Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie welcomes the first minister's announcement but asks if she can be clearer about the data that is driving the Scottish government's decisions.

Ms Sturgeon says people want clarity on the timeline but adds any progress is predicated on the data "going in the right direction".

She adds: "If the data starts to go wildly in the wrong direction then, clearly, all bets are off and that is why it is so important on all of us to continue to convey those messages of discipline and to stick with it for a little bit longer."

The first minister tells MSPs she wants to move Scotland down from Level 4 as one country.

She adds it would be "risky" to lift the travel restrictions sooner until more people have been vaccinated.

The new Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar says it is vital to ensure that as restrictions are lifted infection rates don't rise with them.

He says last week almost 420,000 "gold standard PCR tests went unused".

Mr Sarwar asks if the first minister will commit to using them in schools and workplaces as restrictions ease.

Ms Sturgeon says making sure this is the last lockdown requires "careful, cautious and sensible decisions".

She adds lateral flow tests are being used as PCR tests take longer to get results and it has been prioritised for people with symptoms.

The first minister adds: "We are using testing in many more settings than was used previously."

Image source, Getty Images

Ms Sturgeon says, in terms of easing Covid restrictions, she has tried to take "balanced decisions that put the overall safety of the country first".

The first minister says opening up public services is a priority.

She explains schools have been at the top of the list and getting the NHS back operating normally is a real focus, but that means opening up other parts of the economy must be done cautiously.

The first minister says "significant investment in justice" has meant "creative and innovative ways were found to keep court hearings and trials going".

"I hope to see gyms open on the 26th of April for individual exercise," adds the first minister.

Group exercise has been allowed since last week, which is particularly important for women.

Conservative group leader Ruth Davidson says today's update has given some clarity as to when some sectors can reopen.

"Frankly it is clarity they were calling for and expecting three weeks ago," adds Ms Davidson.

She says there is a huge job to get public services back on line, whether it be NHS testing and treatment, the backlog of court cases or support services for those with special needs.

Ms Davidson says last week was a particularly tough week for women, with "the disappearance of Sarah Everard and the discovery of her body shocking us all".

She says a number of women feel "their horizons have narrowed during Covid" and basic pursuits in the evening simply isn't an option for them.

Ms Davidson calls for the reopening of "well lit and well supervised safe exercise spaces like gyms".

She also calls for an increase in the number of high court sittings.

The first minister says the current position is "certainly the most hopeful I have felt about the situation for a long time".

But she sounds a note of caution and warns "the route back to normality does depend on continued suppression”.

Ms Sturgeon says hundreds of people are still getting this virus every day and last week more than 200 people were admitted to hospital with the virus.

She adds it is “still dangerous" and "is now even more infectious”.

The first minister says the steps she has outlined “give a significant degree of clarity for the period between now and mid May”.

The first minister confirms that on 22 March recipients of support under the Strategic Business Framework Fund will receive a final four-week payment.

There will be no new claims allowed after that date.

And then on 19 April, recipients will receive a combined final payment comprising a further two weeks closure support and a one off restart grant.

For eligible retail businesses this will mean a payment on 19 April of up to £7,500 and for eligible hospitality and leisure businesses, a payment of up to £19,500.

The first minister says that from 26 April, people on the shielding list can return to work; while children and young people on the shielding list can return to school or nursery; and students on the shielding list can return to college or university.

She confirms that Scotland's chief medical officer will write this week to everyone on the shielding list to provide more detailed advice.

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister says that from 26 April, restrictions on journeys within mainland Scotland will be "lifted entirely."

The government will discuss with island communities how best to prevent the importation of new cases, particularly if restrictions on socialising and hospitality are relaxed more quickly there.

Ms Sturgeon tells the chamber: "We hope that restrictions on journeys between Scotland and other parts of the UK and the wider common travel area can also be lifted, if not on 26 April, then as soon as possible thereafter."

Ms Sturgeon says non-essential international travel will not be achievable before 17 May, as efforts to protect against new variants continue.

She warns it may well not be possible for a further period after that.

Jamie McIvor
BBC Scotland News Correspondent

Image source, PA Media

The vaccination programme in Scotland appears to be stepping up pace, in line with the Scottish government’s forecasts.

A further 34,516 people have received their first dose in the latest 24 hour period and 8,947 got their second.

This means 1,943,507 people have now had their first jab – 42.8% of the adult population.

The Scottish government had said as many as 400,000 doses a week could be provided by this week.

The figures also show how much progress is being made reaching particular age groups.

59% of people aged 60-64 have had at least one dose along with 41.5% of people between 55 and 59 and 33.7% of those between 50 and 54.

The target is to reach all those over 50, unpaid carers and those with underlying health conditions by mid April.

There have been reports in the UK media that it may be possible to complete vaccinating these groups before this target but neither the Scottish or UK governments have confirmed these claims.

Image source, Getty Images

The first minister says the vaccination programme should reach an "important milestone" by the middle of April with all nine of the JCVI priority groups offered a first dose.

Those nine groups include everyone over the age of 50 and all adults with particular underlying health conditions.

"Reaching that milestone - and also taking account of the fact that it takes a couple of weeks for protection from the vaccine to kick in - it will give us confidence to ease restrictions much more significantly from 26 April."

"On that date, we expect all parts of Scotland currently in level 4 to move down to a modified level 3."

The island communities currently in level 3 will have the option to move at that stage to level 2.

The ambition is that from early June, all of Scotland will move to level 1 - which will allow for a further easing of restrictions.

• Up to six people from up to three households can socialise indoors in a home or public place
• Up to eight people from three households can socialise outdoors
• Eight 12-17 year olds can meet socially from eight households outdoors
• Hospitality can remain open until 11pm
• Attendance at events can increase numbers subject to capacity constraints

People will continue to be able to meet up outdoors, including in private gardens, in groups of no more than four from two households.

The first minister outlines further changes from the 5th of April:

• sports for 12 to 17-year-olds are expected to resume
• more students – particularly in further education - will be allowed to return to on-campus learning
• the phased re-opening of non essential retail on 5 April.
• click and collect retail services will be permitted to reopen
• homeware stores, and car showrooms and forecourts will reopen
• garden centres will also be able to reopen on 5 April
• it's expected hairdresser and barber salons to reopen for appointments on 5 April

Ms Sturgeon tells the chamber: "These changes will, I hope, make a real difference."

Up to four people from two household can socialise indoors in a private home or public space from 17 May.

Hospitality venues can open until 10:30 pm indoors (alcohol permitted, 2-hour dwell time) and 10:00 pm outdoors (alcohol permitted)

Outdoor adult contact sport and indoor group exercise can restart.

Cinemas, amusement arcades, and bingo halls can open.

Small-scale outdoor and indoor events can resume subject to capacity constraints.

Image source, Getty Images

Cafés, restaurants and bars will be able to serve people outdoors – in groups of up to six from three households - until 10pm from 26 April.

Alcohol will be permitted, and there will be no requirement for food to be served.

There could be limited indoor opening of hospitality from 26 April too.

This will be limited initially to the service of food and non-alcoholic drinks until 8pm, and for groups of up to four people from no more than 2 households.

All remaining retail premises are expected to re-open on 26 April.

All tourist accommodation will be able to re-open, subject to any restrictions.

Libraries, museums and galleries will also reopen from 26 April.

Indoor gyms will also reopen for individual exercise on that date.

The first minister says the positive news around the vaccination programme gives her more confidence about mapping a path out of lockdown, with a firmer indicative timeline for lifting restrictions.

Ms Sturgeon tells the chamber: "I can confirm, firstly, that we expect to lift the current ‘stay at home’ rule on 2 April."

She says she hopes it will be replaced, hopefully for no more than three weeks, by guidance to stay local - in other words, not to travel outside your own local authority area unless for an essential purpose.

On 26 April, parts of Scotland in level 4 are expected to move to level 3.

And restrictions on journeys within mainland Scotland are expected to be lifted entirely.

It is hoped restrictions on journeys between Scotland and other parts of the UK can also be lifted, if not on 26 April, then as soon as possible thereafter.