• Douglas Ross asked where the key document confirming the decision to award ferry contracts has gone
• The Scottish Conservative leader said the ferries row looks like an "almighty cover-up"
• Nicola Sturgeon accuses Ross of "desperate stuff" and says only one piece of documentation is missing but the decision is clear from the surrounding documentation
• The FM insists her government will encourage everyone to co-operate with any future investigations or inquiries
• Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar asks if the first minister accepts the decision to send untested and Covid positive patients into care homes was "unlawful, unreasonable, irrational and cost lives"
• The first minister says the issue will be scrutinised in the forthcoming Covid-19 inquiry, but adds nothing makes her feel the weight of her government's decisions any heavier than she already does

Nicola Sturgeon says Holyrood now has a record number of female MSPs but it's not yet 50%.

The first minister adds: "I'm glad to hear the support from across the chamber for Angela Rayner.

"I certainly stand in solidarity with her".

She condemns unreservedly the comments reported on Sunday and says she was "absolutely appalled" by them.

The first minister reminds the chamber the Daily Mail used a picture of her legs and says this never happens to male politicians.

She says there is deep-seated sexism and misogyny in society and work must continue to root this out.

"It is time to draw a line in the sand."

Image source, PA Media

SNP MSP Collette Stevenson asks what steps the Scottish government can take to encourage more women to stand for elected office, and tackle sexism and misogyny in general.

Background

Labour's Angela Rayner says her attempt to "brush aside" misogynistic remarks does not mean she isn't hurt by them.

She was responding to a new Daily Mail article, external, which echoed claims by the Sunday paper that the deputy leader would cross and uncross her legs in the Commons to distract Boris Johnson.

The piece pointed to a podcast, saying she had laughed about being compared to Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct.

But Ms Rayner said the "sexist slurs" were "mortifying and deeply hurtful".

She added in a tweet: "As women we sometimes try to brush aside the sexism we face, but that doesn't make it ok."

• Read more here
• MPs hit back at misogyny faced by Rayner
• Rayner: I was crestfallen after Basic Instinct claim
• Mail rejects Speaker's invitation over Rayner story

Labour MSP Monica Lennon marks the second anniversary of East Kilbride woman Louise Aitchison's death.

The 33-year-old former dental nurse was murdered by her partner Daryll Paterson at their home on 28 April 2020.

The first minister pays tribute to Ms Aitchison and her family who are present in the chamber.

She says she will confirm later with Ms Lennon when domestic homicide reviews will be introduced and that the Scottish government will continue to act in all possible ways to protect women from domestic abuse.

She commends Ms Aitchison's family in securing a fatal accident inquiry and for their bravery.

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie says the SNP promised to end delayed discharges from hospital but have simply failed to do so.

Delayed discharges have gone up by 57%, says Ms Baillie.

Nicola Sturgeon details government funding to address the issue.

The first minister says it will continue to take the action and will put in place the funding that is required.

Mr Sarwar urges the first minister: "Don't force those families to relive that heartache all over again by going through the courts and spending thousands of pounds to get you to admit the truth".

Nicola Sturgeon accuses the Labour leader of "shamefully" misrepresenting her words.

She says people should get the answers to their questions around all aspects of the handling of the pandemic and that is why the public inquiry has been established.

She adds that the human consequences of the pandemic are "embedded in her soul" but says that does not mean the government's actions should not be subject to scrutiny. She says the families deserve the inquiry to take place in a proper way and that she is determined that is the case.

Image source, Getty Images

Mr Sarwar calls the first minister's answer "unthinkable".

He says advisers knew by February 2020 that asymptomatic transmission was possible, and that by the time the Scottish government changed guidelines on testing by 21 April, almost 3,000 untested people and 75 known positive cases had already been transferred into Scotland's care homes.

He asks her to accept that this was a "shameful, unforgiveable act that cost lives".

The first minister says the judgement was not about the situation in Scotland. She adds that the guidance in Scotland was broadly similar to England but there were some differences. She again stresses that these matters will be fully scrutinised by the independent public inquiry under the leadership of Lady Poole.

Image source, Jo Barrie

Background

Families who lost loved ones to Covid-19 in Scottish care homes are considering legal action following a ruling in England.

UK government policies on discharging untested patients from hospital at the start of the Covid pandemic were ruled unlawful at the High Court in London.

The case applied to England but could "open floodgates" of cases in Scotland, one bereaved relative warned.

The Scottish government said it would "examine the findings in detail".

A spokesman said ministers took decisions based on the best scientific and clinical evidence they had to keep people in care homes "as safe as possible".

In the early days of the pandemic more than half of the elderly hospital patients discharged to nearly 200 Scottish care homes had not been tested for Covid.

Last year, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon accepted that the practice had cost lives, and said: "We got some things wrong and I feel the responsibility of that every single day."

• Read more here
• Discharging Covid patients to care homes 'unlawful'
• Nearly 200 care homes took mainly untested patients
• 'Mistake' to discharge Covid patients says Sturgeon

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar follows with a question about care homes during the coronavirus pandemic and yesterday's UK High Court judgement that releasing untested patients into care homes in England was unlawful.

Ms Sturgeon does not accept this and says it is a matter that will be scrutinised by the public inquiry. She says the most important thing is to say her thoughts are with every single family who has lost loved ones in care homes and across society.

She says the priority during the pandemic was to save lives and the best decisions were taken at any given time based on scientific guidance.

And the FM adds that nothing makes her feel the weight of those decisions any heavier than she already does.

Mr Ross points out the auditor general said this morning that he would speak to the workforce if allowed.

The Scottish Conservative leader says the ferries row is "absolutely scandalous" and asks if the first minister personally saw the advice not to go ahead from CMal.

"This really is desperate stuff," continues the first minister.

She insists nobody from the Ferguson's yard will be prevented from speaking to the auditor general.

Ms Sturgeon says a review will be considered but the priority is finishing the ferries.

Image source, PA Media

Mr Ross asks how many gagging orders were issued to shipyard workers and would the first minister lift them.

"Where has the vital document gone?" he reiterates.

The email has not been withheld but according to the Auditor General it was not prepared, the first minister answers.

Again, she goes through the timeline of events around the ferry contracts.

The first minister says on non-disclosure agreements the Scottish government negotiated with the previous owners FMel to ensure the release of workers from confidentiality terms and conditions.

She says her government will encourage everyone to co-operate with any future investigations or inquiries.

Ms Sturgeon says it was, and is, an achievement to save almost 400 jobs working in Ferguson's shipyard right now.

The first minister says the Tories may not be interested in jobs, but her government will continue to prioritise them.

She challenges the Scottish Tory leader to read the 200 documents available.

Mr Ross hits back, saying Ms Sturgeon should answer the question.

He says the "vital link is missing", accusing the first minister of having a memory like a sieve.

"The first minister has botched this and covered up mistakes," he continues.

Mr Ross presses on with his criticism of the government and the first minister, saying the excuse that hundreds of documents are available does not include the vital one.

He asks if the first minister accepts this looks like "an almighty cover-up".

Mr Ross adds once more: "Where has that document gone?"

There are more than 200 documents relating to the ferry deal available for scrutiny, replies Ms Sturgeon, who accepts there is one piece of documentation that is not there.

That is the formal recording of the decision to proceed with the final contract award, she says.

Ms Sturgeon adds there is no evidence that this document has been withheld, citing the words of the Auditor General last week.

What is missing is a note confirming that the ministers had decided to proceed with the contract, she says.

The first minister insists people can still follow the chain of events.

Background

The new boss of the troubled Ferguson shipyard has said he believes the two overdue and overbudget CalMac ferries will be finished next year at a total cost of £206m.

David Tydeman dismissed claims that the final cost of the two ships could be double that figure.

And he said he would be "very disappointed" if more money was needed.

Mr Tydeman took over as chief executive of the nationalised shipyard earlier this year.

The contract to build the two new ferries - the Glen Sannox and a second vessel known as Hull 802 - is already two-and-a-half times over its original budget and about five years late.

Image source, PA Media

• Read more here
• The lifeline ferry deal that went adrift
• Ferries deal awarded without financial safeguards
• The problem with CalMac's ageing ferries

Image source, Getty Images

Douglas Ross begins by raising the issue of Scotland's delayed and over-priced ferries, costing the taxpayer £250,000.

The Auditor General of Scotland criticised the SNP government and in response a government spokesperson said a "thorough search" had been carried out but the "paperwork cannot be located".

The Scottish Conservative leader argues this is "laughable".

He says the SNP excuse is now "the dog's eaten all her homework".

He asks: "Where has that crucial document gone?"

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross gets to his feet to ask his first question, as FMQs begins.

Image source, Daily Mail

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of first minister's questions on Thursday 28 April 2022.

Nicola Sturgeon will shortly face questions from opposition party leaders and backbench MSPs.

Stick with us for extensive coverage of FMQs.