Summary

  • Humza Yousaf faces questions from opposition party leaders and backbench MSPs

  • Douglas Ross says the Lord Advocate's statement to Holyrood on the post office scandal was confusing

  • Anas Sarwar quizzes the FM on legislation for XL Bully dogs in Scotland.

  • The FM says the Scottish Government will work to protect people from irresponsible dog owners

  • A row over the UK food label scheme resurrects Brexit arguments in the chamber

  • Questions on cancer survival rates, the R100 broadband scheme and sexually transmitted infections are also raised from the backbenches

Live Reporting

  1. FMQs begins

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

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

    post office signGetty Images

    The Post Office scandal remained high on the news agenda as questions were asked about how it unfolded in Scotland and what steps would be taken to clear postmasters and postmistresses wrongly convicted based on evidence from the faulty Horizon IT system.

    Huma Yousaf has already said he will work with the UK government to ensure victims in Scotland are exonerated.

    On Tuesday Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain apologised to those prosecuted by the Crown Office but insisted that prosecutors had been misled by the Post Office about the evidence.

    The Finance Secretary confirmed that 1,200 funded university places will be cut in Scotland. Shona Robison said additional places created during the Covid pandemic were not sustainable due to financial pressures.

    The UK Covid inquiry moved to Scotland to take three weeks of evidence. The UK government said it would seek legal expenses following the court case over Holyrood gender reforms which went against the Scottish government at the Court of Session in December.

    And MSPs will get a pay rise from April, taking the base salary to more than £72,000. Ministers will continue with a voluntary pay freeze, meaning their actual pay remains at 2008/9 levels.

  3. Welcome

    Humza YousafPA

    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.