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Live Reporting

All times stated are UK

  1. FMQs: The headlines

    Here are the key points from this week's FMQs session:

    • Douglas Ross focused on the Audit Scotland report into NHS Scotland. He demanded to know why "things were getting worse, not better" for the health service under the SNP.
    • Humza Yousaf responded by saying that recommendations from the report would be taken onboard, but that the NHS in Scotland is outperforming its English and Welsh counterparts.
    • The Scottish government was criticised by Anas Sarwar for failing to support Labour's proposals on increase the windfall tax on energy companies from 75% to 78%.
    • The first minister responded by saying the Labour plans would leave thousands of north east workers in the oil and gas industries on the "scrapheap".
    • Presiding officer Alison Johnstone repeatedly called for quiet and calm during increasingly heated arguments.
    • Yousaf added that the SNP were not ignoring the climate crisis, which he accused the Tories of doing.
  2. Labour MSP calls for further scrutiny of the National Care Service bill

    Scottish Labour's health and care spokesperson Jackie Baillie attempts to raise a point of order following the publication today of the Stage 1 report on the National Care Service.

    Scotland's then health secretary Michael Matheson confirmed in December the government had delayed its flagship plan to set up a National Care Service by three years.

    Baillie argues concerns about the bill are ignored and the party whip is being used to get the bill over the line. She warns the integrity of this parliament is at stake.

    Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone agrees the bill can be referred back to the lead committee for a further report on the general principles of the bill.

  3. Background: Where do the SNP stand on oil and gas policy?

    Humza Yousaf delivered a speech on the future of Scotland's energy sector and the UK general election in Aberdeen earlier this week
    Image caption: Humza Yousaf delivered a speech on the future of Scotland's energy sector and the UK general election in Aberdeen earlier this week

    The SNP want to leave the current windfall tax at 75%, rather than increase it to 78% as Labour have proposed.

    The first minister says that Labour's plans are too aggressive, and would take jobs away from the north east of the country to fund energy projects in England.

    The first minister previously stated that the SNP wanted to "unleash the potential of Scotland's green revolution" while still supporting jobs in the oil and gas industry.

    He has argued that this will help create a "just transition", as more green energy jobs are created to fill any jobs being lost in the oil and gas industry as the country shifts to using cleaner fuels.

    The SNP say that in an independent Scotland they would ring fence any revenues from oil and gas in a net zero fund to help areas in the north east to adjust.

  4. Yousaf 'masquerades as saviour of oil and gas' - Tories

    Douglas Lumsden asks whether the Scottish government still has a policy of a presumption against any new oil and gas licences.

    The first minister replies: "Oil and gas continues to play an important part in Scotland's energy transition."

    He stresses the draft energy strategy and just transition plan consulted on a presumption against licensing of new exploration of oil and gas, and his government have never proposed a position of no new licensing at all.

    "Unlike the Conservatives we're not ignoring the scale of the climate crisis," he says.

    The Tory MSP hits back saying the first minister, after one trip to Aberdeen, "masquerades as the saviour of the oil and gas industry".

    Yousaf points out the vast majority of the oil taken from the North Sea gets exported overseas and he argues Westminster "is not working for Scotland".

    "It's high time that Scotland's energy was in Scotland's hands," he says.

  5. Aberdeen treated as a 'cash cow' - Yousaf

    Noise levels rise as Sarwar returns to his point of Labour being “on the side of working people”.

    He says the Labour proposals will mean more jobs, a more sustainable Scotland and investment in the country. He adds this will bring down bills.

    Yousaf says he cannot wait to debate this in Aberdeen, with Sarwar raising his hands in a ‘bring it on' gesture.

    He then calls the Labour leader a “branch manager” and says Labour governments treated Aberdeen as a cash cow, while their plans will leave workers “on the scrapheap.”

    The presiding officer called for quiet repeatedly during these exchanges.

  6. Yousaf accused of 'siding with energy giants'

    Sarwar claims that the first minister is “siding with energy giants, rather than working people” with his opposition to the tax.

    He cites BP making an £11bn profit while families “risk losing their home” and questions why the Scottish government believe those on lower incomes have “the broadest shoulders” for coping with tax.

    Yousaf responds by bringing Labour’s decision not to re-install a cap on bankers bonuses. He says the Labour leader is calling the energy industry “liars” and that their proposal will be “the worst of both worlds”.

    He adds that Labour governments “raided” the north east over the years without reinvesting it in Scotland.

  7. Background: What are Labour's windfall tax plans?

    Oil rig

    Earlier this week First Minister Humza Yousaf pledged to oppose Labour's plans to increase the windfall tax.

    Mr Yousaf said there was "extreme anger" from people in the north east of Scotland at the party's plans for the oil and gas sector.

    Sir Keir Starmer has wants to raise the windfall tax on fossil fuel firms from 75% of excess profits to 78% while also extending it to 2029.

    Scottish Labour said the SNP was "siding with the energy giants".

    The proposals have faced criticism from the oil and gas industry.

    At the Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow on Sunday, Sir Keir promised work in the North Sea oil and gas sector would continue "for decades to come".

  8. Sarwar and Yousaf clash over windfall tax

    Anas Sarwar

    Labour leader Anas Sarwar asks the first minister why he feels major energy companies such as Shell cannot pay more tax via his party’s proposed windfall tax.

    Yousaf replies by saying Sarwar is “extremely brave” to raise this issue, given Labour have been criticised for this proposal in the north east of Scotland.

    He says the SNP are standing up for the north east while the Scottish Labour leader cannot ‘stand up' to Keir Starmer.

    Yousaf has already confirmed he will oppose Sir Keir Starmer's plan to raise the windfall tax on fossil fuel firms from 75% of excess profits to 78% while also extending it to 2029.

  9. Ross says Yousaf 'asleep at the wheel'

    Douglas Ross tells the chamber: "Audit Scotland states there is no overall vision for Scotland's NHS."

    The first minister reiterates there has been record investment in the NHS in Scotland and there's record staffing.

    The Scottish Tory leader continues: "Humza Yousaf has no vision for Scotland's NHS, he's been asleep at the wheel like every other SNP first minister."

    Yousaf again defends the government's record on the NHS and he says he won't take a single lecture on investing in the NHS from Douglas Ross.

  10. Does the FM accept his NHS recovery plan has failed?

    Humza Yousaf

    Ross points out: "This is an Audit Scotland report into NHS Scotland" and he calls on the first minister to focus on Scotland.

    The Scottish Tory leader says Humza Yousaf set waiting times in the wrong direction as health secretary and he calls on the first minister to admit his recovery plan has failed.

    Humza Yousaf accepts there is still a way to go and he also accepts the recommendations in today's report.

    He says a record sum of over £19.5bn is being invested in the NHS in Scotland, but there has been a 10% cut to the capital budget.

  11. FM highlights challenges faced by the NHS across the UK

    Humza Yousaf replies his government takes very seriously the report from Audit Scotland published this morning.

    The first minister says there are challenges for every NHS across the UK due to the shock caused by the pandemic.

    He says there are challenges Scotland's NHS is facing, but these are common challenges seen throughout the UK and he cites statistics showing Scotland doing better than England and Wales.

  12. 'Why first minister are things getting worse, not better?'

    Douglas Ross

    Douglas Ross begins by highlighting the "damning" Audit Scotland report on the state of Scotland's NHS.

    The Scottish Tory leader points to the statistic that people waiting more than a year for treatment has jumped from 3,500 to 40,000.

    He asks: "Why first minister are things getting worse, not better?"

  13. First Minister's Questions about to begin

    Humza Yousaf has arrived in the chamber and FMQs is set to start.

    Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross will ask the first question.

  14. Background: NHS Scotland unable to meet growing demand

    hospital

    A spending watchdog has warned that NHS Scotland is increasingly unable to meet growing demand on the health service.

    The report by Audit Scotland states that pressure on health services is now affecting patients safety, and that there is no "overall vision" in place for the NHS in the country.

    It also highlighted that the NHS was facing soaring costs, patients were waiting longer to be seen and there were not enough staff.

    The Scottish government's health secretary Neil Gray, who only took over the role earlier this month, has promised to unveil his proposals for the NHS soon, and that he will be seeking to invest in the workforce and in services.

    However opposition politicians have already labelled the report's findings as showing "monumental failings" on behalf of the Scottish government.

    You can read more about the findings of the report here.

    It comes just days after BBC Scotland revealed that at least a dozen NHS construction projects across Scotland have been delayed or paused for up to two years as a result of budget pressures.

  15. What's been making the headlines this week?

    The headlines today are dominated by one story - the Commons chaos where the speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle was accused of "party politics" over last night's Gaza vote.

    Our colleagues in Westminster are currently running a live page on developments there.

    There is a members' debate led by SNP MSP Ivan McKee today and his motion calls for an "immediate ceasefire in Palestine and Israel", however there is no vote at Holyrood.

    Elsewhere this week the NHS has been at the top of the political agenda.

    A spending watchdog is today warning that NHS Scotland is increasingly unable to meet growing demand on the health service.

  16. Welcome to FMQs

    Angela Constance, Humza Yousaf and Shona Robison

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

    We'll bring you the live action from Holyrood as Humza Yousaf faces his weekly grilling by opposition leaders.

    The session starts at 12:00 and you can follow it here or watch live from the chamber by using the play icon in the tabs above.