Yousaf challenged on NHS waiting times at rowdy FMQs

1. Humza Yousaf faces questions from opposition party leaders during first minister's questions
2. Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross challenges Humza Yousaf on NHS waiting times
3. The first minister apologises to people affected by long waits for ambulances and in A&E departments
4. But Yousaf defends his government's record and the fact that Scotland has not faced a single day of NHS strike action
5. Scottish Labour's Anas Sarwar also focuses on NHS delays, and the Scottish government's repeated failure to meet targets
6. This is the first FMQs since Jeremy Hunt's Budget extended the windfall tax on oil and gas firms by a year

FMQs - The headlines

That concludes our live coverage of a first minister's questions peppered with interruptions from the gallery.

If you're just joining us, here's a recap of this week's FMQs:

• Humza Yousaf accused the chancellor of making the NHS's recovery even harder by cutting the amount of money Scotland has to spend
• The FM said despite Scottish budget cuts of hundreds of millions of pounds, the government was continuing to invest in the health service
• That was in response to Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross pointing out January this year was the worst month ever for long waits at Scotland's A&E departments
• The two clashed over delayed discharges with a bad tempered exchange
• Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also went on the NHS, saying the SNP was "failing health on every measure"
• Sarwar accused the SNP of breaking the 12-week treatment time law “over 680,000 times”
• Yousaf reiterated Scotland has the best performing A&E in the UK and that the headcount in the NHS is at record high levels
• SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson inevitabley brought up the Budget
• This led to the FM asking "did Douglas Ross sell out the north east for peerage"
• Earlier today the chancellor told the BBC that the Scottish oil and gas industry was the loser in this budget after he announced an extensions to the windfall tax

That's all for this week. Today's editor was Paul McLaren. James Delaney and Craig Hutchison were the writers.

Presiding officer's police warning over FMQs disruption

BBC

Before signing off this week's FMQs, Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone has a warning for those interrupting from the public gallery.

Today’s session was suspended on several occasions due to shouting from the public benches.

The presiding officer says parliament will work with Police Scotland to identify any of those responsible for the disruptions and take any appropriate action.

“Unfortunately the opportunity for more elected members to represent their constituencies by putting questions to the first minister has been disrupted once again,” she tells members.

“I think we would all agree that the principal of this parliament being open and accessible is extremely important.

"Visitors are very welcome to attend and see their elected representatives at work but not to disrupt this work.

“I would say to colleagues that parliament will work with security colleagues and with Police Scotland and will take any further action that is required in this regard."

'Why does no-one care' about children waiting for referalls- Labour MSP

What action is the Scottish government taking to reduce waiting times for children referred for a neurodevelopmental assessment, asks Colin Smyth.

The first minister accepts there is increasing demand for these assessments and he expects children to be assessed as soon as possible.

The Labour MSP refers to the standard of children having to wait for a neurodevelopmental assessment in no more than four weeks.

He refers to a 10-year-old constituent who had been on the waiting list in NHS Lanarkshire for a year.

"She's now 13 years old and has been on that waiting list for three-and-a-half years.

"Why does no-one care?"

The first minister explains his officials have been in touch with the relevant health board which will contact the family imminently.

He accepts waiting this long "is simply not acceptable".

There is yet another interruption from the gallery.

'Systematic reform' on gender-based violence

Rona Mackay asks what the government is doing to combat gender-based violence ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March.

The FM says the Scottish government stands against violence against women at the hands of men and says tackling toxic and societal attitudes that underpin that is key.

He says the government’s “equally safe” strategy aims to root out those behaviours early and transform the justice system so that perpetrators are properly held to account.

Rona Mackay brings up plans for a specialist sexual offences court and asks whether that could boost confidence in the justice system among women and girls.

The FM says that establishing that court, alongside a raft of other measures, can play a crucial role in that.

He agrees with comments from Scotland’s second highest judge, Lady Dorrian, that “there is no option to do nothing”.

He says systematic reform to the court system is the only way to support victims, support survivors of sexual offences and give them the confidence that they will be treated with dignity and respect.

When will Scotland see public sector reform?

Back in the Holyrood chamber, Liz Smith argues the Budget prioritised improving public sector output and efficiency, with £3bn to update IT in the NHS.

The Tory MSP asks when Scotland will see similar public sector reform.

"Brave is one word for Liz Smith's intervention," replies Yousaf.

The first minister points out Scotland won't see a penny of that investment this year or next, as it has been "kicked into the long grass" to a point beyond where the Tories will be in government.

He turns his ire on Labour saying they did not oppose a single measure in the Budget.

"Westminster doesn't work for Scotland and only the SNP will stand up for this country," he concludes.

What was in the Budget?

Getty Images

Here’s a reminder of the key measures announced by the chancellor in his budget:

• National Insurance was cut for workers by another 2p - having already fallen by 2p in last year’s Autumn Statement
• The earnings threshold for child benefit was raised from £50,000 to £60,000
• And the VAT threshold for small businesses was increased, from £85,000 to £90,000

• Alcohol duty was frozen and the 5p cut in fuel duty was extended
• And there are new taxes on vapes, and higher taxes for business class flights
• The windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas companies was extended until 2029, while capital gains tax was reduced for the higher rate of property from 28% to 24%
• And the non-dom tax break, claimed by wealthy foreign residents in the UK, was abolished - but new arrivals will still not pay tax on foreign income and gains for their first four years of UK residency

You can read more about those major announcements here.

Chancellor says Scottish oil and gas is budget loser

Getty Images

Jeremy Hunt made the windfall tax announcement in his Budget on Wednesday

The chancellor has said that Scottish oil and gas companies were the losers in his budget after he extended the windfall tax on their profits.

Jeremy Hunt announced on Wednesday that the levy on North Sea companies would remain for an additional 12 months.

It means the 35% surcharge on profits due to high energy prices will continue until 2029 rather than 2028.

Many Scottish Conservative politicians, including leader Douglas Ross, had opposed the move.

But the chancellor said the industry had to make a "fair contribution" from the additional profits of £1.5bn he said they had made due to the war in Ukraine.

• Oil and gas profits windfall tax extended until 2029
• How much windfall tax are oil and gas firms paying?
• Budget: Key points at a glance

'Did Douglas Ross sell out north east for peerage?'

After the latest interruption from the gallery, Kenneth Gibson asks the FM if he agrees with Douglas Ross that measures to extend the oil and gas industry windfall tax are a step in the wrong direction.

The FM jokes that he “hesitates to agree” with the Tory leader, but says Ross may have been in tune with the Scottish public “for the first time” when he said the budget was bad for Scotland.

He questions whether Ross’s threats to resign over the decision were “in return for a peerage or a place on the privy council” and describes the decision as a “betrayal” of the north east.

The FM says Gibson is right, and says the Conservatives have “imposed a disastrous Brexit, ushered in a cost of living crisis and for the first time on record the economy is set to be smaller in real term per capita at the time of the last general election than the previous one”.

He points out Labour did not oppose a single measure in Jeremy Hunt’s statement.

Presiding Officer pledges to review today's rowdy interruptions

After yet another interruption in proceedings, Presidng Officer Alison Johnstone tells the chamber: "It is extremely regrettable that the opportunity of elected representatives to put questions to the first minister is being disrupted today."

She pledges to review today's events.

Yousaf: 'Budget was a betrayal of Scotland'

Kenneth Gibson asks what impact the chancellor's budget on Wednesday will have on Scotland

The FM says it marks “another failure to deliver funding for the people and public services in Scotland” by Westminster.

He says the combined cut in National Insurance across the spring and autumn statements equates to the loss of up to £1.6bn in Barnett consequentials for Scotland.

The FM adds the £237m earmarked for Scotland’s health services are “nowhere near enough” to cover the agreed pay deal for staff.

He describes the absence of investment and infrastructure from Westminster as a “betrayal” of Scotland.

Concerns about access to sport raised by Tory MSP

Getty Images

Josh Kerr won gold at the World Indoor Athletics Championships

Former international athlete Brian Whittle turns to a topic close to his heart.

The Tory MSP asks what action the Scottish government can take to help encourage children into sport and cultivate future world class athletes, in light of the recent medal-winning performances of Josh Kerr and Jemma Reekie at the World Indoor Athletics Championships in Glasgow.

Humza Yousaf offers "huge congratulations" to both atheltes for their fantastic performances.

The first minister points to work with Sport Scotland to ensure active programmes for children are free.

Whittle says school sport is on the decline and access to sport is on a very steep decline.

The FM replies that, across 2023/2024, Sport Scotland is investing £36.7m and he argues local government is getting record funding.

Sarwar: 'SNP failing health on every measure'

The FM accuses Sarwar of refusing to accept the impact of the pandemic on the NHS.

He says progress was being made towards reducing waiting times prior to the pandemic, but that was then blown apart by the “biggest shock” the NHS had experienced in its history.

The Labour leader is unimpressed with his response.

He says: “Seventeen years in government and that is the best response they’ve got, really?”.

He says the SNP has failed “on every measure” on health in government.

Sarwar says “lives are being put at risk” by their record.

The FM counters that the pandemic is still causing “challenges across the UK”.

He says that headcount in the NHS is at “record high levels” and highlights sustained improvements in mental health services.

The FM adds that record investment has been made in the NHS in the face of a “real terms cut” by the Westminster government.

12-week treatment time law 'over 680,000 times'

The FM says the Scottish government is “funding recovery” and investing in reducing waiting times.

But Sarwar accuses the SNP of breaking the 12-week treatment time law “over 680,000 times”.

He says 320,000 of those breaches came before the Covid pandemic.

Sarwar says people “have put their lives on hold” while they await treatment and asks if the government will apologise to those who have been “failed” by waiting times.

The FM says of course the government apologises.

He says they do not want any patients waiting “a minute longer” than necessary for care.

Sarwar: 'Patients deserve better'

BBC

Anas Sarwar is up next after that heated exchange.

He starts off by echoing the comments from both the FM and the Scottish Tory leader as he passes on condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Nick Sheridan.

Sarwar says patients across Scotland “deserve better than what they have seen” in the chamber so far this afternoon.

He asks how often the Scottish government has broken the legally binding 12-week guarantee from referral to treatment.

The FM says he does not have the figure to hand, but acknowledges that since the pandemic, patients have experienced longer waits.

He repeats that these are challenges faced “right across the UK”.

Scotland has the best performing A&E, argues Yousaf

The first minister says funding for the Scottish Ambulance Service has been increased.

Yousaf argues Scotland has the best performing A&E system compared to other countries in the UK.

Again he reiterates improvements have been made in tackling waiting times and once more points to record investment in the NHS.

Tempers are raised during FMQs

A whistleblower in NHS Grampian said at one stage 18 ambulances were stuck outside Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, says Ross.

The Scottish Tory leader loses his temper and shouts at a cabinet secretary and calls on him to withdraw his comments from a sedentary position.

Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone says she didn't hear the remark but calls on MSPs to treat each other with respect.

Ross raises the case of Ian Black who gave up waiting for an ambulance after 15 hours before suffering a stroke.

What urgent action will the FM take, he says?

FMQs suspended again after shouting from public gallery

There have been multiple suspensions of today's FMQs because of shouting from the public gallery.

Yousaf and Ross clash over delayed discharges

Ross says the crisis in Scotland's NHS has continued to get worse since the end of the pandemic.

The Scottish Tory leader argues the SNP promised to eradicate delayed discharges eight years ago.

"How costly has that failure to eradicate delayed discharge been to patients waiting in Scotland's NHS?"

Yousaf hits back saying Douglas Ross has "clearly been left hung out to dry by his own colleagues" - again refering to the Budget.

The first minister says he is very proud that Scotland remains the only country in the UK which has not lost a single day to NHS strike action.

He says Brexit has been a complete disaster for social care recruitment.

"We are attempting to recover our NHS in the face of over 14 years of Conservative austerity."

'We're investing record amounts in our NHS' - Yousaf

The first minister again says the global pandemic has affected health services around the world.

He insists "we are seeing recovery" in the NHS, with activity moving in the right direction and he cites statistics that back this up.

Yousaf says: "We're investing record amounts in our NHS."

He criticises the UK government for taking £500m from Scotland's budget over the last two years.

The FM says Douglas Ross must use his influence to address this - and jokes Ross does not have much influence, alluding to the budget and the extension of the windfall tax on oil and gas.

Ross asks what FM will do to tackle 'appalling waits'

BBC

Douglas Ross says this week we learned that patients are nearly 30 times more likely to be waiting over two years for treatment in Scotland than they would be south of the border.

There are more than 8,000 patients waiting over two years for treatment in Scotland, he adds.

"What is he planning to do specifically to deal with these appalling waits for treatment?"