• MSPs have approved Scotland's new five-level system of Covid-19 restrictions after a lengthy debate.
• Nicola Sturgeon says most parts of Scotland will have similar measures, but having five levels in the new framework means the government can avoid a "one-size-fits-all approach"
• The first minister says that central belt areas currently under the toughest restrictions are likely to be in Level 3, with most of the rest of the rest of the country likely to start in Level 2.
• Exceptions are being considered for Highlands and Islands areas, which might go into Level 1
• Dundee might move into Level 3, while Lanarkshire is the only area currently being considered for Level 4 status
• Ms Sturgeon says she hopes to confirm all these decisions to Parliament on Thursday

• The Scottish government will launch a new postcode checker which will enable people to confirm what restrictions are available in their area at any given time
• Pubs and restaurants in many areas of Scotland will be able to serve alcohol indoors again from next week
• The latest daily figures reveal a further 1,327 people have tested positive for Covid-19, 8.7% of those tested yesterday, with 1,100 patients in hospital and 82 in intensive care
• A further 25 people who tested positive have died, taking the total to 2,726 deaths in Scotland by that measure.

That's all from us on the live page today. Have a good evening and stay safe.

MSPs have backed the Scottish government's new strategic framework for tackling Covid-19 in Scotland.

Amendments by opposition leaders Ruth Davidson (Conservative) - by 69 votes to 50 - and Richard Leonard (Labour) - by 64 votes to 54, with one abstention - were rejected.

But additional amendments by Willie Rennie (Lib Dems) and Alison Johnstone (Greens) were accepted.

Brian Taylor
BBC Scotland Political Editor

As the debate in Holyrood heads towards a conclusion pending a vote on the government's new 'strategic framework' for tackling Covid-19, BBC Scotland political editor Brian Taylor, who is retiring this week after almost 30 years in the role, has been reflecting on what we have heard today

Today's announcement that pubs and restaurants in many areas of Scotland will be able to serve alcohol indoors again from next week doesn't appear to have met with much approval from the hospitality industry.

Nicola Sturgeon said the move would allow licensed premises in level two of the country's new five-tier system to serve alcohol with a meal until 8pm.

In level three areas - likely to be much of the central belt - they can reopen until 18:00 but cannot serve alcohol.

Image source, PA Media

A new five-level system of local Covid restrictions comes into force next Monday, 2 November.

Each of Scotland's 32 local authorities will be assigned one of the tiers on Thursday.

However, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been giving more details about the plan.

So, based on what is known so far, which restrictions might you face?

Read more here.

Drivetime with John Beattie
BBC Radio Scotland

Image source, PA Media

Politicians have been reacting to what they heard from the first minister in her statement to Holyrood earlier.

Jamie Greene, Conservative MSP for the West of Scotland, tells BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme he thinks the tiered system "is the right approach to introduce; it mirrors very closely what is happening south of the border and in the rest of the UK".

"However, what I think that needs to goes with a document like this - an effective framework that says what measures the government are going to introduce to restrict business, restrict our lives - is people must know what they will get in return, what support they will get".

Linda Fabiani, SNP MSP for East Kilbride, tells the programme that she wanted both the Scottish and UK governments to come up with a plan to address some of the economic issues facing different parts of the country.

"You can't have businesses unable to start up again because they've failed - there must be a way", she said.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Just a reminder that MSPs are continuing to debate 'Scotland's Strategic Framework' for tackling Covid-19 with a new system of five levels of restrictions which can be applied in different parts o the country.

All four main opposition leaders in Holyrood - the Conservatives' Ruth Davidson, Labour's Richard Leonard, the Lib Dems' Willie Rennie and Greens co-leader Alison Johnstone - have tabled amendments.

A vote is scheduled at 19:00, when the government's framework proposal is expected to be passed.

Image source, Getty Images

Pubs and restaurants in many areas of Scotland will be able to serve alcohol indoors again from next week, the first minister has announced.

Nicola Sturgeon said the move would allow licensed premises in level two of the country's new five-tier system to serve alcohol with a meal until 8pm.

In level three areas - likely to be much of the central belt - they can reopen until 18:00 but cannot serve alcohol.

The new rules will start on Monday.

Read more here.

• Pubs and restaurants in many areas of Scotland will be able to serve alcohol indoors again from next week, the first minister has announced.
• MSPs are continuing to debate Scotland's new five-level system of Covid-19 restrictions.
• Nicola Sturgeon says most parts of Scotland will have similar measures, but having five levels in the tiered framework means the government can avoid a "one-size-fits-all approach"
• The first minister says that central belt areas currently under the toughest restrictions are likely to be in Level 3, with most of the rest of the rest of the country likely to start in Level 2.
• Exceptions are being considered for Highlands and Islands areas, which might go into Level 1
• Dundee might move into Level 3, while Lanarkshire is the only area currently being considered for Level 4 status
• Ms Sturgeon says she hopes to confirm all these decisions to Parliament on Thursday

• The Scottish government will launch a new postcode checker which will enable people to confirm what restrictions are available in their area at any given time
• The latest daily figures reveal a further 1,327 people have tested positive for Covid-19, 8.7% of those tested yesterday, with 1,100 patients in hospital and 82 in intensive care
• A further 25 people who tested positive have died, taking the total to 2,276 deaths in Scotland by that measure.

Mr Rennie calls for a debate on the government's longer term goals, which would examine the competing health, social and economic harms of Covid.

He adds that a "targeted approach" is necessary for the hospitality sector.

Mr Rennie says: "When the Two Sisters factory in Coupar Angus was hit by an outbreak it wasn't decided to close every other chicken plant in the country."

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie says the Scottish government "missed the opportunity" to prepare for the anticipated Covid second wave through greater testing, and by improving both the tracing and quarantine spot-check capacity.

But health secretary Jeane Freeman says ministers did not waste time and explains how the country's testing capacity has been built up.

Ms Freeman adds: "It is entirely wrong to say that we were complacent or foolish in what we said and did over the summer months."

Alison Johnstone MSP, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, says "we cannot continue to lurch from one lockdown to another until an effective vaccine becomes available" and that the goal should be to eliminate the virus rather than supress it.

She says that there has to be greater expansion of asymptomatic testing and the proposed framework puts limits on this, for example, in universities.

People are confused over the science behind some of the measures and that "clarity of messaging is absolutely key", Ms Johnstone adds.

Image source, Getty Images

A business group has warned Lanarkshire could be left with "ghost towns" if the area is put under the highest level of Covid restrictions.

On Monday a leaked letter to council umbrella body Cosla said level four measures could not be ruled out, with Nicola Sturgeon confirming in her statement earlier that the area is at risk of being placed in Level 4.

Lanarkshire Business Group said a third of its members feared they would not survive being closed for a fortnight.

The Scottish government insisted no decisions have yet been made and that the situation may be "stabilising".

Read more here.

Image source, PA Media

Richard Leonard calls for "greater transparency" over the indicators used to determine which tier a local population is being placed in.

Ms Sturgeon says most of the data is already published on the Public Health Scotland, external website.

She adds: "Anybody can go on and look at the data on a daily basis in their own neighbourhood."

The first minister says some of the evidence being asked for is evidence that in Scotland, and elsewhere, does not yet exist.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard says MSPs need to be able to scrutinise the government's Covid strategy in parliament. "What has the government got to hide?" he says.

The first minister says she has "given umpteen statements" to MSPs and answered "hundreds of questions".

Ms Sturgeon adds: "The view was that this was the time to have a lengthy parliamentary debate with a vote at the end."