Here are the main lines from First Minister Humza Yousaf's statement at Holyrood:

• The FM announced that the launch of the controversial bottle deposit return scheme will be delayed until March next year

• Humza Yousaf was setting out his policy priorities for the next three years, external in a statement to the Scottish parliament
• The statement was somewhat overshadowed by this morning's arrest of SNP treasurer Colin Beattie
• Nevertheless Yousaf told MSPs he wanted to reset the government's relationship with business
• He also pledged to take a fresh look at plans to restrict alcohol advertising, and to take more time to build consensus about the new national care service
• Yousaf also committed to tackling child poverty, reducing drugs deaths and rejoining international education comparison studies
• A six-month trial will see peak rail fares scrapped across the ScotRail network from October
• Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher told Humza Yousaf to tackle the "scandal" in his party and accused the first minister of "tinkering around with Nicola Sturgeon's failing policy agenda"
• Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar accused Yousaf of "not running a functioning government"
• Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the government is in "total paralysis"

That's all from the live team here. The page was edited by Mary McCool and James FitzGerald. The writers were Debbie Jackson, Adam Durbin and Craig Hutchison.

Bottle scheme delay somewhat inevitable - but Greens are not happypublished at 15:56 British Summer Time 18 April 2023

15:56 BST 18 April 2023

Kevin Keane
BBC Scotland environment correspondent

There was a degree of inevitability that the first minister would announce a delay to the rollout of Scotland’s deposit return scheme.

The policy became a political football during the SNP leadership contest with all three candidates promising varying degrees of change.

Businesses have repeatedly raised concerns about how it will be administered with some suggesting smaller firms will be hit hardest.

But the tone of the announcement was interesting.

The delay isn’t because of those expressed business concerns – the first minister said – but because the UK government has failed so far to grant the legislation an exemption from the Internal Markets Act.

This week – we learnt - ministers were anticipating a decision on the exemption from UK government counterparts.

The Scottish Greens are not happy and remember they are in government with the SNP in Scotland. In fact it’s one of their ministers who is responsible for this policy.

They say that climate action is being “held hostage” by the Tory government at Westminster and lay the blame squarely with them.

Questions to the first minister have finished now, thanks for joining us.

The SNP's Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey asks what the government will do to make sure children's mental health is supported.

The FM says the government wants to ensure young people "get timely access" to mental health treatment.

In a firm commitment Yousaf says the government will invest in CAMHS, external.

"Investing in those pre-crisis interventions," he says.

Image source, PA Media

While answering an appeal from Tory health spokesman Sandesh Gulhane to reinstate the £65m budget cut to primary care, the FM corrects an earlier statement.

Yousaf promised a commitment to social care staff to increase pay to an hourly rate of £10 an hour.

He corrects this to £12 an hour.

Green MSP Ross Greer attacks the UK government accusing it of failing to exclude Scotland's bottle return scheme from the Internal Market Act.

"This is Westminster's delay but can the first minister say what he and the circular economy minister will do to secure the exclusion and ensure that Scotland's scheme goes ahead next March?"

Yousaf says the Tories do not understand devolution and says there's no doubt that the deposit return scheme cannot progress without that exemption from the Internal Market Act.

"I am absolutely committed to the Deposit Return Scheme."

The FM insists Scottish Secretary Alister Jack will do "everything possible he can to undermine this parliament and undermine devolution."

Yousaf presents administration as team effortpublished at 15:19 British Summer Time 18 April 2023

15:19 BST 18 April 2023

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

Humza Yousaf was the “continuity candidate” in the SNP leadership election, but he is seeking to establish his own image as first minister.

The policy paper published today describes this as “a fresh start for the Scottish government under new leadership”.

And there is one striking difference in presentation, if nothing else.

Nicola Sturgeon’s government was often seen as being run from the top down, by a first minister with a close circle of advisors.

Mr Yousaf meanwhile is trying to present his administration as a team effort wherever possible.

Each of his cabinet secretaries gets to lay out their own section of the policy platform, making pledges under their own names. The two Green co-leaders get a page too.

Mr Yousaf seems keen to send a message that he will be running his government in a more collaborative way.

Yousaf downplays Alex Cole-Hamilton's jibes saying he won't take advice from Liberal Democrats as he points out the party couldn't field a six-a-side team with the number of MSPs they have in Holyrood.

But, the FM acknowledges Cole-Hamilton makes "important points".

Yousaf does acknowledge the issue of long wait times - especially for mental health

He says: "We're committed to increasing the workforce within CAMHS, external".

Image source, Scottish Parliament

The Scottish government is in "paralysis", accuses Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton after saying this first minister relaunch has been "utterly torpedoed" by events outside the chamber.

He claims reasonable-minded people are rethinking their support for the SNP and offers the Scottish Lib Dems as an alternative.

He says "I'm surprised you can hear me over the sound of CVs being frantically updated from the government benches"​ and accused Yousaf of "utter failure" over a promise to reduce mental health waiting times by 2023.

He ask show many more years before these are cleared?

Image source, PA Media

Tory MSP Liz Smith asks what detailed analysis has been undertaken over the government's plans to increase tax rates on middle and high earners.

Her concern is it will harm the economy.

Yousaf promises "detailed analysis" goes on when looking at any tax changes.

But he says he is unapologetic that those who earn more, like Liz Smith, should pay more because they earn more.​

Progressive taxation has allowed £1bn more investment in NHS, he adds, and says he's glad SNP hasn't listened to the Tory policy of "disastrous tax cuts to the wealthy" that Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng brought forward.

"I won't take economic literacy advice from the Conservatives," he says.

Yousaf gets back on his feet to answer Scottish Labour's Anas Sarwar.

"Goodness, not a single idea," Yousaf answers back.

Yousaf goes on to list off SNP policies such as abolishing prescription charges, tuition fees as well as free bus travel, childcare provisions and the building of affordable houses.

"I want to make sure this parliament has all the financial levers to tackle this cost of living crisis," the FM finishes.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar accuses the SNP of being "mired in scandal, mired in division".

He says Yousaf is no longer running a functional government, adding the "crisis that now engulfs the SNP" is an indication of how they govern Scotland - to table-banging from the back benches in approval.

Sarwar says no amount of spin can cover up the SNP's problems and the crisis Scotland faces.

He says the cost of living and NHS crisis mean "continuity won't cut it".

Sarwar goes on to note that it's possible to bring down bills and tackle other social issues - but "not with this government".

The FM finds it "awfully brave" of Meghan Gallacher to talk about a global cost of living crisis when he says we are dealing with a Tory Westminster cost of living crisis - and receives a round of applause.

He says the SNP doesn't just talk the talk - it is prepared to "walk the walk" and accuses the Conservatives of opposing any measure brought forward to tackle the climate emergency.

He says it is also brave to talk of propriety when "the PM, the deputy PM and the former PM are all under investigation by the standards commission" and says while the SNP face challenges, he would rather be standing there with the opportunity to deliver for the people of Scotland than "languish in opposition".

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Meghan Gallacher from the Scottish Conservatives immediately focuses on the "scandal" engulfing the SNP.

She says: "The SNP is in total meltdown."

The MSP accuses Yousaf of "not doing the right thing" by refusing to suspend his "former mentors" while the investigation is ongoing.

She accuses Yousaf of being a "continuity first minister" being led by "the extremist Greens" and she asks if anyone believes he will close the attainment gap.

She welcomes the delay to the Deposit Return Scheme and she asks if the SNP remains in debt to Peter Murrell and when it intends to repay that loan.

If there's a grand plan for independence, it's under wraps for nowpublished at 14:52 British Summer Time 18 April 2023

14:52 BST 18 April 2023

Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent

The policy paper launched by Humza Yousaf today is set out as a series of promises to be delivered by 2026.

He is crystal clear that he wants Scotland to be an independent country, but also has a range of things he wants to achieve with the current set of devolved powers.

There is plenty of talk here of “building the case” for independence, and giving voters “the information they need to make an informed choice about Scotland’s future”.

But there is nothing at all about how that choice might come about.

The strategy conference put on hold in the wake of Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation remains in the long grass, and Yousaf keeps saying he wants to talk about the principle of independence rather than the process.

If he has a grand plan to move the constitutional debate forward, he is keeping it under wraps for now.

Yousaf closes his speech by again acknowledging governing has challenges, but says they will balance realism and optimism in responding to them.

Describing Scotland as a country of opportunity, he returns to the story of his parents moving to the country in the 1960s and overcoming challenges they faced.

"I'm optimistic we can achieve equality of opportunity," he says.

He concludes by restating his key priorities, including reducing poverty and focusing on environment - describing his plans as a "fresh start for Scotland"

Image source, PA Media

The FM turns to the justice portfolio and says the backlog of cases must be addressed.

He goes on to say childcare will be improved and he will accelerate the expansion of childcare for one and two-year-olds.

In a list of pledges he says the government will continue to close the poverty releated attainment gap.

"We'll also make our public transport system more accessible," he continues.

"The six month pilot to remove peak time fares from ScotRail will start in October of this year."

The final mission is that of "community" and the focus on delivery of key public services.

Yousaf says the NHS has faced its greatest challenges in the last three years and promises to invest in recovery.

Waiting lists will fall, cancer outcomes will improve and primary care and general practice will improve, as will mental health and welfare, he pledges.

He says he will set out a timetable to reach £10 an hour for adult social care workers and admits it will take longer to finalise national care service legislation.

And he says he is "proud" and "grateful" that no NHS worker has gone on strike in Scotland amid the current wave of industrial action.

Image source, PA Media

Yousaf promises a "fresh look" at the issue around alcohol advertising in Scotland.

"All of us want to reduce the harm caused by alcohol, particularly to young people," he says.

"Scotland will only be successful if our businesses are successful."