David Goodwin of the Greenock Telegraph asks about alleged plans to allow 12 cruise ships to dock in Greenock to allow crew to travel to on to transport hubs.

He highlights the local council and health board oppose it, particularly as the area has the highest death rate in Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon says she understands the concerns but crew cannot be left at sea indefinitely.

She says discussions are ongoing to reach a resolution, which may be the resting and isolation of people on board.

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Tom Martin from the Daily Express points to the slightly higher R number in Scotland and asks whether it is possible to say how much of a lag there is.

Dr Gregor Smith cautions against viewing this too simplistically, as a time lag is one of several other factors which influence the R number.

We cannot say from the data with any degree of confidence we are a certain period behind any other part of the country, he explains.

Severin Carrell from The Guardian wonders if there is a risk of public order problems in Scotland if is keeps stricter rules in place than elsewhere in the UK. Has this been discussed with the chief constable, he asks.

"We discuss these issues on an ongoing basis with the chief constable," says Ms Sturgeon.

As messages become more nuanced issues around enforcement potentially become much more difficult and we are talking to the police about this, she explains.

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Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

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Virtual Question Time: rural economy and tourism ministers will now be quizzed by MSPs.

You can watch here on the live page by clicking on the play icon on the Scottish Parliament: Covid-19 business 7 May 2020 at the top of the page.

Image source, UK Parliament/Jessica Taylor

Vivienne Aitken from the Daily Record says another WHO expert has told her that easing restrictions at different rates in different parts of the UK is possible.

However the border will be important, particularly if traffic is increased, she adds.

Ms Aitken asks if the first minister will ask the prime minister about controlling borders between Scotland and England.

"That's not something I anticipate discussing with the prime minister today, no," replies the first minister.

Mark McLaughlin from The Times cites a WHO expert who says the virus will outrun any vaccine or drugs and who points to the lack of a lockdown in Sweden.

Mr McLaughlin says the expert says he expects the total number of deaths, if counted next year, will be similar regardless of the measures being taken in lockdown.

The first minister says there is a whole range of expert opinion that can be read, while the CMO acknowledges Sweden has gone for a different approach right for them.

The weight of evidence says there is a very real need to suppress this virus very quickly, she adds.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Dr Gregor Smith says obesity appears to be an additional risk factor.

The CMO says the degree of obesity that adds to this is not yet known and it needs to be understood in greater detail

"Certainly there is a signal there that seems to be important."

Dr Smith points out we do know more about the impact of race and ethnic origin leading to an excess of mortality, with an increased risk identified.

Scott Macnab from the Scotsman asks if the first minister is concerned about the way Boris Johnson is handling this crisis, alleging leaks to the press

“I would rather the public health messaging was consistent across the whole of the UK.”

“I’m not interested in the politics or the personalities here, I’m simply interested in us doing the right things.”

She’d rather not read about UK government plans in the newspapers and she hopes proper discussions will return.

Will the first minister raise her concerns about leaks to the newspapers with Boris Johnson during this afternoon’s phone call, asks Alistair Grant from the Herald.

Ms Sturgeon says she is pretty sure Boris Johnson will hear what she has said at this briefing and she does not want her discussions with the prime minister to be based on disagreement.

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Michael Blackley from The Daily Mail wonders if changing guidance on more regular exercise may include allowing people to sunbathe or enjoy a picnic outside.

Ms Sturgeon says right now we are considering allowing exercise more than once a day and not saying people can congregate in public places. We are looking at precisely what the parameters of that would be, she adds.

What concerns the first minister most is any suggestion the ‘stay at home’ message will be lifted, she says.

“If we want to continue to do things at the same pace, that is possible, but it means all of us going at the slowest of the country that has the highest infection rates,” she adds.

Peter MacMahon from ITV Border points to comments made by Sir Harry Burns this morning about whole population testing and that the current approach is “volume rather than quality”.

Ms Sturgeon says she has not heard these comments but she does not agree with them. We are working on a testing strategy which has been developed as testing capacity has increased, she adds, insisting decisions are taken by clinical evidence.

Dr Gregor Smith says any test must answer a clinical question and the test being used to diagnose at the moment is quality assured.

Peter Smith from ITV News asks who pays for Scotland continuing lockdown if it takes a different approach from England.

"Let's see whether there are differences," replies the first minister.

She speaks to the prime minister later today and it may be that the differences between their respective positions may not be as big as the media is suggesting, she says.

James Matthews from Sky News asks if the prime minister decides to lift restrictions, is he "heightening risk to life"?

Ms Sturgeon says the only thing that matters to her is taking decisions that will best suppress the virus which is what everyone in a leadership position across the UK is doing.

It is possible we will arrive at different decisions for good reasons, she adds.

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Image source, Getty Images

Ciaran Jenkins from Channel 4 News asks if the first minister has the power to make bereavement payments for carers.

The first minister says she won't give a yes and no answer now and will get the detail to Mr Jenkins later.

The health secretary says a Death In Service payment has been agreed for those who are not in the NHS Pension scheme, for their families.

Ms Freeman says where social care staff are not employed by the government, they are employed by councils and private employers.

She is happy to discuss these payment with them.

Glen Campbell from the BBC asks: "Is lockdown lifting to some extent across Scotland regardless of any changes made by government and, if so, are you ok with that?"

The first minister says she does not want to ease up on restrictions now and says the only change in the coming days may be to the amount of times you can exercise.

Ms Sturgeon adds: "Our guidance right now remains as it has been."

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Image source, Getty Images

Sharon Donaldson from STV asks how the continuation of the lockdown will go down if it is eased elsewhere in the UK.

The first minister says she thinks the public expect her to arrive at judgements that keep them as safe as possible.

Lifting the regulations will be gradual and slow, she adds, pointing out now is a "pivotal point" in the fight against the virus.

People from low income households and who are clinically high-risk are to be given laptops and tablets, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman announces.

The move is part of a £5m Connecting Scotland programme to improve digital connections across Scotland. It is expected to bring 9,000 people online in the coming months.

The health secretary highlights benefits being digitally connected, adding: "We know becoming disconnected form those around us can have a serious, limiting effect on mental and physical health."

The programme will offer training and support for people not already online and will pair people with a "digital champion" for the first six months to build confidence, Ms Freeman confirms.

The only change the first minister will reconsider in the near future is a change to the guidance limiting outdoor exercise to once only.

She says the government is already considering this, on the strict conditions you remain in your household group, 2m away from others and stay reasonably close to your own home.

Ms Sturgeon says she will report back on this in the next few days, but the once a day rule remains in place for now.

She says she does not want to see a resurgence in the virus due to easing the lockdown too early.

"The decisions we take now are a matter of life and death."

That's why the first minister says she will continue to err on the side of caution and for now the advice remains the same and stick with the current restrictions.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister asks the public to resist the temptation to go out more often and reiterates her plea for us to stick to the current rules.

"We must protect the progress that we have all made so far."

This will continue to slow down the spread of this virus, continue to protect the NHS and continue to save lives, she concludes.

The first minister says for that approach to work: "We must agree to make changes only when all four governments are satisfied that they don't risk a resurgence of the virus."

If the PM wants to move at a faster pace than considered safe for Scotland, that is fine, but she will make judgements informed by evidence that are right and safe for Scotland.

"I will not be pressured into lifting restrictions prematurely, before I am as certain as I can be that we will not be risking a resurgence of infection rates.".

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister moves on to the reports that Boris Johnson may announce an easing of UK restrictions this Sunday.

Ms Sturgeon says the potential changes have not yet been discussed with the Scottish government, with a Cobra meeting not taking place now until Sunday.

There will be a call with the prime minister and the devolved nations later today, she says.

The first minister pledges she will make very clear in that call that it is her preference for all four nations to make changes together at the same place, if possible.

"We want to see data in the days ahead that confirms a very clear downward trend," says the first minister.

She wants to see what the R Number looks in a week from now and if the NRS figures next week show another fall in the number of deaths.

"We have concluded that the lockdown and the associated regulations must remain in place for now."

She points out the Scottish government can make changes before the next legal review in three weeks time.

The first minister points out: "I am as anxious as anyone to restore some degree of normality to our lives as soon as possible and to reduce the harm we know the lockdown is doing."

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