Swinney is bringing his statement to a close.... he says the government had achieved its aim for 6,000 public charge points for electric vehicles two years ahead of schedule.

He commits to improving on this with a new target for 24,000 charge points by 2030.

In schools, he pledges to raise attainment, address attendance and behavioural problems as well as reform the curriculum.

Swinney highlights plans to regenerate town centres, invest in new homes, fund the culture sector, introduce protection for renters and expand dental provision.

The programme for government will be focused on “delivery” and “providing hope”, the first minister says.

He concludes: “This is a programme that seeks what is best for Scotland, a programme for government that gets our nation on track for success.”

Swiney is targeting 'quick wins'published at 14:55 British Summer Time 6 May

14:55 BST 6 May

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

John Swinney’s speech included a number of flagship policies which he will no doubt base his election campaign on next year.

Scrapping the two-child cap; removing peak rail fares; increasing access to GPs.

But the first minister didn’t actually mention a single piece of legislation he plans to pass.

He appears to have targeted quicker wins, which can be achieved through regulations or existing powers.

The paper published alongside the programme suggests a total of six new bills will be introduced, including the annual budget bill and the long-debated heat in buildings bill which has already been drafted and torn up once.

In fairness there sixteen previously-promised government bills still pending or making their way through the parliamentary process.

But Mr Swinney’s plans will not, it appears, overburden lawmakers over the remaining year of term.

All the more time for campaigning…

John Swinney turns to tackling child poverty and tells the chamber his government increased the Scottish Child Payment from the original proposal of a £5 payment to £27.15 and created a broader package of family payments which can be worth roughly £25,000 by age 16.

The first minister claims the proportion of children living in relative poverty has reached its lowest level since 2014-15, and Scotland is making deeper, quicker progress here than the rest of the UK.

He argues the Scottish Child Payment is helping "Scotland buck the trend".

The FM says: "We are taking the steps to lift the two-child limit and remain on track to deliver this measure to lift more children out of poverty next April."

In the coming year the government will consult on, develop and publish a Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan for 2026-31.

Swinney says he wants to see a “wealthier Scotland” with “higher standards of living”.

He says he wants a better economy for the country, as well as a fairer and greener Scotland.

He adds: “Where action is needed to reform and renew, this government will take it.”

Eradicating child poverty, Swinney says, is at the very heart of this and the “greatest investment in their country’s future that we can possibly make.”

The first minister also criticises the UK government for moving “heaven and earth” to save British Steel’s Scunthorpe plant, while it has not done the same for the Grangemouth refinery.

He urges the UK government to support Acorn, a carbon capture scheme in Aberdeenshire.

Andrew Kerr
BBC Scotland political correspondent

John Swinney knows people are hard-pressed, with the feeling amongst voters that bills rise relentlessly and their pay packets in no way match that.

It’s partly why many voters are casting around looking for solutions to their problems that they feel cannot be tackled by the traditional political parties.

John Swinney spoke about his government doing what it can to deliver the “best deal” for the people of Scotland.

He set out his commitment to keep council tax and water bills low – with continuing free prescriptions, eye tests and no tuition fees.

We have heard that before – but he did say free school meals will be expanded and he also announced that peak ScotRail fares will be scrapped for good from September.

He described all this as his “cost-of-living guarantee” – saying it only exists here in Scotland.

Turning to the economy and the first minister highlights three initiatives designed to respond directly and specifically to the challenges Scotland faces.

1. First, working with Scottish Development International across their 34 international offices, we will deliver a new six-point Export Plan, to enable Scottish exporters to diversify and grow markets.
2. Second, to enable emerging Scottish companies to grow, the government will create a new Proof of Concept fund, with a focus on supporting the commercialisation of research projects with significant economic potential.
3. Third, the government will deepen its commitment to a just transition and an industrial future for Scotland. He pledges an increase to the amount of Scottish funding that is available to make Acorn carbon capture a reality should the project be given the go ahead by the UK government.

First minister aims to tackle NHS issues head onpublished at 14:44 British Summer Time 6 May

14:44 BST 6 May

Andrew Kerr
BBC Scotland political correspondent

The first minister has picked a specific issue in the NHS that he knows affects many people.

That is what he described as the "deep frustration" of the so-called 8am "lottery" when making appointments with their GP.

GPs are the gatekeepers to the health service and it's the area where the largest number of people experience the Scottish NHS.

Opposition politicians are frequently on his case about the state of the health service.

John Swinney knows that if he can tackle this issue within the year (ahead of May’s election) then the public will feel there’s been a genuine improvement in the NHS.

Why is scrapping peak rail fares such a big deal?published at 14:42 British Summer Time 6 May

14:42 BST 6 May

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Axing peak rail fares (again) helps the government with a number of its goals.

One, obviously, is the cost of living. It puts some cash back in the pockets of commuters – the sort of people in middle Scotland who reliably vote.

Another is the environment; the government has just had to scrap its target of reducing car use by 20% by 2030 after criticism that they had very little in the way of a plan to achieve it.

Cutting prices and making the train a more attractive alternative to the car could be key.

It also removes a bone of criticism that people had with the SNP, after it dropped the policy last year – reflecting that the public finances are a little sunnier now than they were last autumn.

Swinney says the government is committed to doing more to combat the cost of living crisis and improving quality of life for people in Scotland.

He says that peak rail fares in Scotland will be scrapped “for good” from 1 September after a pilot scheme last year.

He also points to the decision made last year to restore the winter fuel payment for Scottish pensioners, and says the payments will be made later in 2025.

The first minister says the new tariffs on Scottish exporters to the USA have created a “new threat” which could cause “extensive damage” to the Scottish economy.

The “scale of the looming economic challenge” also prompted the Scottish government to move up the Programme for Government, he says.

How the demands on NHS waiting times keep on growingpublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 6 May

14:38 BST 6 May

Susie Forrest, Health assistant editor BBC Scotland

The first minister has said that additional investment has already delivered an extra 105,500 NHS appointments and procedures in the last year. That's a total taken from health board tallies of extra work they carried out using £30m of government funding for 2024-25 to tackle long waits.

The published data does appear to show that hospitals are stepping up their activity - but as fast as they get through the list of patients waiting, many more join the end of the queue.

Health boards say they've delivered more outpatient appointments, surgery and diagnostic tests. But nevertheless, the total waiting list size actually grew by nearly 18,000 over the course of last year to over 850,000 in December.

It's because Scotland's population is older and sicker than ever before - and demand keeps on growing.

And it's why John Swinney admits that there is still a lot of work to do, and is looking at services in the community to try and take some of the strain.

Image source, scottish parliament

Swinney highlights "a renewed and stronger NHS... at the very heart of this programme for government".

The first minister says the government will deliver an extra 100,000 appointments in GP surgeries focused on key risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and smoking.

He turns to the "8am lottery" many patients must go through to get a GP appointment.

"That is why we are acting to reduce pressure and increase capacity in the system, so that it is easier for people to get the care they need, when they need it.

"That includes in the year ahead a further expansion of Pharmacy First services – with pharmacies being the right first port of call for many ailments."

Swinney looks to present the government as a rock of stabilitypublished at 14:36 British Summer Time 6 May

14:36 BST 6 May

Phil Sim
Political Correspondent

A bit of political philosophy before the hard policy pledges…

There has been a lot of talk about change in contemporary politics.

The general election was dominated by it, and last week’s local elections in England suggest that parties offering a radical upending of the status quo are popular with the electorate.

John Swinney recognises this; he nodded to the anxiety that people feel in uncertain times.

But he knows that as an incumbent government heading into its 19th year in power, the SNP will increasingly struggle to present itself as an anti-establishment insurgent.

So instead he is presenting his party as a rock of stability in turbulent waters.

He says he will always put the “needs and interests, the hopes and dreams of the people of Scotland first”.

Coming soon to a leaflet near you…

As our political correspondent Phil Sim predicted earlier, the first minister begins by focusing on measures that are not included in today's programme for government.

Swinney argues his government remains "entirely committed" to tackling misogynistic abuse against women.

He cites a lack of parliamentary time for the delay in bringing the relevant bill forward and he repledges his commitment to banning conversion therapy.

John Swinney gets to his feet and tells the chamber that tomorrow marks his first year as first minister of the country that he loves.

The first minister says he hopes the parliament can come together to focus on solutions.

He says progress has been made in the last year and he suggests "a corner has been turned".

The first minister says the budget was testament to what is possible with four parties backing it.

What will be missing from Swinney's statement - and why it's importantpublished at 14:19 British Summer Time 6 May

14:19 BST 6 May

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

This statement is traditionally given in September, but has been brought forward to May.

But really it’s about what happens next May.

John Swinney is targeting a year of delivery in key priorities that he can show to voters when they decide whether to keep him on as first minister.

The extra few months suggest he may have some legislation to push through the works - or possibly that he’s planning on spending the summer campaigning on this stuff.

Almost as important as what’s in the programme is what is absent.

Anything that’s not there basically isn’t happening this term, regardless of whether it was in the SNP’s manifesto.

Hence the move from the government to quietly kick its misogyny bill and conversion therapy ban proposals into the long grass on Friday.

There are 366 days to go until the election, but this programme will define the shape of the campaign well in advance.

The Scottish Conservatives have already said Swinney's speech must signal a move away from SNP "fringe obsessions" and focus on the priorities of "mainstream Scotland".

"That means dropping the nationalists' fringe obsession with gender self-ID once and for all", said deputy leader Rachael Hamilton.

She said Swinney should focus on repairing roads, ending classroom violence, cutting NHS waiting times and reducing taxes.

Scottish Labour warned that Scotland would not forget John Swinney's "record of failure".

Leader Anas Sarwar said: "From health to education to the environment, this SNP government's record is defined by broken promises.

"Like clockwork, headline-grabbing plans are made and abandoned, and ambitious targets are set and missed."

Before we get to the first minister's programme for government at 14:20, ministers are fielding two topical questions.

The first is on reports that the number of new rape cases being reported to police has increased by more than a third since 2020-21.

Then it's a query to ask what action the Scottish government will take to address the reported failure by NHS boards to publish significant adverse event reviews related to mother and baby deaths in hospitals.

Has the SNP delivered on its promises?published at 14:11 British Summer Time 6 May

14:11 BST 6 May

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

In setting out his programme for government, John Swinney will make clear what he expects to get done over the final year of the Holyrood term.

A year of delivery is key to his aim of being re-elected as Scotland's first minister next May.

And this programme should give us the full picture of what his party has done - and has not done - since the last election.

So this is a good moment to check in on the SNP's 2021 manifesto - what has been delivered, what has been dropped, and what has been delayed?

Read Phil's Scottish government report card here.

Image source, Getty Images

This afternoon's statement is an opportunity for John Swinney to show where his government's focus lies.

You can expect him to talk a lot about his four stated priorities:

1. Improving public services with a strong focus on the NHS
2. Growing the economy
3. Reducing child poverty
4. Tackling climate change

Election countdown - should Swinney be optimistic?published at 14:03 British Summer Time 6 May

14:03 BST 6 May

Glenn Campbell
BBC Scotland Political Editor

Scotland's first minister John Swinney is not planning a party to celebrate his first anniversary in Holyrood's top political office. That's not really his style.

Instead of cake, balloons and fizzy wine he will mark this milestone by announcing an updated programme for government - as the countdown begins to the next Holyrood election in almost exactly a year's time.

As Swinney told me at a recent news conference, this is not about tearing up his existing programme and starting again but building on what's already there.

It's an opportunity for him to show that his focus is on the day job rather than on dreams of independence.

Read more from Glenn here.