The Scottish Conservative leader turns to one of "Scotland's greatest miscarriages of justice" which he says is the case of George Beattie, who he argues could not have murdered Margaret McLaughlin.

Findlay says Beattie fears going to his grave as a murderer and he calls on Swinney to "right this egregious wrong".

The FM says the Scottish Sentencing Council acts independently of government to ensure the justice system is fair.

Swinney adds that Beattie's case can be explored by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission,

Swinney says the attack on Keith Rollinson was "unspeakable" but he reminds Findlay that as first minister he must stay out of decisions about independent prosecutions.

The FM goes on to highlight the importance of the independence of the judiciary.

Image source, Police Scotland

The teenage boy who admitted killing a bus driver by headbutting and "raining punches" on him was sentenced to four years and four months in custody earlier this year.

Keith Rollinson, 58, died of a cardiac arrest in hospital following the incident at the bus station in Elgin's St Giles Road area in February.

The 16-year-old boy, who was 15 at the time, was originally charged with murder but admitted the lesser charge of culpable homicide.

The attack took place after Mr Rollinson had refused to let the teenager on board the bus because he was too drunk.

Read more here.

Findlay now turns to the case of bus driver Keith Rollinson, who was subjected to a frenzied attack by a teenager and later died in hospital.

The killer received a sentence of just over four years, he explains, after a plea deal led to a charge of culpable homicide.

Findlay says Keith Rollinson's widow Sue told him "the justice system keeps twisting a knife in my back" and he calls on the FM to scrap the sentencing guidelines.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

The first minister says he also wants to ensure justice is done for victims.

Swinney highlights the proposed Victims and Witnesses Bill which he says will "strengthen the experience of victims" and he pledges to look at Findlay's amendments.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Conservative leader's first question focuses on plea deals in court cases.

Russell Findlay says this can lead to serious charges being watered down or dropped altogether.

He says he has been working with a group of female domestic abuse survivors, including Liz Shanks, who suffered from these "secretive plea deals".

Findlay highlights his amendments to the government's Victims Bill to give them a voice in the process.

He asks if John Swinney will work with him to back these "critical amendments".

John Swinney is sitting in the front row poised for the last FMQs of 2024 and Russell Findlay gets to his feet to ask his first question.

Festive cheer at FMQs? Don't hold your breathpublished at 11:54 Greenwich Mean Time 19 December

11:54 GMT 19 December

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Will we be in for some festive cheer at the final FMQs of 2024?

There will doubtless be a pun or two, and a selection box of tricky topics to be thrown up by opposition leaders.

But it is also a moment to reflect on another typically bonkers year in Scottish politics.

John Swinney started the year as a humble backbencher, pondering whether to stand down in 2026.

Instead, it's Humza Yousaf who has announced he’s heading for the hills, while Mr Swinney is gearing himself up for an election contest where he’ll stand to be first minister until 2031.

The SNP leader is in bullish mood. Despite an electoral hiding in July, he feels he has started to turn the ship around, particularly off the back of a momentum-shifting budget.

Scottish Labour, meanwhile, are pondering how to respond. Anas Sarwar’s party spent much of the year in the ascendency, but find themselves on the back foot over the two-child cap and a host of other complaints about Sir Keir Starmer’s fledging government.

The Conservatives are reshaping themselves in opposition at Holyrood and Westminster, with Russell Findlay having stepped in after Douglas Ross self-destructed with a Yousaf-esque misjudgement.

Never mind some cheer for the new year of 2025, all three leaders already have their eye on 2026, and will continue workshopping their attack lines for the looming Holyrood election.

There has been little sign of festive cheer this week, with the political jousting carrying on with vigour at both Holyrood and Westminster.

One story has dominated: the UK government's decision not to compensate the Women Against State Pension Inequality (Waspi).

Sir Keir Starmer said the Treasury couldn't afford to pay out compensation, but Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar disagreed.

First Minister John Swinney said the UK government's decision was a "serious embarrassment" for Scottish Labour and he no will no doubt seek to give the issue an airing at FMQs.

In a busy week at Holyrood, MSPs voted in favour of plans to ban so-called dual mandates, barring them from sitting as MPs or members of the House of Lords.

And it was revealed Scottish government ministers and staff are to be banned from using WhatsApp for official business.

Image source, PA

Welcome to our live coverage of the final FMQs of 2024.

John Swinney will face questions from Russell Findlay, Anas Sarwar and Patrick Harvie this week.

As ever we'll bring you reports, background posts and analysis from our political correspondents.

You can watch events from the Holyrood chamber from 12:00 by clicking on the Watch Live icon at the top of the page.