If you're just joining us, here are the key lines that emerged from today's FMQs.

• All three opposition party leaders focused on the NHS and the worst cancer waiting times on record
• Russell Findlay asked if the FM accepted that this was unacceptable and went on to criticise Health Secretary Neil Gray's trip to Japan this week
• John Swinney expressed his regret that the target times were not being met and insisted that improving care was "at the heart of the government's plans"
• Anas Sarwar asked if Swinney was the "captain of the Titanic" as he rattled off statistics on cancer care, sexual crimes and housing and accused the SNP of destroying the NHS
• The FM defended his government's record on all the issues raised and pointed out Labour had not backed his budget
• Alex Cole-Hamilton also focused on cancer waiting times, saying the FM's reassurances would be "cold comfort" to those waiting for treatment
• Swinney accepted targets were not being sufficiently met and stressed his government's move to "intervention and detection", adding that he takes the issue very seriously

That's all from the live page team today thank you for joining us. Catherine Lyst was the editor. Paul Hastie and Craig Hutchison were the writers.

Tory MSP Jackson Carlaw raises the death last year of Prof Alison Britton, who reviewed the case records of women who had trans vaginal mesh implant surgery.

He asks the FM to revisit the two reports she produced and her recommendations to the Scottish government, which were accepted but have not yet been fully implemented.

He also asks Swinney to work with the UK government on compensation for “women who suffered the mesh injustice” who have waited far too long.

Swinney says he will “take forward those points” and recognises professor Britton’s “distinguished leadership” in this area before her death.

How will Starmer's welfare reforms affect Scots?published at 12:50 British Summer Time 26 June

12:50 BST 26 June

Angus Cochrane
BBC Scotland News

The UK government’s welfare reforms have come up at FMQs, but how would Sir Keir Starmer’s proposed changes affect Scots?

Labour ministers’ plan to impose stricter assessments on Personal Independence Payment (Pip) would not directly affect claimants north of the border. This is because Pip is being phased out in Scotland and replaced by the devolved Adult Disability Payment.

However, any reduction on spending on the benefit by the Treasury would have a knock-on effect on the Scottish government's budget.

Universal Credit (UC), meanwhile, is a reserved benefit paid by the UK government to Scottish claimants.

That means any proposed reforms – such as restrictions on a top-up for claimants who are unable to work, or an increase in the basic rate – would apply directly to claimants north of the border.

The UK government has also said the work capability assessment, used to assess UC claimants, is to be fully scrapped by 2028.

Instead, the UK system will rely on an assessment used for Pip.

SNP MSP Marie McNair asks what assessment the Scottish government has made of the latest Office for National Statistics inflation statistics and any implications for its work to support low-income households.

The first minister says the latest figures show annual CPI inflation at 3.4% in May.

"We're acutely aware of pressure on household budgets across Scotland," he adds.

McNair says the cost-of-living crisis, fuelled by Labour's obsession with austerity, is still hurting families.

The FM, not surprisingly, agrees and he details the efforts his government has taken to address the crisis.

He says raising the two-child cap should have been the first thing Labour did and he says Anas Sarwar is backing the benefit cuts being proposed by the UK government.

More than a quarter of Scottish Labour MPs have joined a rebellion against UK government's controversial welfare reforms.

Health service will be a big political issue in run-up to electionpublished at 12:42 British Summer Time 26 June

12:42 BST 26 June

David Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent

From cancer times to more local issues, the health service has been a frequent topic in this session of FMQs.

This probably tells you a lot about how the next election in Scotland will look – this will be a big political issue in the run-up to polling day.

And we can expect that much of John Swinney’s remaining (guaranteed) time as first minister will be spent focusing on this area.

Tory Highlands and Islands MSP Tim Eagle asks the FM about several local authorities delaying the introduction of a visitor levy - also known as the “tourist tax”.

He says it is causing a "crisis" for many hospitality businesses and many councils are abandoning plans.

The FM says it is “entirely appropriate” for councils to make the decision themselves and it is “local democracy in action”.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton also asks Swinney about cancer waiting times.

He says when cancer is coming, “you deserve the best possible chance of survival” but under the SNP government this is not happening.

He says the FM’s reassurances will be “cold comfort” to those waiting for treatment and says Scotland is years behind NHS England’s screening programmes.

Swinney says he accepts that targets are not being sufficiently met around the country and does not dispute the points at this session of FMQs.

But he says government health policy is moving more towards early “intervention and detection” and says he hopes his responses today demonstrate that he takes the issue very seriously.

"This is a failing first minister in a failing SNP government," hits back Sarwar.

Like Findlay, he points out that the health secretary is in Japan when the NHS is in crisis.

The FM says the government is doing all it possibly can to ensure that services meet the needs of individuals.

The FM defends his government's record on the NHS.

"We've put in place a record financial settlement for the NHS which Labour could not bring itself to vote for," he says.

In April 2024 the SNP promised 64,000 more appointments by the end of March 2025 and the government exceeded that target, delivering 105,500 additional procedures, he explains.

"We will focus on meeting the needs of the people of Scotland," Swinney adds.

Swinney hits back with his own barragepublished at 12:29 British Summer Time 26 June

12:29 BST 26 June

David Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent

The Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar seems to be going for a big picture approach.

He's highlighted several areas where he feels the government is failing, before narrowing in on his favoured topic - health.

But statistics are an area where John Swinney can be quite comfortable, and he's hitting back with his own barrage that paint his government in a better light.

The Scottish Labour leader says "John Swinney and the SNP aren't working".

"Our NHS is fighting for survival," Sarwar adds.

He raises the case of a patient who has waited 76 weeks for hip and knee surgery despite crippling osteoarthritis.

He details further cases of poor NHS treatment and then quotes Dr Iain Kennedy of the BMA who said the "NHS is dying before our eyes".

"Isn't this a damning indictment of John Swinney and the SNP who are destroying our NHS," he asks.

Why aren't the cancer stats more encouraging?published at 12:24 British Summer Time 26 June

12:24 BST 26 June

David Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent

John Swinney pointed out the NHS was getting record funding. And he's right.

When you look at the Scottish government's spending, health and social care is far and away the area that gets the most cash - over £20bn next year.

But this obviously begs the question: why the stats don't look more encouraging? Record funding doesn't seem to be delivering record outcomes.

The first minister highlights areas of success – such as better stats for NHS Lanarkshire. But with an election looming, Scottish ministers will certainly be hoping that indicators like this start to improve before voters go to the polls.

Swinney concedes that Sarwar raises a number of important issues.

The first minister prepares to answer all the points raised by the Scottish Labour leader and begins with housing saying there has been a significant increase in housing investment.

He moves on to say 97% of patients are discharged from hospital without any delay and delayed discharge is falling.

The FM says recorded crime is broadly stable and on cancer treatment waiting times the government is focused on improving them and reducing the waits individuals have.

"This government is absolutely focused on the priorities of the people of Scotland and that's the leadership I deliver to ensure that is the case," he says.

Image source, Getty Images

Rape Crisis has described a "staggering" 15% rise in the number of rapes and attempted rapes recorded in Scotland last year as "alarming".

Official statistics published on Tuesday, show sexual crimes increased by 3% overall to the second highest level since 1971.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said she was concerned about the rise, but said the overall number of violent crime had gone down significantly in the past 20 years, with serious assaults and homicide levels at record lows.

Sandy Brindley, chief executive of Rape Crisis Scotland, said much more needed to be done "to tackle the attitudes that underpin sexual violence".

Read more here.

The Scottish Labour leader raises the issue of housebuilding which he says is at its lowest level since 2012.

Anas Sarwar also highlights the rise in sexual violence, delayed discharge being at a record high, almost one in three Scots forced to go private to get health care and, as expected, he also raises the issue of the worst cancer waiting times on record.

"Has the guy that claimed to steady the ship now become the captain of the Titanic?," he asks.

Findlay says the FM’s words will be “no consolation to those waiting for treatment” for cancer. He criticises the health secretary Neil Gray who is on a trip to Japan, as the cancer waiting time figures were revealed.

Swinney defends his minister who he says is promoting “Scotland’s life science sector to an international audience” at an event in Osaka.

The FM hits back at Findlay’s comments and insists cancer care will be delivered where people need it in Scotland.

Findlay says the SNP’s performance on cancer treatment is “not good enough” and that promises keep being broken. He asks Swinney to increase cancer spending and launch an emergency cancer fund.

Swinney points out that more patients are being treated compared with six years ago, using certain standards, and that improvements are being found in the time that treatment is being delivered.

He says improving care is “at the heart of the government’s plans” and says a budget underspend from the previous financial year will be spent on improving public services, including NHS care.

No surprisepublished at 12:09 British Summer Time 26 June

12:09 BST 26 June

David Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent

The Conservatives bringing up cancer waiting times will come as no surprise to any MSP in the chamber.

The stats this week were dire for the Scottish government, so it’s a logical route for the Conservatives to go down when quizzing John Swinney.

I wonder if we’ll get the Scottish Labour leader going down a similar route when he gets to put questions to the first minister shortly?

Swinney says it is a “serious and important issue” and expresses his regret that the target times are not being met.

He says his government is focusing on improving the investment in NHS boards to ensure this can be improved.

He says targets are being met in Lanarkshire and this is a model of care for other parts of the country.

Image source, Getty Images

The percentage of Scottish cancer patients receiving treatment within the target time is the lowest since records began, new figures show.

Data released by Public Health Scotland, external (PHS) reveals that almost a third of patients referred to the NHS in Scotland with an urgent suspicion of cancer are waiting longer than the 62-day target to start treatment.

The rate fell to 68.9% in the first three months of 2025 - the lowest reported since records began a decade ago.

A target that 95% of patients should start treatment within 31 days of diagnosis has also not been met.

Figures show 94.1% of patients started treatment within that timeframe.

The PHS report looks at two key cancer waiting times.

The 62-day standard is based on the time from urgent suspicion of cancer referral to first cancer treatment.

Read more here.