Last week, Archbishop Philip Tartaglia - who replaced the cardinal in the Archdiocese of Edinburgh and St Andrews after his resignation - said the Church had been accused of hypocrisy "for obvious reasons".

BBC: Catholic Church in Scotland 'lacks support on sexuality'

Prof John Haldane, who is a professor of philosophy at St Andrews University and papal adviser to the Vatican, told a special Newsnight Scotland debating panel that the church only learned of the allegations nine days ago.

BBC: Scotland