Summary

  • The first minister faced questions from opposition party leaders and backbench MSPs at Holyrood

  • Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross raised concerns over temporary cuts to hundreds of ScotRail services due to a dispute with drivers over pay

  • The changes mean the last train on many routes will now be several hours earlier than before

  • Mr Ross said the government's handling of the dispute at the recently nationalised rail service had been "terrible" and asked how long it would take for services to be reinstated

  • The first minister said the timetable would return to normal "as quickly as possible"

  • Ms Sturgeon stressed the need to find a fair deal on pay for train drivers, but added that it must be affordable

  • Scottish Labour leader Douglas Ross asked the first minister whether this was what she had in mind when she nationalised ScotRail

  1. FMQs: The headlinespublished at 13:14 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    • FMQs is dominated by the major cut in ScotRail services
    • Douglas Ross demanded an apology for rail passengers affected by the ditching of last services each day
    • The Scottish Tory leader also called for compensation for businesses affected
    • The publicly-owned ScotRail has announced it is cutting almost 700 services a day
    • This is due to a shortage of drivers in its ongoing pay dispute with the Aslef union
    • The first minister insisted that she wanted train services back to normal as soon as possible
    • The FM also stressed the need for a negotiated driver pay deal
    • Anas Sarwar argued ScotRail is relying on the goodwill of staff to keep the service going
    • The Scottish Labour leader also accused government ministers of incompetence
    • The FM reiterated that she expected the temporary timetable to return to normal as quickly as possible

    That's all from us here on the live page team today. Join us again next time.

  2. The way to secure lower energy prices is through renewables - Sturgeonpublished at 13:10 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    oil rigImage source, Getty Images

    The first minister is addressed by Greens MSP Mark Ruskell who says that six months after COP26, hundreds of new fossil fuel projects have been proposed globally, which, if realised will cause our mutually assured destruction from climate change.

    He says the EU is backing renewables but the UK is "relabelling dirty gas as green" to attempt to fast-track developments such as Jackdaw.

    Nicola Sturgeon says she has made Scotland's position clear regarding licences for developments off the coast of Scotland and that the way to ensure energy security and lower prices is to make the shift to renewable and low-carbon sources of energy.

    She adds that it can be illustrated by the fact that, currently, the cheapest form of power in Scotland's energy mix is wind power.

  3. Call for NHS workforce legislation to be implementedpublished at 13:00 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    Labour MSP Carol Mochan continues on the health service, raising concerns about dangerous staffing levels in NHS Borders.

    Ms Mochan also calls for the full implementation of the Health and Care Staffing Scotland Act.

    Ms Sturgeon reiterates that the government works every day with all health boards to support the workforce.

    The first minister says her government will continue to work on NHS recovery, staffing capacity and staff wellbeing.

  4. NHS workforce health and wellbeing raisedpublished at 12:58 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    NursesImage source, PA Media

    SNP MSP Emma Harper asks what action the Scottish government is taking to support the health and wellbeing of the NHS workforce.

    The first minister says the new national workforce strategy highlights the importance of the mental health and wellbeing of the NHS workforce, with £12m being spent on this.

    Tory MSP Sue Webber says last year two overworked Glasgow medics took their own lives.

    Ms Webber asks when the Scottish government will finally implement the safe staffing legislation passed unanimously by the parliament three years ago.

    The first minister says she expects NHS health boards to have systems in place to ensure no-one works over their hours.

    She says the government is also working with health boards to implement the safe staffing legislation.

  5. Scotland's census: Should there be an inquiry into poor response?published at 12:54 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    census envelopeImage source, PA Media

    Scotland's census is the topic of Labour MSP Sarah Boyack's question.

    The deadline for completing Scotland's census was extended until the end of May because of low completion rates.

    She says a response rate of 90% may not be reached and asks if an inquiry is needed into what went wrong, given the millions of pounds and huge resources spent on it.

    Ms Sturgeon says work continues on improving completion rates and that she is receiving daily updates, with responses going up.

    She says that work will continue to ensure it is a credible exercise and says expert advice will be taken and lessons will be learned for future surveys.

  6. FM condemns 'degrading' WhatsApp messagespublished at 12:45 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    KidsImage source, Getty Images

    Tory MSP Douglas Lumsden raises the issue of a group of teachers who exchanged WhatsApp messages with "degrading" references to disabled primary school pupils.

    The staff at schools in Aberdeenshire faced an internal investigation, but the affected pupils' parents were not informed.

    Mr Lumsden calls on the parents to have full access to to the messages.

    The first minister says anyone who sends degrading messages about children with disabilities deserves "utter condemnation".

    "That is completely and utterly unacceptable," she says.

    She points out the council is the employer and she hopes it will take note of the calls for full transparency.

  7. Sturgeon attacks 'backroom deals' with Toriespublished at 12:41 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    Mr Sarwar accuses the SNP of chasing headlines instead of doing the work and says that while she went to the US to talk about climate change, her SNP/Green government "cut greener transport here at home".

    The first minister takes the opportunity to attack Labour over recent council power deals.

    She asks if this failure is like "saying in a council election there will be no coalitions and then doing backroom deals with the Tories after council elections?"

    She snipes: "How dare Anas Sarwar come to this chamber and talk about the cost of living when his party is seeking to do backroom deals with the authors of that cost-of-living crisis".

    Quote Message

    The cost of commuting going up, people struggling to get to work and home at night and whole communities cut off from cities. Why do the people of Scotland continually have to pay the price of SNP failure?

    Anas Sarwar, Leader, Scottish Labour

  8. 'ScotRail is relying on the goodwill of staff to keep service going'published at 12:34 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    Mr Sarwar says the government is relying on the goodwill of staff to work on their rest days to keep Scotland's railways going.

    He then highlights a catalogue of cuts to passenger services, from 2,400 services a day at the start of 2020 to 2,150 in February and yesterday's announcement of a reduction to 1,456 services a day.

    The first minister replies by saying changes to services in February were to take into account changes in travel patterns following Covid.

    She adds that the new timetable is only temporary and she expects it to return to normal as quickly as possible.

  9. Sarwar: Is this what FM had in mind when taking over ScotRail?published at 12:33 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    Rail workerImage source, Getty Images

    Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is on his feet next.

    He joins in the congratulations for Rangers FC in Seville. He also jumps on the ScotRail controversy.

    He asks if the first minister if making the biggest cuts to railways in half a century was what she had mind when ScotRail was brought into public ownership last month.

    Ms Sturgeon brings up "years of Labour government at Westminster which failed to bring the railways back into public ownership".

    She says again that the new timetable is temporary and wishes it did not need to be put in place. And her focus is on getting services back to normal through pay agreement and training of drivers.

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  10. Rail row rumbles on...published at 12:29 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    Mr Ross points out the first minister said nationalisation of the railways would deliver a "railway for the nation".

    Nationalisation is proving to be a disaster, he argues.

    Nicola Sturgeon insists public ownership of the railway is the right arrangement to have in place.

    The first minister says she wants to see affordable fares under nationalisation.

  11. Sturgeon calls for negotiated railways dispute dealpublished at 12:26 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    The temporary cancellations are disruptive to individuals and businesses, concedes Ms Sturgeon.

    She says that's why the temporary timetable needs to be returned to normal as quickly as possible.

    She calls on all parties to "get around the table and negotiate a fair pay deal".

    ScotRail must continue to train more drivers too, she adds.

  12. 'This will have a profound impact on businesses'published at 12:24 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    People across Scotland won't be able to get a train after a night out, Mr Ross argues.

    The Scottish Conservative leader points out that the last train from Edinburgh to Perth will be more than three hours earlier.

    He says train services across Scotland are affected with last trains being brought forward by hours.

    "This will have a profound impact on businesses," he says.

    He asks what compensation the government will provide to these businesses.

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  13. FM insists she wants train services back to normal as soon as possiblepublished at 12:19 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    The first minister reiterates she always takes the opportunity to apologise to any member of the public that does not get the public service they hoped for.

    That includes rail passengers, she says.

    "I would expect the timetable to return to normal as quickly as possible."

    That's being made "very, very clear to ScotRail", insists the first minister.

  14. 'Passengers deserve an apology' - Rosspublished at 12:16 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    ScotRail trainImage source, Getty Images

    Mr Ross insists the first minister did not say "sorry".

    "Passengers deserve an apology," he says.

    Next week will see 700 services a day lost, he argues.

    The Scottish Conservative leader accuses the government of "terrible handling" of the negotiations with the union.

    "When can passengers expect normal services to resume?," he adds.

  15. 'It is vital to get the timetable back to normal'published at 12:13 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    The first minister moves on to defend her government's handling of the railway.

    Ms Sturgeon says she always expresses apologies if a public service is not working well.

    She insists: "It is vital to get the timetable back to normal as quickly as possible.

    "I expect ScotRail to review the temporary arrangements regularly.

    "Indeed, it is due to be formally reviewed on the 3rd of June."

    She stresses the need to find a fair deal on pay for train drivers, but adds that it must be affordable.

  16. 'They did Scottish football and Scotland proud' - FMpublished at 12:08 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    The first minister also starts by paying tribute to Rangers.

    The result last night was heartbreaking for the team and the many fans, Ms Sturgeon adds.

    She says: "They did Scottish football and Scotland proud."

  17. Last train anger after ScotRail timetable cutpublished at 12:08 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    Cuts are also expected to be made to the Saturday and Sunday timetablesImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Cuts are also expected to be made to the Saturday and Sunday timetables

    Background

    ScotRail passengers have expressed anger at a temporary timetable which sees many routes end early in the evening.

    Some routes from Scotland's main cities will see last trains leaving between 19:00 and 20:00.

    Service users told BBC Scotland that work and childcare commitments would now be difficult while others warned it would hit the night-time economy.

    ScotRail said the timetable would increase certainty about services.

    On Wednesday, the publicly-owned company announced it was cutting almost 700 services a day from Monday, due to a shortage of drivers in its ongoing pay dispute with the Aslef union.

    The May 2022 timetable had approximately 2,150 weekday services. From next week this will be reduced by a third to 1,456.

    Drivers are currently refusing to work overtime or rest days.

  18. Ross calls on Sturgeon to apologise to rail passengerspublished at 12:07 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    ScotRail trainImage source, PA Media

    Mr Ross turns his attention to the railways and says that since the Scottish government took control passengers have faced "chaos and destruction".

    Every day hundreds of trains have been cancelled, some at the last minute, he continues.

    The Scottish Conservative leader calls on the first minister to apologise.

  19. Heartbreak for fans as Rangers lose Europa final in Sevillepublished at 12:03 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    Media caption,

    Rangers fans' heartbroken after Europa defeat in Seville

    Background

    Rangers fans have been left devastated after their team lost the Europa League final to Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties.

    The match ended 1-1 after extra time, before the German side beat Rangers 5-4 in a shootout in Seville.

    Late substitute Aaron Ramsay missed the only penalty in an agonising conclusion in front of tens of thousands of fans.

    Earlier, the fans were jubilant when Joe Aribo put Rangers 1-0 ahead in the 57th minute.

  20. 'Rangers did Scottish football proud' - Rosspublished at 12:02 British Summer Time 19 May 2022

    Rangers fansImage source, Getty Images

    Douglas Ross begins proceedings by congratulating Rangers on the "significant achievement" of reaching the Europa league final.

    The Scottish Conservative leader says to lose a major European final on penalties is particularly hard.

    "Rangers did Scottish football proud last night in Seville," he says.