Giancarlo Rinaldi
South Scotland reporter, BBC news website

Image source, Dougie Johnston

Campaigners seeking to extend the Borders Railway have said the scheme is "more important now than ever".

They have said taking the Edinburgh to Tweedbank line on to Carlisle should be a key post-coronavirus project.

The Campaign for Borders Rail added that, despite more home working under lockdown, the capacity and coverage of the rail network needed to grow.

Simon Walton, who chairs the group, said such investment was vital if there was to be a "meaningful recovery".

Read more here.

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

Mike Russell pointed out to the Covid-19 Committee that remote working remains the default position and would still be so when we move from phase one to two.

The constitution secretary again highlighted the Scottish government's route map out of lockdown, external and the guidance for workers and employers on returning to work safely during phase one, external.

He said if any employers who run non-essential office based firms refuse to look at remote working they must feel the force of the law.

Image source, Reuters

Boris Johnson's "mismanagement" of the easing of virus restrictions risks a second wave of infections, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has warned.

In a Guardian interview,, external he urged the PM to "get a grip" and restore public confidence in ministers' handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

But No 10 said it was proceeding with caution to secure a safe recovery.

It comes as the government is to outline further details of its quarantine plans later.

Prime minister's questions is back from 12pm and you can follow live updates here.

BBC Radio Scotland

We must not get hung up on the numbers when it comes to Covid-19 testing, says Alysson Pollock, professor of public health at Newcastle University.

Both the UK and Scottish governments have put too much emphasis on targets and that has come at the "expense of understanding the purpose behind testing and what the data tells us", she told BBC Radio Scotland.

Professor Pollock is critical of the commercialisation of drive through testing centres, where up to 350,000 tests north and south of the border have not been matched up properly with patients and says in some cases tests are being double and triple counted, while research and surveillance figures are being included in the overall numbers given as well.

As a result, she says there is "enormous mistrust" in the system and that there is "a bit of a wild west going on around testing".

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Annabelle Ewing tells the Covid-19 Committee she was in the supermarket last night and she thinks she was the only person wearing a face covering.

The Scottish government has recommended people cover their faces while in some enclosed public spaces, such as shops and public transport, with the first minister reiterating the plea yesterday.

Constitution Secretary Mike Russell says: "I agree with you that the issue of face coverings is coming once again centre stage."

He too says he noticed he was the only person wearing a face covering at a filling station.

"I would encourage people to wear one when in shops."

If everyone is doing it, it will be the person not wearing a face covering that is stared at, he adds, saying this is a serious issue that needs to be looked at.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, Google

Architect Riccardo Marini agrees presumed liability is "critically important" because it changes the dynamics on the road.

It protects cyclists as well as pedestrians, should they be involved in a collision with a cyclist.

He highlights solutions in Copenhagen where cycle lanes have recently been expanded to create a fast lane.

In the UK there is a "serious problem" with traffic engineers being scared to take space from car users he says - though this has started to happen in some places recently in order to allow for social distancing.

MSPs will shortly take evidence from COSLA and SOLACE on the impact of the pandemic on Scotland's councils.

The Local Government and Communities Committee will focus on:

• financial issues
• whether councils have supplied public-facing front line workers with adequate PPE

• how local authorities are planning for the phased end to lockdown
• housing and homelessness, including how councils will house those in unsuitable accommodation
• how to deal with an influx of rent arrears / eviction notices
• funding of additional housing services following Covid-19

• Read the committee papers for this meeting here, external.
• You can watch the committee with Scottish Parliament TV, external.

Committee convener Murdo Fraser says the guidance says people should not travel more than five miles to exercise, but that is not what the law says.

Why is this rule not put in regulation instead of guidance, he asks.

Mr Russell says the Scottish government approach has been to encourage first and only enforce if necessary.

Yesterday the first minister said Scotland's coronavirus guidelines could be enforced by new laws if "even a minority" continue to flout them.

He says he was disappointed by what we saw at the weekend with the number of dispersals being unacceptable.

Mornings with Kaye Adams
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

Jodi Gordon from Cycle Law Scotland says there must be "mutual respect for all road users, regardless of the mode of transport you are using."

She explains no country in the world has achieved high levels of active travel without some form of presumed liability.

This is when, after an accident between a motorist and a cyclist, the driver is presumed to be liable unless they can disprove it.

Ms Gordon also suggests there needs to be greater communication, for example making it clear when a pathway is shared between cyclists and pedestrians so both are aware of the other.

Image source, Getty

The effects of lockdown on children's isolation are likely to have a lasting effect, a new review has found.

A Bath University review of evidence - in 60 pre-existing, peer-reviewed studies - about the mental health impacts of loneliness on children and young people, concluded that there could be a spike in demand for mental health services in the years to come.

"Children and adolescents are likely to experience high rates of depression and anxiety long after current lockdown and social isolation ends, and clinical services need to be prepared for a future spike in demand," the authors said.

According to the review, young people who are lonely might be as much as three times more likely to develop depression in the future, and the impact of loneliness and depression could last for at least 9 years.

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

Mike Russell is giving evidence on lockdown regulations and reminds MSPs that after the recent review Scotland has moved to phase one of the route map for easing lockdown.

The constitution secretary is giving evidence to Holyrood's Covid-19 Committee.

He says today's amending regulations give effect to various aspects of phase one, pointing out the they came into force on 29 May.

Mr Russell warns if public health issues arise, lockdown measures can be brought in again.

He insists the advice for businesses on preparation for returning to a new normal is clear in Scotland’s route map through and out of the crisis, external.

Andrew Black
BBC Scotland Business Presenter

Image source, Stagecoach

Bus and train operator Stagecoach - which became famous round the world - is expected to drop out of the mid FTSE 250 index of biggest names on the London Stock Exchange, to become what’s known as a “small cap” company.

In recent years, the Perth-based firm has pulled out of the US and more recently has been affected by the Coronavirus lockdown.

Amanda Forsyth from investment firm Murray Asset Management said the Stagecoach story was “a sign of the times”.

She told the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland programme: “I’ve followed Stagecoach for many years through its massive growth. It was in the FTSE 100 10 years ago and now it’s becoming a small cap company again.”