Image source, Scottish Parliament/Andrew Cowan/ BBC

Nicola Sturgeon will now resume the 'Scotland's Choice' debate, which was suspended last Wednesday as a mark of respect following the terror attack on Westminster.

The Scottish Parliament is expected to pass a vote in favour of seeking a new Scottish independence referendum - which Ms Sturgeon wants to hold in autumn 2018 or spring 2019.  

The first minister has said that a second referendum should be held ahead of the UK's EU departure to give the people of Scotland a choice between what she calls a "hard Brexit" and becoming an independent country.

But Prime Minister Theresa May has warned that a second referendum will make the UK "looser and weaker".

Economy Secretary Keith Brown says adverse weather conditions have had an impact on the estimated completion date.

Mr Brown says he expects a report on the date this evening and will give more detail to Holyrood tomorrow morning.

The economy secretary says this is a 120-year lifespan product and it is very important to get it right and to do it safely.

Image source, bbc

According to the Sunday Post , external the opening of the new Queensferry Crossing has again been delayed due to poor weather.

The paper reported that Ministers are expected to confirm as early as this week that the revised target of having traffic on the bridge by May has slipped.

The £1.3 billion crossing was originally meant to be open by December last year.

The paper says high winds have hampered efforts to complete the biggest construction project in Scottish history.

In January Engineers said the timetable for having the bridge open at the end of May was "realistic".

But project leaders insisted there was a lot of work still to be done, with the weather capable of disrupting plans.

Image source, PA

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser ask the Scottish government  what its response is to reports that the Queensferry Crossing will not be ready by the revised completion date of the end of May.

Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald says the view in Brussells is that it will be at least early to mid-2020s before a Brexit agreement is made.

Mr Macdonald asks if it is not wrong to trust Theresa May on the timetable.

Mr Russell says the first minister has insisted that the timetable is up for negotiation.

Image source, bbc

Conservative MSP Adam Tomkins asks what the minister is moaning about.

Mr Russell hopes, in time Mr Tomkins, will reflect on his attitude in this debate.

Mr Russell says it is "absolutely astonishing" that no reassurance has been given to EU nationals here or Scots in Europe.

Image source, bbc

Brexit Minister Mike Russell says the first minister met with the prime minister yesterday.

Mr Russell says a range of subjects were discussed but there is no detail.

He says the date of the triggering Article 50 was set without consulting the devolved nations.

Image source, Reuters

The prime minister has met Scotland's first minister in a Glasgow hotel as she prepares to formally trigger Article 50.

Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon held talks for about an hour during the prime minister's trip to Scotland.

Ms Sturgeon said the talks were cordial but she was "frustrated by a process that appears not to be listening".

The prime minister had earlier repeated her opposition to an independence referendum during the Brexit process.

The Scottish Parliament is expected to back Ms Sturgeon's call for a referendum later today.

• What is Article 50?
• Do voters want a second referendum?
• All you need to know about Brexit

• What is Article 50?
• Do voters want a second referendum?
• All you need to know about Brexit
• Brexit deal must meet six tests, says Labour

SNP MSP Christina McKelvie asks the Scottish government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with the UK government ahead of the triggering of Article 50.    

MSPs will raise questions about the triggering of Article 50 and the Queensferry Crossing

MSPs are set to back First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's call for a second independence referendum at decision time, following this afternoon's debate.

The government's Scotland's Choice debate which was  cut short in the wake of a terror attack  at Westminster.

Ms Sturgeon's motion asks MSPs to back her in approaching the UK government for permission to hold a referendum.

Image source, bbc

The Greens are expected to support the SNP in the final vote at 17:00, which should see the motion pass.

However, the UK government has indicated it will  reject calls for a new vote  in the immediate future, with Prime Minister Theresa May saying "now is not the time" to discuss a referendum.

If the vote passes, Scottish Brexit minister Mike Russell told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme that a letter would be sent to the UK government which will "lay out how we intend to fulfil the mandate of the Scottish Parliament"

Here's some pictorial highlights from the debate last Tuesday, courtesy of the Scottish Parliament's photographer Andrew Cowan.  

Image source, Andrew Cowan

Image source, Andrew Cowan

Image source, Andrew Cowan

Image source, Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament