The official coronavirus death toll in the UK has risen to 32,692 - up 627 on yesterday's figure.

But if "excess deaths" - all those which would not have occurred without the virus - are added, the number of people who have died as a result of the UK pandemic is more than 50,000.

A note on Tuesdays:

Due to a lag in reporting deaths around every weekend, Tuesday has seen the highest number of deaths reported in each of the last three weeks. Today's death toll of 627 is a decrease from 693 last Tuesday.

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, BBC Scotland

Scotland's football clubs' ability to sufficiently cut their costs will play a key part in survivability, a sports finance expert has said.

Stephen Morrow, a senior lecturer at Stirling University, said Scottish clubs were particularly reliant on gate receipts which created a particular challenge compared to clubs elsewhere.

He said the extension of furlough would help in the short-term, but clubs would have to cut costs and possibly find new sources of income.

Meanwhile SPFL clubs have voted against an independent investigation into April's vote to end the lower-league season.

We should be hearing from the UK government in the next five minutes, with the briefing to be led by Business Secretary Alok Sharma.

Check out all the latest developments here.

Here's what's been happening in the UK today:

• The UK scheme to pay wages of workers on leave because of coronavirus will be extended to October, Chancellor Rishi Sunak has said
• Nicola Sturgeon urges Scottish companies not to call staff back to work early while the coronavirus lockdown remains in place.
• Many British people are unlikely to be able to take foreign holidays this summer due to virus restrictions, UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said
• A five-stage plan for easing the lockdown in Northern Ireland has been published by the executive

Image source, Getty Images

The number of people attending emergency departments in Scotland's hospital rose slightly in the latest figures but is still well below the average for the time of year.

The figures for week-ending 3 May show there were 16,107 people attending A&E, compared with almost 28,000 for the same week last year.

The latest figures are up on previous weeks of the lockdown, where attendance dropped as low as 11,000.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “While members of the public are continuing to listen to advice and only going to A&E if illnesses are immediate or life threatening, I want to remind people not to ignore early warning signs of serious conditions."

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, RCN Scotland

Theresa Fyffe, the director of the Royal College of Nursing in Scotland, says the public support for nurses had been "almost deafening in recent weeks" and it was helping to keep up morale.

"While nurses are thankful for the support and recognition but they do need to know that our political leaders will recognise their efforts and value their contribution in the long term," she says.

She adds she sometimes "winced" when people talk about heroes.

"Nurses would never describe themselves as heroes and they don't need medals, they need to be recognised for their worth, their value, their contribution, skills and expertise in the longer term."

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Theresa Fyffe, the director of the Royal College of Nursing in Scotland, is talking to John Beattie now.

Asked by the BBC’s political editor if the UK was looking at a recession due to dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, the chancellor said the number of closed businesses and loss of jobs was “heart-breaking”.

Rishi Sunak told Laura Kuenssberg he was he “working night and day” to limit job losses.

The chancellor has extended the UK scheme to pay wages of workers on leave because of coronavirus to October.

Read more here.

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

Much of the Scottish Parliament debate on the next phase of the Covid-19 response has focused on possible damage post-pandemic.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney suggested the impact on poverty and inequality could be "profound", a point echoed by Green MSP Alison Johnstone who also expressed concern of possible environmental consequences.

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser warned of "widespread business failures and job losses" and Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard called for safe working conditions so people did not face a choice of working in unsafe environments or not being paid.

There was also considerable discussion on the scientific advice both Scottish and UK governments were relying on, with calls for publication.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said the documents would allow MSPs just judge whether diversion between approaches across the UK were "justified".

Image source, Social Bite

Homeless charity Social Bite is launching a fundraiser to enable members of the public to buy a meal for vulnerable people in Scotland.

The online campaign, external will go live at 09:00 on Wednesday via itison.

For every £5 donation, Social Bite will supply a food pack including a sandwich, a snack and a drink to the homeless, families relying on school meals and the elderly who have been adversely affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Social Bite is working with over 75 other charities and community groups to connect with those in need.

Josh Littlejohn, co-founder of Social Bite said: “We’ve already been able to help thousands, but demand grows every single day and donations like yours will make a massive difference to the work that we’re doing to help the most vulnerable people in the country."

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Coming up on Drivetime with John Beattie:

• reaction to the Chancellor extending the furlough scheme until October
• the Coronavirus death toll in Scotland is now 1,912 and Nicola Sturgeon has again stressed that lockdown will continue and urged businesses here not to try and force employees back to work
• John will speak to Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and Scotland Office minister Douglas Ross
• and it's International Nurses day, but do we value them enough?

Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor

Rishi Sunak is getting a reputation for going well beyond expectations in splurging money.

Asked for a 75% contribution to wages back in March, he surprised with 80%. Asked for an extension to September,he's gone for the end of October.

It's hard to believe this is the same Conservative Party that came to power 10 years ago, and dedicated itself to getting the deficit down.

A furlough, or Jobs Retention Scheme, was originally planned to cover 1 March to the end of May. It was then extended to the end of June.

Now, it's being extended to October. The idea is that those on furlough can still get 80% of pay (up to £2,500 per month) but after the end of July more of that cost should be met by employers.

• UK furlough scheme extended by four months
• Read more from Douglas here

It's now Week 8 of lockdown and there is little prospect of hairdressers and barbers opening soon. If you've failed to hold on and have reached for the scissors, BBC Scotland journalist Aileen Clarke would like to hear from you.

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

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Earlier at Holyrood, MSP Miles Briggs highlighted that care homes have reported that 30% of staff have access to testing and that the number of tests being done fell way below capacity.

He asked Health Secretary Jeane Freeman when will all care home staff be tested in light of asymptomatic staff now testing positive.

Ms Freeman said the current testing policy in care homes was designed to use the "maximum we can" in terms of testing capacity - the policy being that all staff and residents are tested in any home with a Covid-19 case, while surveillance testing is carried out in other homes.

She clarified that of all key workers tested, 32% were social care staff and that there was "no barrier" to staff accessing tests.

The health secretary said she hoped this policy was being promoted by care home owners.

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

Image source, Getty Images

Earlier during topical questions at Holyrood Labour's Monica Lennon put to the health secretary that testing for the virus in care homes has been "too slow".

Ms Lennon asked if the health secretary knew of anyone who had died as a result of contracting Covid-19 from a hospital discharge.

Ms Freeman said she "cannot know that" because of the incubation period of the virus and because of a lack of knowledge of what each person "may or may not have had".

On testing, the health secretary said that capacity had "significantly increased" but "still needs to increase further" to support the full test, trace, isolate strategy.

She said that supply lines for testing labs were under similar demand to PPE, but that work was being done to ensure a "good solid supply line".

Image source, Getty Images

Scottish business leaders have welcomed the extension of a UK government scheme to pay wages of workers on leave because of coronavirus.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that the furlough scheme, which had been due to end in June, would now run until October.

Mr Sunak confirmed that employees would continue to receive 80% of their monthly wages up to £2,500 but said companies will be asked to "start sharing" the cost of the scheme from August.

However, he added that employers currently using it would be able to bring furloughed employees back part-time.

CBI Scotland said the step would "prepare the ground for firms that are reawakening, while helping those who remain in hibernation".

The Institute of Directors Scotland also welcomed the move but said it was important that "further clarity around this extension is provided should lockdown easing measures differ between Scotland and England".