Scotland’s Catholic bishops have welcomed the prospect of a meeting with Pope Francis when he attends the COP26 Conference in Glasgow in November.

A spokesman for the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland said: “Scotland’s bishops express their prayerful support for Pope Francis as he recovers from his recent surgery.

"Having written to the Holy Father to assure him of a warm welcome, should he attend the Conference, they are delighted to hear that he does hope to attend and would be glad to meet with them in Glasgow.”

The spokesman added: “The Pope will be in Scotland for a very short time, most of which will be spent participating in the COP26 Conference.

"While many pastoral, ecumenical and interfaith gatherings would be desirable while he is with us, time constraints sadly mean such a full programme will not be possible.”

COP26 is the UN Climate Change Conference. Read 'COP26 Explained' here.