Nicola Sturgeon has apologised for deleting Covid-related WhatsApp messages, after telling the inquiry that she was not aware that she should have kept them.

Giving evidence to the counsel in Edinburgh today, she said: "I apologise if that answer was not as clear, but I also want to be very clear and give the inquiry a personal assurance that I am certain that the inquiry has at its disposable anything and everything germane to my decision-making during the process and the time period of the pandemic, and the factors underpinning those decisions."

She also said that she did not recall ever being told about the importance of retaining material related to Covid ahead of the inquiry.

On August 3 2021, an email was sent around by Lesley Fraser and Kenneth Thomson, stressing the importance keeping messages related to Covid.

Sturgeon was asked by senior counsel to the inquiry, Jamie Dawson, if she recalled receiving that email, to which she said she did not, stating: "I do not as far as I am aware, I did not receive that."

Dawson then asked: “You recall, I would imagine, in a general sense that such a notification was sent out?”

Sturgeon replied: "I would say this: that I don’t think I would have required to see that to know that matters that were relevant to know the matters that were relevant."