could end as early as June 21.But Sturgeon said she would be “making it up” if she gave a specific date for the end of coronavirus restrictions.Speaking at the coronavirus briefing in Edinburgh on Wednesday, the SNP leader questioned Johnson's June 21 date.“If I was to give you a fixed, hard and fast date

could be back in class by March 15 with high schools fully open by April 5.But opposition MSPs and business leaders criticised today's document for lacking detail.Speaking to MSPs, Sturgeon said lockdown would ease in phases - separated by intervals of at least three weeks - culminating in the removal of the stay at home order on April 5.Scotland will move back to a regional system of restrictions by the end of that month.The rest of primary school years, as well as more senior phase pupils in

"route map" is published.

First Minister left a four nations call with the Prime Minister and the leaders of the other devolved administrations to take part in her regular coronavirus broadcast today.With the call between the leaders coming as plans for the easing of lockdown restrictions are being unveiled, the Scottish Tories accused the First Minister of having the wrong priority.A Conservative spokesman said: “It will raise more than a few eyebrows that Nicola Sturgeon’s priority is the BBC briefing over working

lockdown since Christmas with non-essential shops shut, almost all hospitality businesses closed and a ban on travelling outwith local council areas.The First Minister is expected to say that schools can begin reopening to the youngest primary pupils from next week, with limited numbers of senior high school students also allowed to return to class.But Scots will be hoping she can also provide some detail on when the toughest lockdown restrictions can expect to be eased.The number of positive

Jeane Freeman said Scotland should hit its target of vaccinating 400,000 adults a week ahead of schedule this week - but added the programme will then “need to scale back a bit”.A drop in supply across all four UK nations is being caused by work being carried out by Pfizer – the manufacturer of one of the approved vaccines.The company is having to temporarily reduce output as part of an overall effort to increase manufacturing capacity amid worldwide demand for vaccines.Nicola Sturgeon said on

First Minister met with her Scottish Government Cabinet this morning where it was agreed that children in primaries one, two and three should provisionally return to class from the week beginning Monday, February 22. Pre-school nurseries would also reopen at the same time as part of a gradual reopening of the wider schools system.

Nicola Sturgeon said restrictions “are working” as infection levels dip, but in a statement at the Scottish Parliament warned the pandemic is still not under enough control. Sturgeon said: “The current lockdown, including the stay at home except for essential purposes requirement, needs to remain in place until at least the end of February.” Alarm at the spread of mutated covid-19 has forced the whole of the UK to cope with serious restrictions covering all aspects of daily life.

Nicola Sturgeon will provide an update on the Scottish Government’s lockdown review in an address at Holyrood later today. The First Minister is expected to announce further measures to control the spread of coronavirus in Scotland.