Other measures outlined in the programme for government included:, external

• A Youth Guarantee scheme giving young people the guarantee of a job, education or formal training.
• A new "proximity tracing app" to help combat the spread of Covid-19
• The Scottish government is to set out its plans for a second independence referendum in a draft bill
• "Examining and setting out options" for the creation of a National Care Service
• A £25m fund to provide retraining opportunities for 10,000 people who have lost their jobs or are at risk of doing so
• Details of how £1.6bn of the £2bn Green New Deal that was unveiled last year will be spent, including measures aimed at decarbonising the way homes are heated, reducing emissions, tackling fuel poverty and a £100m Green Jobs fund
• Providing an "electronic device, unlimited data and two years of digital support and training" to 50,000 people who "would otherwise be without digital access"

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

The health secretary says it is vital to improve outcomes for people who use services and also ensure a good working environment.

She adds the review will take a "human rights-based approach".

Ms Freeman says it will cover everything from care homes and care at home to day services, befriending and supported employment.

It will support groups including older people, disabled people and those with addiction issues.

Ms Freeman adds: "We must consider the needs of all of them equitably, fairly and respectfully."

The review team will begin immediately and report in January 2021.

Figures show that 66 of the 154 new cases reported in Scotland were in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

If you are just joining us here are today's coronavirus headlines in Scotland:

• The first minister announces a new "proximity tracing app" to combat the spread of Covid-19 called 'Protect Scotland'
• The number of confirmed cases increased by 154, including 66 in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area
• Talks will be held to decide if action is needed to tackle the spread of coronavirus cases in the Glasgow area
• More than 100,000 pupils in Scotland are absent from school,with attendance down to 84.5%

Image source, Getty Images

• University students could face disciplinary action if they break government coronavirus guidelines
• New Scottish government guidance, external says breaches by students should be subject to "the full weight" of disciplinary procedures
• A passenger who flew on a Tui flight from Zante to Glasgow has tested positive for coronavirus
• A cluster of five cases of Covid-19 has been identified in the Grantown on Spey area

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

Image source, Alamy

The health secretary says Public Health Scotland will report by the end of the month on the Covid-19 status of patients who were discharged from hospitals to care homes.

Jeane Freeman adds that it will include details on the outcomes experienced by those patients.

She also tells MSPs that testing delays beyond 48 hours must be minimised.

Ms Freeman says the Scottish government is finalising guidance for care homes to support the return of "in reach health and care services" and the safe reopening of communal areas.

She announces that a new review will consider the creation of a national care service.

Ms Freeman adds: "The scope of this review will include how adult care is organised, commissioned, regulated and funded."

It will be chaired by Derek Feeley, former head of NHS Scotland.

Susie Forrest
Health producer, BBC Scotland

Image source, PA Media

The NHS was reorganised at breakneck speed to avoid being overwhelmed by the first wave of coronavirus.

Now the first minister has made it a priority to be prepared for any future upsurge in cases, as winter approaches. That means opening new walk-in testing centres and replenishing stocks of protective equipment such as masks, gloves and gowns.

The government’s challenge will be maintaining a level of Covid readiness while trying to manage the normal seasonal demands on the NHS, and the backlog of hospital procedures.

Nicola Sturgeon says the use of new technology like NHS Near-Me will be key to tackling waiting lists, and that those most in need of treatment will be top of the list. But she can’t lose sight of Scotland’s other big public health challenges like rates of obesity, drug use, and mental illness.

Holyrood Live
BBC Parliaments

In her statement on care homes Health Secretary Jeane Freeman says that since the start of the pandemic guidance has been updated, primary care support strengthened and testing increased.

But she adds that there has been many deaths and stresses the need to use accurate data and analysis to look at "the decisions taken and the action followed to see, with the increased knowledge we have now, what more could be done."

Ms Freeman says it is important these decisions are scrutinised but also to aid planning for the weeks and months ahead.

She adds that one of the "deep cruelties" of Covid-19 is that it has kept people apart during the grieving process.

The Scottish Parliament elections are expected in about eight months so this programme for government did not contain much new legislation

The four new bills are:

• Budget Bill
• Domestic Abuse Bill - it would introduce emergency orders designed to protect people who are at risk of domestic abuse
• The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) Bill - The bill will mean public authorities must consistently act to uphold the rights of all children in Scotland
• University of St. Andrews (Degrees in Medicine and Dentistry) - The Bill will remove a legislative prohibition which currently prevents the University of St. Andrews from awarding medical and dentistry degrees

Seven bills which have already been introduced to parliament will also continue their progress:

• Defamation and Malicious Publication
• Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences)
• Hate Crime and Public Order
• Heat Networks
• Redress for Survivors (Historical Child Abuse in Care)
• Social Security Administration and Tribunal Membership
• UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Continuity)

Young people will be guaranteed a job, education or formal training under a new Scottish government scheme.

Glenn Campbell
BBC Scotland Political Correspondent

This programme is first of all a response to the health and economic crises caused by Covid-19.

A youth guarantee of education, training or employment for young people is the centrepiece of action on jobs.

A review of adult social care with the promise to create a National Care Service is an eye-catching commitment for older people, worst-hit by the pandemic.

That reform would probably take years to fulfil - which highlights another key thing about today’s programme.

It is a pre-election package.

With a Holyrood vote due in May 2021, the first minister is also indicating what she would do if returned to office.

That includes pushing for another independence referendum, with a draft bill setting out the proposed timetable and question to be published soon.

Nicola Sturgeon says the SNP will "make the case" for independence in the 2021 Holyrood election.

Mr Rennie criticises the fact there was no new plan for mental health, yet independence was mentioned by the first minister.

Pivoting to childcare, Mr Rennie criticises the delay of the 1,140 hours early education for three and four-year-olds for up to a year, arguing there is no economic recovery without strong childcare.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader asks: “Is the first minister really satisfied?”

Ms Sturgeon insists the government is delivering on childcare, with many local authorities already providing increased hours despite the delay in constructing new buildings.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie focuses on child mental health. He says three years ago, 208 children were waiting more than a year to see a specialist, which trebled last year and has doubled again now.

“Young people deserve the best mental health support," he said. "Why does the government have no new recovery plan for child mental health today?” he asks.

Ms Sturgeon argues that record sums have been invested in mental health and there are record numbers of professionals working in the field, including school counsellors.

She says the plan last year to reform mental health services was disrupted by Covid-19, but insists this is getting back on track. She suggests it would have been “wrong” to announce a new plan when these reforms have not been completed.

Back to the programme for government and Ms Johnstone insisted £10m in loans to help tenants is inadequate and argued "Scotland faces a tidal wave of evictions".

The Scottish Green Party co-leader argued the government only legislated for a six-month delay in evictions.

She called for a rent freeze and a stronger ban of evictions resulting from arrears accrued due to the pandemic.

The first minister signalled an open-mindedness to discuss all of these issues.

Ms Sturgeon told the chamber there were practical and legal issues to be surmounted.

She pointed out there was an effective ban on evictions during this Covid period right throughout this winter.

The first minister also highlighted the Tenants Hardship Fund and pledged to make more people know of the protections that are in place.

Image source, PA Media

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman will now deliver a ministerial statement on care homes.

On August 16 we reported at least 37 patients were transferred from Scottish hospitals to care homes after testing positive for coronavirus.

Official figures previously revealed 1,431 untested patients were moved between 1 March and 21 April, before pre-discharge testing became mandatory.

An investigation by the Sunday Post, external found at least 300 people were tested during that time.

The Scottish government said discharge decisions were taken by clinicians based on people's needs, but opposition parties have repeatedly called for a public inquiry.

You can watch the statement here on the live page with us now.

• Read more here
• What went wrong in Scotland's care homes?
• What is known about care home deaths?

Kevin Keane
BBC Scotland environment correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister promised that green jobs would provide a route out of the economic crisis while tackling that other issue of our time; climate change.

The bread and butter of that are jobs like tree planting, fitting home insulation or replacing gas boilers with environmentally friendly alternatives.

But a big focus is on retraining highly skilled workers facing redundancy to fill some of the equally skilled future jobs needed in areas like hydrogen, renewable energy or carbon capture and storage.

Those industries are already in existence and matching those jobs with workers requires worlds to align and that won’t be an easy ambition to realise.

Alison Johnstone says: "It is no surprise the opportunity to 'choose our own future' is appealing to ever more people."

The Scottish Greens parliamentary co-leader questions the urgency and scale of the actions announced by the first minister and asks how many jobs the Green Jobs Fund will create.

Ms Johnstone welcomes the transition board for Grangemouth and calls for the same to be put in place for the Mosmorran Gas Plant and the Hunterston Nuclear Plant.

She says the "just transition" to a greener Scotland is long overdue.

The first minister replies the government will look at replicating what happens at Grangemouth elsewhere and points to the creation of the Just Transition Commission.

Ms Sturgeon pledges to set out more detail of the various green funds and says in terms of decarbonising heat there will be a massive investment of £1.5bn over the next parliament.

The Scottish Labour leader says over the past six months no part of society has been more badly impacted than care homes.

He welcomes the review which he hopes will include financing, adding: “Additional funding alone will not fix this broken system."

Mr Leonard asks when a National Care Service will be created and calls for the “profit motive” to be removed from social care.

The first minister replies the details need to be worked out, hence the establishment of the review. She hopes an initial report will be published in January.