Neil Findlay says West Lothian is moving into level four which means visits to care homes can only take place once the home is clear of the last Covid case for 28 days.

The Labour MSP says he has been contacted by the family of a mother who was hospitalised yesterday having tested positive for Covid and who today is to be discharged to a care home.

Are we back to a policy where patients are discharged into care homes with Covid-19, meaning no visits to that care home for 28 days, he asks

"Is this further evidence of the dreadful way we have treated older people for the duration of this pandemic?"

The first minister does not accept that and says there is not such a policy and there will not be such a policy.

She pledges to look into the individual case raised by Mr Findlay.

Labour MSP Daniel Johnson talks about the plight of hospitality businesses in his Lothian constituency and the threat of job losses.

He asks the first minister to consider a change in business hours to 12:00 until 21:00 to enable resaurants to offer two meal services and potentially save half of the projected job losses.

Nicola Sturgeon agrees to consider the change and says she will consider all reasonable suggestions.

Next up, Willie Rennie, Scottish Liberal Democrats leader, brings up mental health help for police officers in Scotland. He says only 12 mental health professionals out of a commitment for 800 mental health staff have been allocated to the service and calls it "pitiful"

Ms Sturgeon replies that the police service is supported in a number of ways, including protected numbers, increased funding and says Police Scotland works in many ways to support the mental health of its officers.

She also highlights the pressure on teachers and NHS staff.

The Scottish Greens' Alison Johnston asks about compliance with self-isolation and says it is perhaps as low as one in four.

She says many cannot afford to stop working or caring and some do not have the space to self-isolate. She asks if hotel rooms will be made available for people to self-isolate?

Nicola Sturgeon says she is looking at enhancing and extending support for this.

She says she has set up an outreach service with local authorities so that people's individual needs can be assessed. She says they will continue to enhance support for those asked to self-isolate.

The Scottish Labour leader says people want a government working with them on travel restrictions not against them.

Mr Leonard argues the travel ban will confuse them and in the worst case scenario it will criminalise them.

He says it is a "red herring" and calls for a properly resourced test and protect system, more PPE, safer schools and better testing and support for business and like a public inquiry into care homes.

Ms Sturgeon says she will continue to try and get things right and be candid when she does not.

However she adds she will also take the action necessary to keep the country as safe as possible.

The first minister points out she has to do the right and necessary things even when they are not popular and says Scotland is so far able to avoid a one size fits all approach.

The Labour first minister of Wales has put in place statutory legal travel restrictions which is right, says Ms Sturgeon, who pledges "I am determined as he is to keep my country as safe as I possibly can".

Image source, Getty Images

A number of exceptions are currently listed on the Scottish government website, external under the following appeal: "Please do not see these as loopholes. It is important for everyone's safety that we all minimise such travel as much as possible."

They include travel for healthcare, social care, childcare and other essential services - including recycling - but only if they are not available in your local area.

Journeys to school, college or university are permitted where teaching is not provided remotely.

Travel for work, or to provide voluntary or charitable services, falls into this category but "only where that cannot be done from your home".

Also included is travel for essential shopping "only where it is not possible in your local authority area".

So too is travel for shared parenting or between the two parts of an extended household.

Other exceptions include travel to meet a legal obligation, to move house, for essential animal welfare reasons and for "life events" such as weddings or funerals.

People are permitted to transit through level three or four areas if the journey begins and ends outside such areas.

Mr Leonard says yesterday the cabinet secretary for external affairs told MSPs that while international travel continues to be perfectly legal travelling to the airport may be a criminal act.

The Scottish Labour leader raises the case of a 38-year-old woman called Linzi Page, from Fife. She has stage four cancer and has booked a family holiday in Tenerife.

He says the family are due to fly out a week today but it will be by then illegal for her family to travel to the airport.

Mr Leonard asks: “What is your advice today to Lindzi Page?”

“I wrote to Linzi this morning clarifying the situation, she wrote to me last night to outline her situation which is indeed tragic and indeed my heart goes out to her,” replies Ms Sturgeon.

The first minister explains she has written to her saying anyone in her situation can go on a final holiday.

There is a general exemption where people have what is termed in law a reasonable excuse, she says.

There should be no doubt that Mrs Page should meet that exemption as one of the exemptions is travel for compassionate reasons.

“I wish her and her family well,” the first minister adds.

Richard Leonard reminds the chamber that from tomorrow guidance on travel restrictions become law.

The Scottish Labour leader lambasts the lack of parliamentary scrutiny this change has had and points out MSPs did not get to vote for the change.

The ban means people from levels three and four will be acting criminally if they travel outside their council area for anything other than essential journeys. The same is true for everyone travelling into those areas.

Mr Leonard asks: "Is the first minister confident that by six o clock tomorrow night everyone will have a sufficient knowledge and full understanding of what constitutes an essential journey to act in accordance with the law?"

The first minister says she will do her best to make sure everyone understands the guidance and rules that are in place, as she has done "every single day since the start of this pandemic".

Ms Sturgeon points out anyone who is in any doubt can go on to the Scottish government website and look at the rules and the exemptions to the travel rules.

Image source, MOD

Ruth Davidson asks if members of the armed forces will have the same arrangements made for them as are being made for students to come home for Christmas.

Ms Sturgeon says any arrangements for testing will be made by the MoD but that the Scottish government will work with them on that.

She says media reports that soldiers cannot come home for Christmas were not true.

Image source, First Minister

Ms Davidson asks if the restrictions now will lead to the relaxing of restrictions at Christmas or whether a let-up then will mean tougher measures in January.

Nicola Sturgeon refuses to speculate until she has a "deeper understanding" of what underpins the opinions on the "five days for every one" suggestion.

She says what she does know is that to be able to propose some flexibility she must get infection levels down and that is what this weekend's tightening of measures is about.

She says that if there are fewer people in the population with Covid before Christmas, there is less chance of passing it on during the festive period.

If restrictions are required in January, she will set that out.

Ruth Davidson moves to the consequences of allowing a loosening of the restrictions. She asks if the first minister recognises the advice of government adviser Susan Hopkins on Wednesday. She said five days of tighter restrictions would be needed for every day they are relaxed.

Ms Sturgeon says she does not recognise this specifically.

Ruth Davidson, of the Scottish Conservatives says she is pleased at reports of four-nation discussions about Christmas. But she adds that it is only five weeks away and the public should be treated as grown-ups and allowed to know the government's thinking so they can make plans.

Ms Sturgeon says she took part in four-nations talks on Wednesday and discussed the Christmas period. She says officials have been asked to put together a "concrete proposal" to be considered and she would hopefully announce the details of this next week.

She says a four-nations agreement is what she would prefer given family patterns across the UK and she wants to "strike the right balance" between the desire to see family over the Christmas period, but to do that in a way that does not increase risk to life in the new year.

She says she is also working with the older people's strategic action forum to support older people over the winter.

Image source, Scottish government

The first minister reiterates her call to stick to the rules and guidance in their own area:

1. Government publishes levels decision, external

The Scottish government has published the protection levels that will apply in each local authority area in Scotland from 20 and 24 November, alongside evidence and analysis informing these decisions.

2. Download theProtect Scotland app, externalfrom NHS Scotland

3. Test and Protect, external

If you have Covid-19 symptoms go immediately to NHS Inform online or phone 0800 028 2816 to book a test

4. NHS Inform, external

The latest from NHS Scotland and the Scottish government, including social distancing, face covering and stay at home advice.

5. The ready.scot, external website has been updated with the latest help and advice and the helpline number remains: 0800 111 4000

6. Clear Your Head, external

It's ok to not feel yourself right now, and the Scottish government has some great tips to help get you through these difficult times.

7. BBC Scotland articles:

• Level 4 lockdown to be imposed in 11 council areas

• Is your area going into the toughest level?
• Police to enforce travel ban in level 3 and 4 areas
• What are the latest lockdown rules?

The first minister calls on people to follow all the rules and guidelines.

They can be seen in the tweet above from Scotland's National Clinical Director.

The first minister expects that the latest estimate of the R number will be very slightly below one.

That indicates the current tough measures have had an affect, she says.

Ms Sturgeon reminds us of the eleven local authorities moving into level four tomorrow from 18:00 until Friday 11 December.

The first minister explains the job of government must be to do what is necessary to save lives and protect health.