SENIOR MSPs have postponed a "robust" two-hour session that would have seen Nicola Sturgeon quizzed amid Holyrood's new Covid rules.
The First Minister was due to face the conveners of Holyrood's committees on Wednesday when she was expected to be asked about the pandemic, a second independence referendum, the NHS, the Scottish budget and climate change.
It would have been the first time since since the May election that she would have taken questions from the conveners' group.
However, the body has now decided to postpone the session as it would have had to hold the hearing remotely under new restrictions for Holyrood issued last week in a bid to reduce the number of people in the Scottish Parliament building.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in front of Holyrood's conveners group in 2018. Photo: Gordon Terris
A statement issued to the press by the Scottish Parliament tonight said: "Due to the decision by the Scottish Parliament Corporate Body to move Committee meetings to a virtual format, the Conveners Group has decided to postpone Wednesday’s session with the First Minister.
"Instead, the Conveners Group has determined that they would prefer to question the First Minister in person and will look to reschedule the meeting at a time when it can go ahead safely."
No new date for the meeting has been arranged.
Typically, the First Minister gives evidence to the group twice per year but, due to the pandemic, she last spoke to the group in November 2019.
READ MORE: Omicron: Scottish Parliament brings in new Covid rules for MSPs
Announcing the session last week, deputy presiding officer Liam McArthur, who chairs the group, said: “This session will allow conveners collectively to raise cross-cutting matters of real concern such as climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic with Nicola Sturgeon.
“As such it is a welcome addition to the various ways in which the parliament carries out its role. I expect there will be robust questioning and some spirited debate.”
All 16 committee conveners were invited to quiz the First Minister.
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