All pubs and restaurants across central Scotland are to be closed under new measures aimed at tackling a surge in coronavirus cases.

The new rules will apply to licensed premises across the central belt, including Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Pubs and restaurants will be able to open in other parts of Scotland - but can only serve alcohol outdoors.

The new rules, which will be in force from 18:00 on Friday until 25 October, apply to about 3.4 million people.

Read more here.

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Scottish Conservative education spokesperson Jamie Greene says his party believes a full exam diet "could and should have taken place next year".

Mr Greene is not convinced full justification for the cancellation of Nat 5s has been made today, suggesting "the towel has been thrown in already".

Speaking for Labour Iain Gray he says this statement has come very, very late, with teachers months into courses already.

Mr Gray also seeks answers about how continuous assessment will be carried out and calls for this year's appeals to be revisited.

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Mr Swinney says the decision on Nat 5s means "we can build an exam diet for Highers and Advanced Highers that is as safe as it possibly can be".

"I can confirm that Higher and Advanced Higher exams will begin on 13 May, later than normal and giving pupils back approximately two weeks of the learning time they lost this year.

"Certification day will remain as 10 August."

He also details a contingency plan for the exams based on assessment.

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Mr Swinney say the SQA will today publish broad guidance on evidence gathering and estimation,

That will be followed after the October break by subject specific guidance on the key pieces of work that young people will need to complete.

The education secretary insists: "First and foremost, awards will not be given – or taken away - on the basis of a statistical model nor on the basis of a school’s past performance. There will be no algorithm.

He says awards will be based on the progress of our young people and their work.

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Mr Swinney says: "My thanks go to everyone for their exceptional efforts to re-open schools and deliver face-to-face education safely."

He says he has found the clear recommendations Professor Priestley makes regarding the approach to awarding in 2021 of great assistance to him in making decisions.

The education secretary tells the chamber: "A full exam diet is simply too big a risk."

He outlines an alternative approach to awarding National 5 qualifications, based on two key recommendations by Professor Mark Priestley:

1. Suspension of the National 5 examinations diet in 2021, with qualifications awarded on the basis of centre estimation based upon validated assessments.

2. The development of a nationally recognised, fully transparent and proportionate system for moderation of centre-based assessment.

The alternative approach will be based on teacher judgement, supported by assessment resources, and quality assurance.

John Swinney tells the chamber that in terms of this year's exams: "We cannot plan for business as usual. That is simply not possible."

The education secretary stresses three key things:

• we can learn from last year;
• we can consult our teachers and educationalists; and
• we can listen to the experts in the design of awarding systems.

Mr Swinney says we must not place undue burdens on pupils or on Scotland’s teachers.

Nick Triggle
Health Correspondent

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Throughout the pandemic Scotland has tended to adopt a slightly more cautious approach than England.

It has imposed more restrictions and lifted them more slowly in general.

The latest move is in line with that trend.

There is little difference in overall infection rates. Scotland has seen 85 cases per 100,000 in the past week, compared to England’s 109.

The measures imposed by the Scottish government are focussed on areas with the highest infection rates.

But those places are some way below the levels seen in England’s hotspots.

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Cities such as Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle have seen around 500 cases per 100,000 people over the past week – that is more than twice the level of infection in Glasgow for example.

But the differences between the two nations should not mask the growing concern there is in England about the infection rates, particularly in the north of country.

Senior ministers and their advisers are today discussing whether extra steps are needed south of the border.

The problem is action to supress the virus has negative consequences too.

This much can be seen in the growing number of scientists and health experts who are signing the Great Barrington Declaration warning about the impact of Covid lockdown policies.

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Coming up on BBC Radio Scotland, Drivetime with John Beattie will have all the latest reaction to the latest restrictions to be imposed on hospitality venues across the country.

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John Swinney will now update MSPs on the plans for school exams in Scotland next year.

The education secretary will address the row over the 2020 exams and plans for 2021.

There has been speculation that exams for National 5 qualifications could be dropped and replaced with coursework.

Mr Swinney has previously said the government's "objective" is to run a full diet of exams next spring.

Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie says he believes the new restrictions are necessary.

Mr Harvie adds there is a need for continued support for people's incomes, including for workers and not just business owners.

He points to the success of New Zealand in tackling Covid-19 and he welcomes the review of testing announced by the first minister.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie questions the Scottish government’s strategy and says "to many people this no longer feels like a strategy, but a series of knee-jerk reactions.”

"Where is the routemap” he asks.

Nicola Sturgeon says a new routemap plan will be coming, and says the new measures being introduced are needed to suppress the virus.

The most strict restrictions cover almost two thirds of Scotland's population across a swathe of the central belt of the country. In all 3.4 million people are affected, covering both Glasgow and Edinburgh. They focus on 18 council and five health board areas: Greater Glasgow and Clyde; Lothian; Lanarkshire; Ayrshire and Arran; and Forth Valley.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard says the hospitality sector is carrying the burden of the government's new measures.

He asks "where is the evidence that Covid is spreading in all hospitality settings?

"Hospitality venues are not Sodom and Gomorrah."

Nicola Sturgeon says she's not "pointing the finger of blame", but says these are higher-risk settings where impact can be made.

“This is not hospitality’s fault”, she says, but it does show that it’s “an exposure”. She acknowledges that most hospitality businesses are complying with the new regulations and employing safety measures.

The leader of the Scottish Conservatives at Holyrood, Ruth Davidson, says businesses need detail on what support the Scottish government is offering.

Nicola Sturgeon has unveiled a £40m package to help the sector deal with additional measures to prevent spread the curb of coronavirus.

Ms Davidson says small businesses need more detail on the support package: "They can't afford to wait. Many are running on empty".

The first minister ends, as always, by asking all of us to follow all the guidance and restrictions, including FACTS:

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The first minister says the government's strategic framework will be put to a vote in Parliament after the recess.

Ms Sturgeon says today's measures do not represent a lockdown.

"They are intended to be short, sharp action to arrest a worrying increase in infection.

"Without them, there is a risk the virus will be out of control by the end of this month.

"But with them, we hope to slow its spread.

"That will help to keep schools and businesses open over the winter.

"And fundamentally it will save lives."

The first minister says the government will also take the following steps:

• introduce regulations to extend the mandatory use of face coverings in indoor communal settings - this will include, for example, staff canteens and corridors in workplaces
• take action to strengthen compliance with the different strands of the FACTS advice
• from this weekend and across Scotland, shops are being asked to return to 2m physical distancing and reintroduce the mitigations they put in place earlier in the pandemic - for example, one-way systems
• work across all other sectors to review – and where necessary tighten – the guidance and regulation on their operating practices
• conduct a further review of the national testing strategy
• finalise a strategic framework, setting out the different levels of intervention which can be adopted in future – either locally or across Scotland - depending on how the virus is spreading

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The first minister announces an additional £40m to support businesses that will be affected by these measures over the next two weeks.

For the rest of this month, businesses can also use the UK government’s job retention scheme.

Ms Sturgeon adds: "However, that now requires a significant contribution from employers – so one of the things we will discuss with businesses, in relation to our own support package, is how we can mitigate some or all of that contribution."

These additional measures will be in place for just over two weeks, incorporating three weekends – from 6pm on Friday to Sunday, 25 October.

However, the government will keep the situation under review between now and then, and keep Parliament updated.