That's all from the live page team today. Have a lovely afternoon.

The session concludes with Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone who says she regrets being unable to call general or constituency questions due to the length of exchanges, and says she will review this to ensure more members are able to participate.

Scottish Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie calls on the first minister to treat teachers with the respect that they are due and should be given a decent pay offer.

Sturgeon accuses Rennie of adopting a "shameful tone" and explains her government must be fair across the public sector.

She argues teachers in Scotland are paid more than in the rest of the UK and everything that can be done within a fixed budget is being done.

Labour MSP Michael Marra asks for an urgent update on the government's discussions with the EIS after the announcement of new strike dates.

The first minister replies these are difficult times for everyone and insists a fair pay offer has been made to teachers.

"Industrial action is in no-one's interests," adds Sturgeon.

Marra accuses the government of making "so little effort to keep their schools open".

The first minister disagrees with that and points out this is the fourth offer to teachers.

Image source, PA Media

A number of MSPs raised questions about teachers' unions formally rejecting the latest pay deal.

The Teachers' Panel of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT), the negotiating forum for teachers' pay in Scotland, said the Scottish government's offer was "wholly unacceptable to Scotland's teachers".

It formally rejected the deal on Wednesday.

• Read more here
• Teachers hold mass rallies during strike over pay
• Scottish teachers announce 16 new strike dates

Scottish labour leader Anas Sarwar says the first minister has said little to reassure women and their families.

He says staff and women are being let down and accuses the first minister of "telling us it is unacceptable, then expecting patients to accept it anyway".

Sawar lists ambulances queueing at A&Es, elderly patients waiting on trolleys and the longest waiting lists in history.

He demands: "How long do Scots have to wait until you get to grips with this crisis and actually do your job?".

Sturgeon says understanding, running and resolving problems in the health service takes more than "glib soundbites in the chamber".

She says the people of Scotland will be the judge of whether or not the government is to be trusted to continue with its stewardship of the NHS.

the first minister highlights improvements, including better numbers of inpatients and day patients seen in the last quarter.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar suggests the first minister looks at a documentary produced by The Courier newspaper and listen to the stories of staff at NHS Tayside and those patients affected.

He says there are "zero" oncologists in NHS Tayside.

Sarwar adds that the workforce crisis is more keenly felt in Tayside with nine vacancies in the oncology department and the lead oncologist consultant post vacant for 839 days.

He claims the government's failure to get a grip on the crisis is "putting women's lives at risk".

Ms Sturgeon moves to assure patients in Tayside that they have a very compassionate and committed team of doctors and that recruitment efforts are ongoing.

She says NHS Tayside works closely with oncology services in other cancer centres to prioritise treatment but admits to challenges in the Tayside service.

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Anas Sarwar led his questions on health for the seventh week in a row.

His questions focused on a specific local case - cancer care in Tayside, via an investigation by the Courier newspaper.

But it’s part of a broader picture about the challenges facing the NHS across Scotland and indeed the UK.

That’s why it’s relevant that Labour focus their questions on this week after week – they are seeking to build a longer-term case for change, something they can campaign on.

Picking a particular local example or case study is often a challenge for the first minister, who chiefly took issue with Mr Sarwar’s language about Tayside services. She insists they have not “collapsed”.

But the clashes between the two about the broader picture are more familiar.

They are now so core to how the parties have positioned themselves that these are exchanges we could well be hearing right through to the next set of elections.

Once more at First Minister's Questions, Scottish labour leader Anas Sarwar looks to the health service for his first question.

He brings up breast cancer chemotherapy in NHS Tayside which he says has "collapsed" leaving vulnerable women travelling across the country for treatment.

He says patients, doctors and a whistleblower who originally raised the alarm over a three-year-old dosing scandal do not believe the conclusions of Scottish government reports. He asks for an independent inquiry.

The first minister says Mr Sarwar is wrong to describe the service as having collapsed.

She says just seven women of 150 new patients a week will have had to travel for treatment.

She calls Mr Sarwar's description "shameful" and says issues will be assessed by experts and she will not shy away from further action if this is required.

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

For once, it seemed like a week when there wasn’t a big story of Westminster leadership hanging over Scottish politics.

But that changed minutes before first minister’s questions began, with the news of Ian Blackford stepping down as the SNP’s Westminsterleader.

This is not exactly a shock, given the debate there has been in recent weeks and months about Mr Blackford’s future, and of potential competition for his post.

The timing is also tied to the fact the party’s Westminster group AGM is coming up.

But opposition leaders are quick to link it to the party’s wider prospects and its strategy for pursuing independence.

There will be plenty of the usual discussion of devolved topics at Holyrood today – but once again, thoughts and political attack lines will be latching on to a developing Westminster story.

The Scottish Tory leader says the UN expert has urged the Scottish government to wait until the outcomes of Scottish and UK court cases before pressing ahead with the Gender Recognition Reform bill.

Ross calls on the first minister to pause the bill.

Nicola Sturgeon answers that it is ultimately for parliament to determine whether or not a bill passes.

The first minister argues that current provisions for the management of sex offenders are robust and effective.

Nicola Sturgeon says her government does not believe the concerns on gender recognition reform are well founded.

The first minister adds that the cabinet secretary will meet UN expert Reem Aisalem next week to discuss her letter.

The Gender Recognition Reform Bill has gone through two public consultations and is currently in the process of very extensive parliamentary scrutiny, she says.

The first minister tells the chamber a number of amendments have been passed to address concerns raised.

She says: "All of us see protecting women and girls as a priority, but all of us also see protecting the rights of trans people as important too."

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross says he does not understand why the First Minister could not vote for the Tory amendment to yesterday's debate on gender recognition reform.

He says it simply asked the parliament to acknowledge the report from the UN special rapporteur.

In a letter to the UK government, external, UN special rapporteur Reem Alsalem shared fears that the legislation "would potentially open the door for violent males who identify as men to abuse the process of acquiring a gender certificate and the rights that are associated with it".

She added: "This presents potential risks to the safety of women in all their diversity (including women born female, transwomen, and gender non-conforming women)."

Ross points to a Tory amendment to the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, external which would have banned convicted sex offenders from changing gender, which was voted down by the Scottish government.

He asks why.

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Douglas Ross led his questions on something which is a key policy difference between the SNP and Conservatives – and a topical one.

The Tories are the only party which is pushing the Scottish government to drop its plans to reform the Gender Recognition Act.

This is a debate which frequently rears its head outside of the parliamentary chamber too, as was seen earlier in the week when Nicola Sturgeon was heckled at an event.

And the first minister’s response to Mr Ross was effectively the same as she gave that day.

She says violent men generally do not feel the need to transition before targeting women – and that it is important not to stigmatise a vulnerable group.

This is a debate which is going to come to a head at Holyrood in the coming weeks, with the legislation likely to have its final vote in the chamber before the Christmas break.

But based on the strength of feeling held on both sides of the debate, it feels unlikely that the conclusion of the parliamentary process is going to put the whole issue to rest.

The first minister responds to the questions on gender recognition reform and points out the comments came from the UN special rapporteur and her cabinet secretary has responded to them.

Nicola Sturgeon says: "I take the safety of women and girls very seriously."

She adds that any man who wants to abuse a women does not need in some way to pretend to be a women in order to do so.

The first minister says: "It is men who abuse women."

She warns against stigmatising trans people.

BACKGROUND

The Scottish government's proposals to reform gender recognition laws could allow violent males to "abuse" the system, a UN expert claims.

The organisation's special rapporteur on violence against women and girls said the legislation could increase potential safety risks.

Scottish ministers argue the current process to change a person's legal gender is too difficult and invasive.

They say there is "no evidence" women and girls will be harmed by the bill.

A Scottish government spokesperson said many of the issues raised by the UN rapportuer have been addressed by parliament.

Read more here.

Douglas Ross turns to the comments from the UN expert on violence against women who raised concerns about the Scottish government's proposals to reform gender recognition laws.

UN special rapporteur Reem Alsalem said it could allow violent males to "abuse" the system, the Scottish Conservaive leader says.

He says this presents a potential risk to the safety of women.

And asks: "Why can't you accept concern raised by the United Nations?"

Image source, Getty Images

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross is on his feet as he gets first minister's questions under way by paying tribute to rugby legend Doddie Weir, who died at the weekend.

Scotland has lost a true sporting legend, he says, and a champion in the fight against Motor Neurone Disease.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon echoes Mr Ross's comments.

"He was a hero on the rugby pitch, but he was perhaps even more so an inspiration off of the rugby pitch," she says.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also paid tribute, calling him an "inspiration".

Mr Blackford said: "After more than five years in the role, now is the right time for fresh leadership at Westminster as we head towards a general election and the next steps in winning Scotland's independence.

"During my time as leader, the SNP won a landslide victory in the 2019 general election, with an increased share of the vote and MPs, and support for independence has continued to grow with polling this week showing a majority in favour."

Image source, PA Media

Ian Blackford is to stand down as leader of the SNP group at Westminster, it has been confirmed.

Mr Blackford said he believed it was time for "fresh leadership" after five years in the role.

He said he would formally stand down at the party's annual general meeting next week.

There has been speculation in recent weeks that some SNP MPs were plotting to replace Mr Blackford as group leader.

In a statement, he said he would continue in his role as the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber and had also accepted a new role at the centre of the SNP's independence campaign.

Read more here.