Summary

  • John Swinney has faced his second session back in the FMQs spotlight following his election as first minister last week

  • Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross highlighted the death of a woman at a music festival on Skye and ongoing issues with ambulance shortages

  • Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also focused on health issues, saying that the crisis in the NHS in Scotland has deepened during 17 years of the SNP in government

  • Sarwar accused Swinney - a former health minister - of trying to avoid blame

  • Swinney said Scotland is paying an "intolerable price" for UK government austerity

Live Reporting

Edited by Paul McLaren

  1. Ross questions FM on Portree hospital issues

    Ross cites the example of Eilidh Beaton, 27, who went into anaphylactic shock while at a music festival on Skye over the weekend.

    He says Ms Beaton was 200 yards from Portree hospital where a local coastguard offered to take her but was told "there's no point because it was closed, so I would just be left lying outside".

    He asks the first minister if he accepts this should never have been allowed to happen.

  2. Scottish Tory leader Ross puts early focus on festival death and ambulance shortages

    Douglas RossScottish Parliament

    Scottish Conservatives leader Douglas Ross kicks off this week's FMQs and goes straight on the attack over the government's record on ambulance shortages and waiting times.

  3. Swinney set for this week's FMQs

    First Minister John Swinney has taken his seat and this week's FMQs will begin shortly.

    Stick with us here for full updates and analysis, and you can watch live as events unfold in the Holyrood chamber by clicking on the play icon at the top of this page from 12:00.

  4. What's been happening this week?

    edinburgh housesGetty Images

    This week's FMQs follows the Scottish government's announcement that it was declaring a national housing emergency.

    SNP ministers have cited UK government budget cuts and austerity, but UK ministers say the Scottish government receives about 25% more funding from Whitehall than other parts of the UK.

    Elsewhere, there has been more ferries controversy as workers at the government-owned Ferguson shipyard warned that time is running out to give the yard a future.

    And councils workers are considering calling a third pay strike in three years.

    Meanwhile, Scotland's chief inspector of prisons has called on ministers to “urgently” reduce the numbers of people behind bars.

  5. Welcome

    john swinneyGetty Images

    Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of this week's session of First Minister's Questions.

    John Swinney will be back in the spotlight, facing questions from opposition leaders Douglas Ross, Anas Sarwar and Alex-Cole Hamilton as well as backbench MSPs.

    We will bring you full coverage and analysis here and you can watch events from the Holyrood chamber live from 12:00 by clicking on the play icon at the top of this page.