Youth and Women's Employment Minister Annabelle Ewing says the portfolio has supported the Fife economy in a number of ways, as has the Scottish government.

Labour MSP Claire Baker asks the Scottish government what measures it is taking under the Fair Work, Skills and Training portfolio to support the Fife economy.

Conservative MSP Alex Fergusson asks the Scottish government what steps it is taking to address skills shortages in key industries of economic growth.

Conservative MSP Cameron Buchanan asks the Scottish government what plans it has to increase the number of apprenticeships in woodwork.

Reality Check: How should child poverty be tackled?

The SNP has said it wants to tackle child poverty.

It cites a forecast by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) that there will be more than a million more children living in poverty by the end of this decade.

Image source, Getty Images

Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP leader and first minister, claimed this means 100,000 more Scottish children - if current government policies are continued.

The SNP has set out policies to reduce child poverty, including a higher minimum wage, an end to the coalition government's freeze on child benefit and tax credit, and more childcare.

Labour MSP Mary Fee asks the Scottish government what action it is taking to reduce child poverty in West Scotland.

Roseanna Cunningham says the Scottish government will continue to help people with disabilities into work through Community Jobs Scotland, a new £500,000 communities action plan to be delivered in August 2015, the supported employment framework and supported businesses.

An Access to Work grant , externalcan pay for practical support if you have a disability, health or mental health condition to help you:

• start working

• stay in work

• move into self-employment or start a business

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie asks the Scottish government what assessment it has made of the impact on disabled people in Scotland of the Department for Work and Pensions' proposal to cap the Access to Work scheme.

Mr Chisholm thanks the cabinet secretary for expressing the "abhorrence" of this parliament to the proposal to abolish the Human Rights Act.

Mr Neil says the repeal of the act would potentially have huge implications for the Scotland Act and there will be no cooperation from the Scottish government in the repeal of the act.

The cabinet secretary says most of the parliament will be united in trying to thwart the abolition of the act.

Alex Neil has written to Michael Gove to raise the Scottish government's concern at the UK government's plan to repeal the Human Rights Act.

He says the Scottish Parliament will do what it can to prevent any withdrawal from the act.

Christine Bell, Professor of Constitutional Law at Edinburgh University, said the UK government does have the power to repeal the Human Rights Act throughout the UK.

She said: "The Human Rights Act is Westminster legislation applying throughout the UK, if it is repealed in its entirety it will be repealed for the whole of the UK.

Image source, AFP/getty

"However, human rights are also partially devolved, and so any unilateral repeal of the Human Rights Act by Westminster would violate the Sewel Convention, whereby Holyrood must give consent to legislation falling within its devolved powers."

Labour MSP Malcolm Chisholm asks the Scottish government what representations it has made to the UK Government concerning the Human Rights Act.

Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw asks the Scottish government what plans it has to devolve powers to local communities.

Margaret Burgess says the proposed cuts would affect 7,000 18-20 year olds in Scotland

The minister says discussions are continuing with local government and the third sector.

Last year David Cameron said the Conservative Party would end housing benefit for most unemployed 18 to 21-year-olds and George Osbourne went further saying it could be ended for those under 25 years old.

He also said his party would cut the maximum benefits a household can claim a year from £26,000 to £23,000.

Unemployed 18 to 21-year olds would be given six months to find work or training.

Their jobseeker's allowance (JSA) payments would be withdrawn unless they agreed to take take part in "community projects" such as cleaning up local parks.

They would be entitled to a "youth allowance", set at the same level as JSA - currently £57.35 for those aged 16-24 while carrying out the community work.

Mr Cameron said the changes would pay for three million apprenticeships over the five-year lifetime of the next parliament.

Labour MSP Sarah Boyack asks the Scottish government what discussions it has had with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding its proposed local development plan.

SNP MSP Bob Doris says the UK government should abandon the additional £12bn in benefit cuts.

Alex Neil says the Scottish Parliarment "would take a fairer and more humane approach" to welfare.

Social Justice Secretary Alex Neil says the UK government has yet to lay out how it intends to achieve the £12bn cuts, but it would mean benefit cuts of £1bn for Scotland.

Mr Neil says the Scottish government will argue against the cuts.

Chancellor George Osborne has said that he will deliver a new Budget on 8 July.

Speaking outside 11 Downing Street, the chancellor gave a broad outline of his plans for the forthcoming Budget but refused to be drawn on the details, including the Conservatives' planned £12bn of welfare cuts.