NICOLA Sturgeon hit out at Douglas Ross over his party's "infantile" opposition politics during a row over vaccine passports. 

The exchange came in the first FMQs of the parliamentary term, with the First Minister taking the Tory leader to task early in the session.

Ross had initially asked if the Scottish Government's ministerial team agreed with the implementation of covid vaccine certification, to which Nicola Sturgeon said that it was for Parliament to decide on the policy.

A debate on whether or not the will be introduced is scheduled for Parliament next week. 

READ MORE: Covid in Scotland: Vaccine passports dependant on length of crisis

Ross said: "The First Minister refused to say if they agreed at the time of her announcement if they supported vaccine passports, it seems the coalition of chaos which the First Minister described as a leap of faith earlier on this week is already a leap into the dark for the greens.

"But they’re not the only people in Scotland who have no idea how vaccine passports are going to work.

"Hospitality groups say the lack of engagement is extremely concerning. Scottish Football clubs have warned the SNP’s plans are completely unworkable. Industry groups need answers about this scheme before her government introduces it, why haven’t they had that chance?"

The First Minister said: "Firstly, perhaps Douglas Ross should first and foremost concentrate on what his view on vaccine certification is, whether he supports it, opposes it or whether he’s going to continue simply to engage in the infantile opposition which characterises so much of the conservatives response to Covid.

"This is a global pandemic, it demands of politicians, particularly those in government really tough decisions and we’ve all got a responsibility to live up to that. 

"Secondly on the detail, we will, before we bring the proposal to parliament, for parliament to debate and decide through a vote on whether we go ahead with this, the detail of how a scheme will work.

"But can I say to Douglas Ross if I had stood here yesterday or even today and announced as a fait accompli exactly how every single aspect of this was going to operate, Douglas Ross would be here today criticising me for taking for granted the views of parliament and not giving parliament its proper place.

"So we will do this properly, we will do this in the way that people have a right to expect of their government."

More to follow