Image source, PA

New health secretary Neil Gray has only been in the job a matter of weeks, but it has not stopped his in-tray from expanding.

Figures obtained by Scottish Labour earlier this week found more than 17,000 Scots have waited more than 18 months for treatment, with 1,400 of those spending three years on procedure waiting lists.

The party said Humza Yousaf – in his previous role in charge of health – had pledged to “eradicate” long waits.

They have insisted Mr Gray should make wait times his top priority.

Labour leader Anas Sarwar is likely to make sure the first minister is well aware of those statistics when he follows Douglas Ross.

Humza Yousaf says: "This government apologises to anybody who has to wait longer than any of us would expect in relation to A&E treatment."

The first minister explains Scotland is still recovering from the pandemic and he points to £19.5bn record funding going into the NHS.

He says staffing levels and pay are at record highs.

The meeting has been suspended for a short period following some shouting from the gallery.

Douglas Ross was in the midst of responding to Humza Yousaf on NHS waiting times when he was cut off by presiding officer Alison Johnstone.

After a brief stoppage, we are back.

The first minister begins by paying tribute to BBC Scotland presenter Nick Sheridan who has died after a short illness.

Douglas Ross says January this year was the worst month ever for long waits at Scotland's A&E departments.

Almost 9,000 patients waited over half a day for emergency treatment, he says.

The Scottish Tory leader raises the case of Kirsten Campbell who spent over seven hours in a waiting room at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

He says she had to lie on the floor surrounded by bodily fluids and he asks how Humza Yousaf will fix this problem.

We apologise for not being able to bring you the live stream of FMQs at the moment because of technical difficulties.

You can watch first minister's questions here, external or on BBC One Scotland.

We will still bring you analysis and reports throughout FMQs.

Jeremy Hunt is on most of the front pages of the newspapers today and we know there is at least one question on the budget coming from the backenches.

The windfall tax on oil and gas firms has been extended by 12 months despite opposition from the Scottish Conservatives.

The chancellor has said that the Scottish oil and gas industry is the loser in his budget.

There was also a 2p cut in national insurance and a freeze on alcohol duty and the experts are now crunching all the numbers.

Last week's FMQs was dominated by calls for an independent public inquiry into the police handling of the Emma Caldwell murder investigation.

We're expecting an announcement outlining an inquiry from Justice Secretary Angela Constance later this afternoon.

Image source, Jane Barlow/PA

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 with us by hitting the play icon at the top of this page.