First Minister's Questions: Covid messages and fire service funding

1. Humza Yousaf is questioned by opposition party leaders and backbench MSPs
2. The leaders of the Scottish Tory Party, the Scottish Labour Party and Scottish Lib Dems will all ask questions
3. Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross challenges the FM on whether government WhatsApp messages have been handed to the Covid inquiries
4. Labour's Anas Sarwar says cuts to the fire service are putting lives at risk
5. Alec Cole-Hamilton, for the Scottish Lib Dems, says people are being forced to carry out DIT dentistry because they can't get access to NHS treatment
6. Humza Yousaf is challenged over a man being bailed to stay with his new girlfriend, Claire Inglis, who he then murdered
7. The FM says he cannot imagine the grief and trauma Claire Inglis' parents are going through
8. Efforts to eliminate new transmissions of HIV, childcare costs and NHS waiting times are also raised from backbench MSPs during FMQs

FM insists government will co-operate with both Covid inquiries

BBC

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross

Douglas Ross asks why Humza Yousaf has not handed over key WhatsApp messages to the Scottish and UK Covid-19 inquiry.

The first minister begins by saying his government will co-operate fully with both inquiries.

He says any potentially relevant information will be handed over and if there are concerns raised by the inquiry they will be addressed.

"We will continue to hand over these messages."

FMQs begins...

Humza Yousaf is sitting poised for the beginning of FMQs and Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross gets to his feet and the weekly question session begins.

What can we expect in today's FMQs?

Philip Sim

BBC Scotland political correspondent

Humza Yousaf did not have a particularly restful recess.

The first minister had to deal with the fallout from a thumping by-election defeat, then his first SNP conference as leader, which launched a sort-of-new independence strategy and a council tax freeze.

And then his in-laws were trapped in Gaza amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Mr Yousaf’s response to the war has been widely praised. He is broadly seen to have said and done the right things, amid intense personal turmoil.

But there are still plenty of more domestic topics which his opponents will seek to trip him up with today.

Further school strikes have been announced, and firefighters have warned that their service is in “crisis”.

There have been yet more problems with the Ferguson Marine ferry project, which the Conservatives love to pounce upon.

And Audit Scotland has published a report raising concerns about the sustainability of the public sector workforce, suggesting that the government cannot afford to maintain services at their current level.

As ever, the first minister will need to be prepared for tough questions on these topics and indeed many more.

What's been making the headlines in Scotland this week?

Getty Images

A car became stuck after a bridge washed away in Dundee during Storm Babet

While events in the Middle East continues to dominate global headlines, Storm Babet had a huge impact on Scotland with widespread damage and the loss of three lives.

Christopher McGowan,who murdered his new girlfriend Claire Inglis weeks after being bailed to her Stirling home, was jailed for a minimum of 23 years.

Further strikes by school support staff in Scotland have been confirmed in four council areas.

Meanwhile, Scotland's winter death toll last year was the highest for more than 30 years, figures have revealed.

Welcome

Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Humza Yousaf will field questions from opposition party leaders during FMQs

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of first minister's questions.

We'll bring you the action live from Holyrood, with updates and analysis.

FMQs gets under way at noon. You can watch live from the chamber by clicking the play icon at the top of this page.