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Nicola Sturgeon to hold 'virtual' question session with MSPs Coronavirus deaths in Scotland rise by 81 to 447
(about 2 hours later)
Nicola Sturgeon is to hold a "virtual" question session with opposition politicians over a live video stream. A further 81 people in Scotland have died after contracting coronavirus, bringing the latest total to 447.
Sittings at Holyrood have been cut back due to the coronavirus lockdown, and the parliament is currently in recess. Nicola Sturgeon said 4,957 people had now tested positive for the virus, up from 4,565 on Wednesday.
However the first minister will still face questions on the government's handling of the crisis after officials set up a new "virtual working" system. The first minister stressed these figures would be an under-estimate, and expressed condolences to the families of those who had died.
She also said there are 1,781 patients in Scotland's hospitals with Covid-19, 212 of whom are in intensive care.
The daily figures announced by Ms Sturgeon reflect deaths in hospitals where patients have tested positive for the virus.
Wider figures including other settings like care homes and cases where coronavirus was a suspected or presumed cause of death are released weekly, on Wednesdays.
Today, the first minister's daily press conference has been replaced by a question session with opposition politicians, hosted over a live video stream.
Sittings at Holyrood have been cut back due to the coronavirus lockdown and the parliament is currently in recess, but party leaders are able to question Ms Sturgeon on the government's handling of the crisis over a new "virtual working" system.
Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh said it was "crucial" that MSPs were able to scrutinise ministers during lockdown.Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh said it was "crucial" that MSPs were able to scrutinise ministers during lockdown.
Thursday's session will only feature opposition party leaders, but Mr Macintosh said this could be expanded to include backbenchers in future weeks. Thursday's session will only feature party leaders, but Mr Macintosh said this could be expanded to include backbenchers in future weeks.
The politicians will dial in to the session from home, with Ms Sturgeon answering questions from St Andrews House, and it will be broadcast on television and streamed online.
The session - which will take the place of Ms Sturgeon's daily press conference - will technically not constitute a meeting of parliament, with Holyrood officially in recess until 21 April.
Mr Macintosh said "very encouraging" process had been made in testing "a range of options for virtual working" at Holyrood, which could "strike a balance between enabling the crucial scrutiny of the government's response to the Covid-19 outbreak while protecting the safety of members and staff".
He also said consideration was being given to setting up a special committee to focus specifically on the crisis and the government's response to it.