Sturgeon faces questions over trans prisoners row

1. Nicola Sturgeon faces questions from opposition party leaders during this week's FMQs
2. Scottish Conservative Douglas Ross points out that the parliament has not been told about the details of the urgent review in to the case of Isla Bryson, a trans woman convicted of rape
3. The first minister says there will be "full transparency" in regard to the report
4. Ms Sturgeon reiterates that the focus has to on the crime of "this individual"
5. Bryson was convicted of raping two women while known as Adam Graham and is now residing in a male prison
6. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar raises the issue of the squeezed budgets of Scotland's 32 councils
7. Ms Sturgeon says finances are tight at every level and she would like to know what solutions Mr Sarwar has

BACKGROUND: Isla Bryson: Movement of violent transgender prisoners paused

PA Media

Isla Bryson was convicted of rapes before she started identifying as a woman

There will be a "pause" on transgender prisoners with a history of violence against women being placed in female jails in Scotland, Justice Secretary Keith Brown has announced.

He said an "urgent review" into the case of a trans woman convicted of raping two women before changing gender will also be carried out.

There was a public outcry when Isla Bryson was initially remanded to Cornton Vale women's prison.

She was later moved to a men's jail.

Further concerns were raised by the case of Tiffany Scott, previously known as a man called Andrew Burns, who had an application to move to a women's prison approved.

She has a history of violence and is serving an order for lifelong restriction, meaning she will only be released when she is no longer considered an "unmanageable risk to public safety".

Read more here:

Will FM publish review of transfer of prisoners to women's prisons?

Douglas Ross says the SNP ordered an urgent review on how double rapist Isla Bryson, formerly Adam Graham, was allowed into a women's prison.

"Will the first minister publish the review in full today?" asks the Scottish Conservative leader.

The first minister says the review was given to the justice secretary yesterday and he will update the Criminal Justice Committee this week.

Ms Sturgeon says: "There will be full transparency about the findings of that review as is right and proper."

FMQs begins...

BBC

Douglas Ross gets to his feet and Nicola Sturgeon is poised and ready in her seat as FMQs gets under way.

What can we expect from FMQs today?

Philip Sim

BBC Scotland political correspondent

Nicola Sturgeon must feel like she’s getting it from all sides at the moment.

The weekly clash with opposition leaders will round off a week where she’s taken flak from her predecessor Alex Salmond on gender reforms, and from allies within the SNP on her plans for independence.

Those topics may well come up again - Douglas Ross has asked about gender in three of the past five weeks, and campaigners are rallying outside the parliament this afternoon.

There is no shortage of other issues either. Anas Sarwar asked about council funding last week, and there have been plenty of fresh stories about local service cuts since.

School strikes are escalating, the project to turn the A9 into a dual carriageway has been delayed to an indefinite future date, and there could be fresh worries in the NHS with applications to nursing courses down 24%.

And the friendly fire may continue today too. Fergus Ewing – until recently a cabinet mainstay – has a fairly sharp-looking question tabled on the deposit return scheme and its potential impact on businesses.

Ms Sturgeon is always prepared for a broad selection of questions, and insists that the buck stops with her across the range of government business. Increasingly she’s facing questions from across the range of political parties too.

Welcome

Getty Images

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

We'll bring you reports and analysis from FMQs as Nicola Sturgeon is quizzed by opposition party leaders and backbench MSPs.

You can click on the play button above to watch the proceedings here with us.