That brings our live coverage of First Minister's Questions to a close. If you're just joining us here are the key lines that emerged today:

• Douglas Ross focused on an OECD report on Scotland's skills sectors which says there are a record number of young Scots economically inactive or not in education
• The first minister was unable to give that figure, having not read the report, but he defended the Scottish government's skills policies
• Ross and Swinney then clashed over college funding
• Anas Sarwar asked how many hours have been lost to NHS staff absences last year
• The first minister argued the latest figures showed NHS staff are doing everything they can to ensure individuals' needs are met in "very difficult circumstances"
• The Scottish Labour leader argued the "NHS is not safe with the SNP"
• Swinney hit back saying Labour's continuation of austerity is the issue
• Anti-social illegal vehicles being raced in South Queensferry was raised by Alex Cole-Hamilton, who called for a national summit to tackle the blight
• The first minister agreed to have discussions with the Scottish Lib Dem leader on the issue

Thanks for joining us. Today's editor was Craig Williams. The writers were Ashleigh Keenan-Bryce and Craig Hutchison.

Image source, LOMOND BANKS

Green MSP Ross Greer asks for the Scottish government's response to the decision by Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park regarding the Flamingo Land Lomond Banks planning application.

A controversial proposal to build a holiday resort on the banks of Loch Lomond was rejected by the national park authority earlier this week.

The first minister points out the applicants have a right to appeal and it would not be appropriate to make any further comments.

Greer explains he lodged his question a few hours before the decision was made.

The Green MSP says he was delighted with the decision against this "daft mega-resort" and raises the issue of excusivity agreements, which were used to give the developers at Loch Lomond sole rights to the site during the process.

The first minister reiterates he better not say anything about the Flamingo Land development where an appeal could be pending.

In general terms he points out that exclusivity agreements can lead to the acceleration of planning developments which may be in the national interest.

Conservative MSP Tim Eagle challenges the first minister on the recent closure of the A83, Rest and Be Thankful, external due to weather.

He says in the 17 years the SNP government has been in power, it has not only neglected the A83 but also the A82, A9, and A96 roads, leaving residents "beyond frustrated".

Eagle says this shows the Scottish government "does not care about rural Scotland" and asks the first minister to confirm when works on the A83 will commence.

The first minister says the work being undertaken on the A83 is essential to ensure longevity of the route, with recent closure required after 500 tons of material came down due to weather.

Swinney says portions of the works have been concluded with others underway.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Alex Cole-Hamilton says he attended a packed meeting of South Queensferry residents last night, where they said their quality of life had been "destroyed" by hundreds of high performance illegally modified cars and motorbikes racing around the town.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader accuses the drivers of being intimidating when challenged and adds "pets have been killed, hotels have lost trade, nobody is getting any sleep".

He asks for a meeting with the FM and the establishment of a national task force to address this.

John Swinney replies his government has been focussing on road fatalities and he adds he is happy to have discussions with Alex Cole-Hamilton on this issue

Sarwar is back in rude health but worried about the state of the NHSpublished at 12:45 British Summer Time 19 September

12:45 BST 19 September

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Anas Sarwar was back in his place at FMQs after being off ill last week.

If anything that absence seems to have increased his interest in the health service, always his first port of call when it comes to question time.

He too had a figure to throw at John Swinney – hours lost to staff absence in the NHS, part of “a doom loop of delays” ultimately affecting patients.

As ever his final question was straight off the front page of a Labour election leaflet – claiming that “our NHS is not safe with the SNP”.

Mr Swinney’s response was also, as ever, a familiar one; that one cannot overlook the impact of Covid on the health services, and that the government has been flinging resources at it.

While the previous exchange leaned on his time as education secretary and finance secretary, this one touched on his spell as Covid recovery secretary. It is home turf for Mr Swinney too.

To make a very, very rough calculation there are something like 60 sitting weeks between now and May 2026; it feels like we are fated to hear this same exchange between the SNP and Labour leaders at least another 60 times.

The first minister says there are challenges within the NHS and there is not an occasion he is questioned on the subject where he will not admit this.

He adds, however, there are a "couple of realities to be wrestled with".

Swinney says a demand created by the Covid pandemic is creating a challenge NHS staff are working hard to meet while financial constraints are ongoing.

He cites examples of recent pay increases in the NHS, allowing the avoidance of industrial action.

The first minister says the continuation of austerity is the issue, which he says Sarwar assured him during the election campaign would not be the case under Labour.

Swinney says if he wants to help the situation, he should address this with the UK government as "all roads lead back to Westminster".

Anas Sarwar says the first minister's answer is "simply not good enough".

He says a "doom-loop of delays" has been created where everyone loses out.

"The truth is, our NHS is not safe with the SNP," Sarwar says.

"And no amount of warm words will cut it. The record shows, they can't be trusted."

Sarwar asks the first minister why NHS staff and patients are paying the price for SNP government "neglect".

The first minister says he very much regrets the example Sarwar has outlined.

Swinney says the government has expanded staff resources within the NHS over a number of years, citing examples in nursing and midwifery and medical and dental care.

He says one of the key interventions of the Scottish government has been ensuring the maximisation of the number of staff available, despite challenges presented in part as a result of the pandemic.

Anas Sarwar says the facts are NHS waiting lists are getting longer, not shorter, and the “answer” the first minister was looking for on hours lost to NHS staff absence is 15.3m hours.

“15.3 million working hours in a single year, lost in the midst of an NHS crisis,” he says

“That is the equivalent of 640,000 days lost in our NHS when one in six Scots are on an NHS waiting list.”

The Scottish Labour leader cites the example of a dental nurse, Karen Campbell, who after 25 years has “been forced” to quit after waiting years for surgery.

He asks the first minister if he can explain why an NHS dental nurse is being forced to quit while waiting for treatment.

The first minister says he would be the first to accept the NHS is facing challenges – partly as a consequence of the pandemic.

Swinney says he can confirm recent figures show an increase in inpatient and day-care activity, outpatient activity and an increase in surgery capacity.

He adds: “We’re treating more patients with cancer on time within the 62 day standard, 3% more than the same quarter a year ago, and 12.8% compared to ten years ago.”

The first minister says this shows the NHS and NHS staff are doing everything they can to ensure individuals' needs in "very difficult circumstances" are met.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar begins his questions to the first minister on NHS waiting numbers.

He says one in six Scots are on a waiting list, almost 5,000 children are waiting for mental health treatment, there are dental waits of over three years and cuts of 1,100 nursing jobs since the start of 2024.

Sarwar says NHS staff have been “left at breaking point” and asks the first minister how many hours have been lost to NHS staff absence last year.

Ross pivots to the "underfunding" of Scotland's colleges as highlighted by Audit Scotland and he asks how the FM will now do better than when he was education secretary.

The first minister replies the government is supporting the college sector with £750m of investment in the current financial year.

He says Ross wanted him to follow the "budget of Liz Truss" and now he wants more money for colleges and he will listen to the "absolute, abject, economic failure" of the Scottish Tory leader.

The first minister unsurprisingly disagrees with Douglas Ross and says the Young Person's Guarantee was a "tremendously good idea" brought forward in Edinburgh.

It was then rolled out across the country, he says.

Swinney says the latest figures show there was a fall in economic inactivity and an increase in economic participation.

Ross says he is certain now the FM has not read the OECD report on skills which he reiterates was "damning".

The Scottish Conservative leader says he is not satisfied that Swinney cannot answer a simple question.

Answering his own question, Ross says it is 52,700 young Scots economically inactive or not in education.

That is one in ten of 16 to 24-year-olds which is the highest number ever on record, he says.

"This complacent government thinks that the job is done.

"Isn't it the case that the Young Person's Guarantee is yet another broken SNP promise."

Workmanlike effort from departing Tory leaderpublished at 12:18 British Summer Time 19 September

12:18 BST 19 September

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

This was Douglas Ross’s penultimate outing at FMQs at Scottish Tory leader, with his successor to be announced next Friday.

It was a workmanlike if unspectacular effort from Mr Ross, who had brought along a mildly critical report to brandish at John Swinney.

The fact the first minister apparently hadn’t read it – and didn’t have another relevant figure to hand, in a rare failure of the big binder of background briefing – was really what made Mr Ross’s afternoon.

Whoever succeeds him will doubtless take a similar approach to questioning Mr Swinney; chipping away at the issues of the day, but linking them back to the first minister’s lengthy record in government.

Equally, Mr Swinney’s response to whoever leads the Tories will likely be the same – highlighting the “abject economic failure” of the party’s time in power at Westminster, and its impact on Holyrood.

The first minister does not have that figure to hand but says there are plenty of opportunities for young people to develop their skills.

Swinney points to the work of colleges and universities where there are a record number of young people from deprived backgrounds taking part in higher education.

The Scottish Tory leader hits back, saying the SNP pledged a Young Person's Guarantee that would ensure everyone between 16 and 24 years-old would have the opportunity for education, training or a job.

Douglas Ross asks how many young people in Scotland are economically inactive or not in education.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

John Swinney replies that he does not agree with that but pledges his government will look closely at the OECD report.

The first minister highlights the work of Skills Development Scotland (SDS).

He adds young people are involved in record "positive destinations" as a consequence of their work with SDS.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

The Scottish Tory leader begins by referring to the SNP's skills strategy saying 17 years of the government's record in the area is available.

Ross says an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report published this week says there were "multiple barriers to developing skills in Scotland".

He says the report is "damning" and it states the links between skills policies and economic develepment is "weak".

Does the first minister agree?

John Swinney is poised ready in his front row seat for FMQs and Douglas Ross gets to his feet to begin this week's proceedings.