It would appear the chamber are with me in struggling to follow the minister's Norwegian dialect.

I hope he is saying nice things.

Remarkable.

Ah now the minister translates, saying the treaty may have ended Norse rule over the Hebrides but not the connections. 

Europe Minister Alasdair Allan thanks Mr Fraser for allowing him to talk about his two favourite countries, Norway and Scotland.

Mr Allan says he is an enthusiastic learner of Norwegian and low and behold he breaks into Norwegian, I assume. 

Scottish Conservative MSP Liz Smith says there has been a bit of a sticky patch for Perth of late, but it is a superb city.

Ms Smith says the city has so much to offer. 

Labour MSP Lewis MacDonald says the the end of the Norwegian claim on the area may have been seen as a likely outcome but it wasn't always a certainty.

Mr MacDonald says Orkney and Shetland remained under Nordic rule for several generations after the Treaty of Perth.

The Labour MSP says the Treaty of Perth was an important moment in history for a number of areas and that should be remembered. 

Image source, bbc

Conservative MSP Alexander Stewart begins his maiden speech by saying he is a serving councillor with Perth and Kinross Council and was born and raised in Perth.

Mr Stewart says the people of Perth are proud of its reputation as the Fair City.

He outlines the festivities that will be on offer to celebrate the Treaty of Perth.

Mr Stewart says he hopes many people will take the opportunity to visit the Fair City. 

SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson says, in the past, the teaching of Scottish history was shameful and that he hopes things have changed since he has been at school.

Mr Gibson says the anniversary must be recognised for the key part it plays in Scotland's history and heritage.

Mr Fraser says visitors to Perth can see the earliest surviving text of the treaty, recorded in the "Black Book", at Perth museum.

The Tory MSP highlights the various civic activities taking place on 21 August in Perth to recognise the treaty’s importance, which include a mini tattoo complete with the King’s Guard of Norway.

Mr Fraser says this debate can highlight another purpose, Perth's big to become the city of culture.

The Tory MSP wishes Perth council all the best with the programme of events to commemorate the treaty of Perth and with their bid for city of culture status.

Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser says today's debate is to commemorate the Treaty of Perth which set about the boundaries of what we now call Scotland.

"This was an important moment in our history", he says.

Mr Fraser says a copy of the treaty can be seen in the Perth Museum.

Image source, bbc

Prior to the 1266 Treaty of Perth, the Western Isles of Scotland were controlled by various Norse and Gaelic rulers who owed their allegiance to the Kings of Norway rather than the kings of Scotland.

So removed from Scottish control were these islands that the Norse/Gaelic rulers referred to themselves as 'King of the Isles' (in Gaelic, 'Ri Innse Gall'). From the origins of these semi-autonomous island kingdoms the 'Lords of the Isles' would emerge.

One of the major figures in the history of the Western Isles is Somerled. Born around 1117 and with a mixed Norse and Gaelic pedigree, Somerled was challenge the might of both Norway and Scotland in attempting to make the islands an entirely separate kingdom that answered to no-one but him.

Image source, bbc

Scottish Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser will now lead a member's debate marking the 750th Anniversary of the Treaty of Perth.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

That's all from first minister's questions, but don't go anywhere as MSPs prepare to debate the Treaty of Perth. 

Scottish Conservative MSP Miles Briggs asks what action is being taken to ensure that the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service is adequately funded.

Ms Sturgeon says £43m of funding is going towards a state of the art blood transfusion centre.

Mr Briggs asks if the cuts to the SNBTS will help increase blood donors and calls on the first minister to reassess the funding.

The first minister says funding to the NHS is increasing and the new centre will bring all the blood transfusion centres in one site, creating a more joined up and effective service. 

Labour MSP Daniel Johnson asks at what point did the Scottish government know any contingency time had been used up?

Ms Sturgeon says ministers became aware that the contractors were looking at the impact of the weather on 26 May.

Ms Sturgeon says she is not a bridge engineer, she does not build bridges, "other than the ones I build across this chamber all the time".

Ms Sturgeon says the bridge will open in mid-May ahead of the contractual completion date.

Mr Cole-Hamiltion asks why 25 days lost to bad weather could lead to five months of a delay.

He asks if the first minister only knew about this delay after the election, saying it was an "open secret".

Ms Sturgeon calls on the Lib Dem MSP to bring forward any evidence he has and backs the statement from Keith Brown yesterday.

She says the bridge will not be late as the December target date was six months ahead of schedule.

Image source, Getty Images

The new £1.35bn road bridge across the Forth will now open in May 2017, six months later than originally planned.

Image source, Getty Images

The Queensferry Crossing was scheduled to be completed by December this year but that deadline will not be met.

Keith Brown, the cabinet secretary for the economy, said the delay had been caused by "adverse weather conditions" in April and May.

In a statement to MSPs he said the delay was a "very recent development" caused by high winds earlier this year.