Ms Sturgeon had invited Mr Johnson to her official residence Bute House to talk about recovering from the Covid pandemic. But Mr Johnson has responded he will hold a meeting with other first ministers at a different date instead. In a letter to Ms Sturgeon, Mr Johnson wrote: "The UK Government is working closely with the devolved Scottish government on a variety of different issues.

       "I look forward to meeting with you soon and working together in the interests of people in all parts of our country."

       It comes after Ms Sturgeon shared a letter she had sent to Mr Johnson to invite him to their proposed meeting.

       She added it would be "their first opportunity to meet in person for a while".

       She posted the letter on Twitter with the caption: "I understand the Prime Minister will visit Scotland later this week.

       "Since this would be our first opportunity to meet in person for a while, I’ve invited him to Bute House to discuss Covid/recovery.

       "We differ politically, but our governments must work together where we can."

       But Mr Johnson responded in his letter: "I am keen to arrange an in-person meeting with you and the other first ministers and deputy first minister to build on the constructive discussions we had earlier this summer.

       "We agreed then that we should establish a structured forum for ongoing engagement between the government and the devolved administrations to deliver tangible outcomes in the interests of people throughout the UK."

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       The visit this week will be the first time Mr Johnson has been to Scotland since January, when he visited a Lighthouse Laboratory, despite Ms Sturgeon calling the trip “non-essential”.

       Last week, Chancellor Rishi Sunak also visited Scotland to discuss Scottish tourism figures and the UK Government’s “Scottish plan for jobs”.

       Mr Johnson may have wanted to avoid questions about another independence referendum as Westminster has repeatedly rejected requests from the Scottish Government to hold another vote.

       However, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said at the weekend that the UK Government would not stop another vote on Scottish independence if it is the “settled will” of voters.

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       Mr Gove told the Sunday Mail: “The principle that the people of Scotland, in the right circumstances, can ask that question again is there.

       “I just don’t think that it is right, and the public don’t think it is right, to ask that question at the moment.

       “If it is the case that there is clearly a settled will in favour of a referendum, then one will occur.”

       The most recent survey by Panelbase for the Sunday Times found 48 percent of the 1,287 voters supported leaving the UK.

       The devolved Scottish government has control over its health policy, but the JCVI gives advice for the United Kingdom's four nations on the rollout of vaccines.

       Ms Sturgeon told the Scottish parliament: "We are hoping to get updated advice from the JCVI over the next day or so.

       "I am hoping it will recommend going further on the vaccination of young people.

       "I am particularly concerned if possible to get vaccination to 16 and 17 year olds ... we stand ready to implement that as quickly as possible."