The first minister lambasts the UK government's mini-budget as she gives evidence to the Scottish Parliament's committee conveners:

• Nicola Sturgeon urges the UK government to reverse its planned cut to the top rate of tax as "an immediate symbol of some kind of good sense being restored"
• Moments before the first minister appears before Holyrood's Committee conveners, the Bank of England announces it will step in to calm markets after the UK government's tax-cutting plans cause the pound to slide
• The first minister says the "extraordinary" move was needed to "reduce the damage of the UK government's own policies"
• She warns there has been no more serious UK economic crisis in our memory
• The FM says cuts to services, like the employability schemes, are necessary to fund public sector pay deals
• Her government's bill to end conversion therapy will be introduced towards the end of 2023
• The growing number of college drop-outs, the Scottish budget cuts and the ongoing issues around ferry services are also raised

That's all from our live coverage of Holyrood today. Have a lovely afternoon.

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The first minister is asked for her views on the hybrid working nature of the Parliament and whether it should continue with proxy voting.

The first minister caveats her answer to Martin Whitfield of Scottish Labour, saying it is a matter for Parliament not government to decide how it is run.

However, she says "we live in a modern world and Parliament should reflect that".

She says hybrid working has been very positive, but she would like to make sure "we don’t erode the intense scrutiny of a minister being physically in a parliamentary chamber".

She believes they should allow online voting to some extent, and there should be provision for proxy voting for circumstances like family illness or childcare, the FM says.

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Clare Adamson, the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee convener, turns to Ukraine and the Scottish government's Super Sponsor Scheme.

Ms Adamson asks what progress has been made in capital programmes to bring buildings into use for homes for these Ukrainians.

The first minister says there are around 18,000 displaced Ukrainians in Scotland, and of those about 15,000 are here under the Scottish government's Super Sponsor Scheme.

That accounts for 19.5% - or close to a fifth - of all displaced Ukrainians in Scotland, she adds.

The scheme was paused and a restart is under careful consideration, Ms Sturgeon says.

She also emphasises the importance of refugees moving to permanent housing.

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On to health matters, Siobhian Brown asks the first minister what level of uptake she expects from the autumn booster programme against Covid-19.

The FM says she is aiming for the same level of vaccination as the last round - which was "very high".

She announces new Public Health Scotland figures show that, as of the start of the week, just short of 600,000 vaccines - 288,000 for Covid and 300,000 - for flu had been administered.

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Public sector pay disputes have, of course, been a major issue all summer.

Kenneth Gibson asks: "How will the Scottish government find the money, given the chaos imposed by the Chancellor last Friday, to ensure public sector workers receive pay increases necessary to meet rising cost?"

The first minister explains that is what the emergency budget review is set to deal with.

Ms Sturgeon reiterates the inflation erosion of the budget by £1.7bn, while pay deals to date have cost more than £700m extra.

Joe FitzPatrick of the SNP asks the first minister to provide an update on its work on ending conversion therapy.

Ms Sturgeon says such practices are "abhorrent" with no place in civilised society, and we should be supporting people "to be happy as who they are".

She says the government intends to introduce a bill to end conversion therapy by the end of 2023 and says it will cover sexual orientation and gender identity.

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Pressures on the criminal justice system due to the flat cash settlement it will receive is brought up by Audrey Nicoll of the SNP. She also asks whether there is room for a "radical rethink" of criminal justice.

Ms Sturgeon says she recognises pressure on the justice sector and across public services but says it does enforce a need for reasonable reform.

However, she says Scotland has the highest prison population in Europe proportionately.

She says "We are not weak on crime, what we need to get even better at is preventing crime and reducing reoffending," adding there is a "huge reform agenda" in this space. That includes looking at how we use bail and electronic monitoring, the FM says.

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Brexit and its impact on devolution is raised by Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee convener Clare Adamson.

The first minister says: "I don't believe the powers of this parliament are strong or extensive enough."

Ms Sturgeon warns about the erosion and undermining of the current powers of the Scottish Parliament.

She points out the Sewel cVCnvention has been broken more times than she can count.

This has been the focus of yesterday's discussions with Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford, explains the first minister.

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We move on to education issues, with Sue Webber of the Scottish Conservatives asking about concerns that little will change when the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is replaced because it has emerged a number of the same people will be involved in the reform.

Ms Sturgeon says there is a "tricky balance" to strike between making things better and making sure expertise is not lost.

She says she believes it is right to harness expertise in this reform agenda.

Finance Committee convener Kenneth Gibson asks if the Scottish government will prioritise economic growth.

The first minister replies that portfolio allocations are kept under review as part of the budget process.

Ms Sturgeon tells the conveners' group the economic strategy is focused on sustainable economic growth.

The first minister argues there are lots of very positive trends in the Scottish economy.

Mr Gibson asks about the cut in funding to employability programmes of £57m.

The FM says these are not decisions her government relishes, they are "inescapable" with a budget that is now £1.7bn less than when it was set.

Ms Sturgeon says the savings announced were a careful judgement when unemployment is very low.

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Ariane Burgess of the Scottish Greens asks how confident Ms Sturgeon is on the targeted delivery of 110,000 affordable homes.

The FM says she believes this is one of the most important ways of meeting housing needs.

She says the government has started delivery against the target - adding 70% is for social rent with 10% in remote rural and island communities, referring back to Finlay Carson's question.

She adds progress with the programme varies quarter to quarter and the next stats will be out at the end of October.

Finlay Carson of the Scottish Conservatives asks for the first minister's assessment of the cost of living impact on rural and island communities.

She says she seeks to take account of the disproportionate impact on these communities in the government's policies and points to longer-term work such as the decarbonising of heating - in which she says she will recognise the inequality for rural and island areas in available funding.

Mr Carson asks whether there will be an unintended impact on investment in rural housing stock as a result of the emergency rent freeze.

The FM says she doesn’t think that will be the case, though adds it is a temporary measure.

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Public Audit Committee convener Richard Leonard turns to the ferries row - highlighted by the BBC's Disclosure team - and asks if the first minister has ruled out that there has been any criminality.

The Scottish Conservatives have called for a police probe into suggestions the process of awarding a £97m Scottish ferries contract may have been rigged.

The first minister says: "I don't think anyone would say that I should be the arbiter on this or any issue on whether there has been criminality.

"I've certainly seen no evidence of that, but it's not my job. We have independent authorities that are there to determine these issues on whatever topic it is we are speaking about. "

Ms Sturgeon says she will appear before the Public Audit Committee to look at these issues.

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Siobhian Brown of the SNP asks if the government has maintained its commitment to the plan set out in its Covid recovery strategy and has its priorities or focus changed in light of the cost of living crisis.

Ms Sturgeon says that while the aims and objectives of the strategy haven't changed, the context has. She notes that Covid saw a disproportionate impact on different sections of the population - including disproportionate suffering in poorer communities.

She says she will need to keep considering the recovery plan as inequality widens.

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It is now the turn of Health Committee convener Gillian Martin, who asks about the impact of fuel costs and the cost of living crisis on the provision of NHS services and on the health of Scotland's citizens.

The first minister replies the increase in the cost of energy clearly affects health boards as they have to heat hospitals and health centres.

Ms Sturgeon says this is a concern, despite some mitigation.

She adds that a growing number of people not being able to heat their homes will impact on the public's health too.

Edward Mountain MSP asks the first minister if there are any new packages the Scottish government can provide to help households with energy bills.

Ms Sturgeon says emergency legislation will be published shortly on freezing rent and a moratorium on evictions. However, she insists most levers on the matter of energy prices lie with the UK government, where she says we need to see "significant action".

Mr Mountain asks what the Scottish government are doing to help the 17% of homes that are off the grid and not covered by Ofgem.

The FM reiterates the "finite" nature of her budget but says she will continue to look at financial assistance.

She also agrees the government should ask electricity companies to make sure pre-payment charges on electric meters are reflective of standard tariffs, though there were complexities around this issue.

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Ms Sturgeon points to the collapse of the pound which will fuel inflation and make the cost of living crisis worse.

The first minister also warns against rising interest rates and highlights the "extraordinary intervention of the Bank of England" this morning, which is worried about financial instability.

The Bank of England's emergency intervention is to try to limit the damage of the UK government's policies, she explains.

Nicola Sturgeon says that, following the UK government's mini-budget decisions announced by Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng last Friday, there has been "no more serious UK economic crisis in our memory".

"I don't think it's possible to overstate the damage of this budget," she adds.

Social Justice Social Security Committee convener Elena Whitham gets the session under way by asking the first minister for her reaction to the UK government's mini-budget.

Nicola Sturgeon says it is quite hard to overstate the impact that Friday's announcements will have on poverty and inequality and the financial stress the cause.

The first minister says: "It was very difficult to defend the policies."

The vast bulk of the tax cuts benefit the top 5% of the country by income.

She points out this will make those at the very top even richer and wealthier while it puts more people into relative poverty.

Conveners Group chair Liam McArthur gets proceedings under way and welcomes Nicola Sturgeon.

The group will focus on the cost of living and the programme for government.

Nicola Sturgeon previously announced a rent freeze for public and private rented properties as part of efforts to help people struggling with rising bills.

The first minister said the cost-of-living crisis was a "humanitarian emergency" which could cost lives.

Her government is to table emergency legislation banning evictions during winter and freezing rents until spring.

There are also plans to freeze rail fares and to boost the Scottish Child Payment to £25 per week from November.

Ms Sturgeon has also written to Prime Minister Liz Truss, asking her to convene a four-nation meeting of political leaders to focus on helping households.

• Read more here
• At-a-glance: The programme for government
• Cost of living to dominate year ahead at Holyrood
• Live coverage and reaction to the statement