The leaders of five of Scotland's political parties go head to head in a special live BBC Scotland debate
John Swinney (SNP), Douglas Ross (Con), Anas Sarwar (Lab), Alex Cole-Hamilton (Lib-Dem) and Lorna Slater (Greens) will face questions from members of the public
The leaders clash on how to tackle the cost of living crisis for working families, the NHS and independence
John Swinney says austerity, Brexit and the cost of living crisis have been forced on Scotland by Westminster
Douglas Ross points the finger at the SNP for the strain on the NHS
Anas Sarwar says a Labour government would give an immediate cash injection to the health service
Lorna Slater calls on Scottish Labour to accept the people of Scotland should be able to decide on independence
Alex Cole-Hamilton says the public are fed up with both the SNP and Conservative governments
After the debate, you can watch more political analysis and reaction by clicking on the play icon at the top of the page
On the late Reporting Scotland programme, Alba leader Alex Salmond criticises the SNP for not putting enough emphasis on Scottish independence
David Kirkwood, Reform UK's deputy chairman in Scotland, says the country has benefitted economically from Brexit
Scottish Family party leader Richard Lucas defends anti-abortion vigils and criticises the "transgender message" being taught in schools
Lorna Slater on the cost of living crisis
Lorna Slater says that taxes have been cut for the wealthiest and the cuts have been paid for through slashing public spending.
The Scottish Green co-leader says they've "made out like bandits since Covid", doubling or even tripling their wealth.
Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent
Independence has been somewhat on the back burner during the election contest so far, chiefly because the SNP has chosen not to make a big fuss about it.
They do talk about it to their base, to their own supporters, but tend to avoid talking about it in public-facing events like debates.
And here it was Lorna Slater of the Scottish Greens who seemed more on the front foot in terms of the constitution – bringing it up first, and challenging other leaders on their positions while Mr Swinney stood back rather more quietly.
When he eventually did contribute, he sought to link the issue back to the cost of living and Brexit, and his broader campaign themes.
The Conservatives stuck to a somewhat predictable position, having built their recovery in Scotland on unionism.
But Labour are pivoting somewhat away from a hard anti-independence position – Anas Sarwar preferring to be slightly more agnostic of late, saying he doesn’t care how people feel on independence as long as they’re willing to go along with Labour for “this part of the journey”.
Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor
How far will taxing non-doms go towards solving the problems of the NHS? Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, says that will provide the injection of cash necessary to get the NHS back on track.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies says 37,000 people classified as non-doms - well-off foreign nationals who are resident in the UK - pay £6bn in tax, or around £170,000 each.
It's very unclear how much more can be raised from them, but one estimate is that changing their tax to the same rates that apply to UK nationals in the UK, that might raise £1.5bn more.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said Labour could raise £1bn from non-doms in year one, rising to £2.6bn by the end of the next Parliament.
If directed to the NHS, that would bring between £800m and £240m to the Scottish government, to spend as it wishes. On a health and social care budget of more than £19bn in Scotland, that could be less than 1% of the current NHS budget, while the amount loaned by the Scottish government to health boards, to deal with in-year deficits, is heading towards £400m.
Swinney says people in Scotland are struggling from austerity, Brexit and the cost of living crisis and says independence would allow them to make their own decisions.
He says the fight for independence would not stop if the SNP did not succeed in the upcoming election.
The first minister says Scotland should not just accept a continuation of the UK government.
And he says a Labour win would just be Labour austerity replacing Tory austerity.
Alex Cole-Hamilton says Ross and Swinney have talked about independence "almost every day" of this campaign.
He says: "There are kids who will vote in the next Holyrood election who have known only this. Only this debate, only this division in our society. When I knock doors, it's not what people are asking about."
Cole-Hamilton says people in Scotland want to know about the NHS and public services which have been "starved" of ministerial attention over the independence debate which "has gripped our politics for so long".
Douglas Ross reminds us he does not support independence and he argues the nationalists are obssessed with it.
It's independence above all else and "Scotland will suffer as a result of that," he argues.
The Scottish Tory leader argues parties should focus on the issues affecting people's lives just now.
The Scottish Greens co-leader points to her work in offshore renewables and says Scotland needs to scale up its supply chain in the industry.
Slater argues this can be done better in an independent Scotland.
She says her party will work with the SNP when they agree on similar policies. But she says she does not think Scottish Labour can keep their focus on maintaining the union.
Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent
Independence has been somewhat on the back burner during the election contest so far, chiefly because the SNP has chosen not to make a big fuss about it.
They do talk about it to their base, to their own supporters, but tend to avoid talking about it in public-facing events like debates.
And here it was Lorna Slater of the Scottish Greens who seemed more on the front foot in terms of the constitution – bringing it up first, and challenging other leaders on their positions while Mr Swinney stood back rather more quietly.
When he eventually did contribute, he sought to link the issue back to the cost of living and Brexit, and his broader campaign themes.
The Conservatives stuck to a somewhat predictable position, having built their recovery in Scotland on unionism.
But Labour are pivoting somewhat away from a hard anti-independence position – Anas Sarwar preferring to be slightly more agnostic of late, saying he doesn’t care how people feel on independence as long as they’re willing to go along with Labour for “this part of the journey”.
Time for the third of four questions from the audience.
This voter asks about Scottish independence, is it off the table for the foreseeable?
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar says the future of the country is for the Scottish people to decide. He says this election is "not about independence" but about getting rid of a "rotten" Tory government who have done "so much damage" over the last 14 years.
Sarwar says he does not support independence or a referendum on it but he can understand why so many people across Scotland wanted an "escape route" from a Tory government or a Labour party that couldn't win.
He adds: "We may disagree on the final destination for Scotland but we can all agree we need to get rid of this rotten Tory government, so let's go on this part of the journey together."
Douglas Ross is asked about his plans to step down as leader of the Scottish Conservative and why anyone would vote for a party "you don't even want to lead".
He says he has done the job for four years and it has had a huge impact on his family and he hopes to see more of his wife and two children.
The Scottish Tory leader says his party presents an opportunity to "send a message" to John Swinney on the state of Scottish education, healthcare and independence.
Alex Cole-Hamilton says there are two parties who have been in power for "far too long" who are bickering.
The Scottish Lib Dem leader says both the SNP and the Tories just blame each other and "the people are not buying it".
Philip Sim
BBC Scotland political correspondent
The economy is an interesting pinch point in the debate in Scotland, because parties differ sharply in ways they perhaps do not UK-wide.
Everyone thinks the cost of living is too high, and wants to help voters out.
But the UK Conservatives, Labour and Lib Dems are in quite a similar place on tax; none want to increase personal taxation.
Meanwhile John Swinney mentioned in his very first answer that his SNP government has increased income tax in Scotland, in order to fund measures like the Scottish Child Payment.
Douglas Ross felt that gave him an opening to criticise the Scottish government for taxing people too much – but it’s actually an approach they are proud to showcase. Old-fashioned tax and spend.
The economy is also a topic which showcased some of Anas Sarwar’s leeway to shape local messaging for Labour. Sir Keir Starmer tends to cleave to the idea of fiscal responsibility above all else, shying away from big spending commitments. This has become a key campaign point for the SNP, which repeatedly says Labour will stick to Tory spending constraints, and thus cuts.
But Anas Sarwar offered no caveats around his proposals for the economy – that “there will be no austerity” – and he even promised to pay rises for thousands of Scots.
John Swinney on the cost of living crisis
The SNP leader outlines the measures his government at Holyrood has taken to help Scots who are struggling with rising living costs.
He adds that there is a threat of more spending cuts from Westminster if Labour or the Conservatives frm the next UK government.
'No austerity' under Labour - Anas Sarwar
The Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, insists there will be "no austerity" if Labour form the next government at Westminster.
He says instead his party will make work pay, impose a windfall tax on oil and gas giants to raise £10bn and invest "in jobs of the future" to deliver economic stability.
Addressing the SNP leader, Sarwar says: "Let me say it directly John and read my lips - no austerity under Labour."
He says he will not disagree with Swinney on the "carnage" implemented by the UK Conservative government or on the state of public finances.
He adds: "In 23 days time, the choice the people of this country have is they can wake up to five more years of Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Suella Braverman, Jacob Rees-Mogg... or we can get rid of the whole sleazy lot of them and elect a Labour government who can start that process for change."
It's now the turn of Lorna Slater to address the question of whether the NHS is broken or not.
The Scottish Greens co-leader says the block grant Scotland gets from Westminster leads to politicians having to spread money further than it can possibly go.
She says austerity has meant the NHS funding has been "cut to the bone" and she argues independence would remove these restrictions.
Alex Cole-Hamilton says problems like those faced by Anna's mother are "all too common".
He says one in four GP appointments are related to mental ill health and following lockdown, there is a "mental health crisis", particularly among young people.
Cole-Hamilton says we fix this by implementing a digital services tax to be paid by social media platforms.
He adds a lot of mental health struggles in young people are caused by social media platforms and "it is time for them to pay".
He says his party would invest this money in world class facilities in Scotland to allow children to get the care they deserve.
Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor
Janice, in the audience, asked about the cost of living crisis as it affects the poorest households. Douglas Ross, the Scottish Conservative leader, said help has come in the form of cuts to employee National Insurance contributions, from 12p in the pound to 10p and then 8p, with a promise of a further 2p to cut if Tories remain in government.
The Institute of Fiscal Studies observed in April that the people who gain most from those cuts are not the poorest, who gain little because many of them don't reach the threshold for paying income tax and National Insurance.
The big gainers from the cuts in this spring's Westminster budget, according to the IFS. The poorest tenth were paying £111 per year on average on National Insurance contribution, or less than 1% of net income, while the richest tenth were paying more than £12,000, or 9.3% of net income. A big cut in the rate benefits those who pay most.
John Swinney says he's very sorry Anna's mother had that experience, but the NHS is under pressure due to delayed discharges.
The SNP leader highlights the negative impact of Brexit and he points out staffing levels and funding of the NHS are at record levels.
He says the Labour Party is not committed to end austerity.
The Scottish Labour leader says his party will put an immediate injection of cash into the NHS by closing the non-dom tax loophole to fund 160,000 appointments in Scotland every year.
Sarwar says reform in the Scottish NHS is "absolutely needed" as the NHS in Scotland is too "management heavy" and lacks investment into digital innovation.
He says stories like Anna's are far too common due to the "tragedy" in healthcare under the SNP.
Douglas Ross says Anna's experience is one that is replicated multiple times across Scotland.
He says on the doorsteps, the NHS is something people are most worried about, with struggles to see a GP, hospitals overloaded and people waiting in ambulance bays to be admitted.
Ross acknowledges NHS staff "go above and beyond, day in and day out" and the blame does not lie with them.
He adds all of these issues in the NHS and social care need to be addressed.