Labour MSP Monica Lennon asks how unintended bureaucracy can be avoided by the measures just announced.

Mr Swinney says the announcement is about delivering excellence and not about creating more bureaucracy. 

Mr Swinney says the educational regions are about collaboration in response to the challege laid down by the OECD.

He says the regions will come about from the already present collaboration between local authorities.

Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott asks whether educational regions will be imposed.

Mr Scott also asks about a needs based funding for schools and whether it is not centralisation. 

Mr Swinney stresses again the importance of delivering excellence and equity in education. 

He says every effort must be taken to close the attainment gap in Scotland.

• Schools will be empowered to more make decisions about their pupils' learning, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said today.
• Mr Swinney announced a major review into the way Scotland’s schools are run, which places at its heart the presumption that decisions will be devolved to school level.
• He confirmed the government will introduce new educational regions to support collaboration and the sharing of best practice, and ruled out a move to privately run academies, selection or Grammar Schools.     

Mr Swinney says the resources will be in place to close the attainment gap.

The education secretary says there are additional resources going towards this.

He says it is not part of his plan for schools to opt out of local authority control. 

Scottish Labour's education spokesperson Iain Gray says there must be enough teachers and resources in schools.

Mr Gray says today we have been told councils might face cuts of £1bn.

He calls on Mr Swinney to use the powers of this parliament to protect the budget of schools. 

Mr Gray also calls on Mr Swinney to rule out opting out of local authority governance.

Mr Swinney says the creation of the new educational regions are to help co-operation between local authorities.

The education secretary says he "does not" want to run every school in Scotland.

He says the government's agenda is the encouragement of decentralisation and collaboration.

The minister says the resources raised by each local authority, by the changes in council tax, will be distributed to help close the attainment gap.

Conservative MSP Liz Smith says the key is the introduction of new educational regions.

Is this not just like centralisation she asks.

Mr Swinney says he will spend a significant amount of time over the next three months talking and listening to teachers, children and young people and partners about how education is run.

"Closing the attainment gap and raising standards for all – delivering excellence and equity for all of our children and young people – is our national mission."

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Mr Swinney says: "We must question how the role of local government can become more effective. 

"Devolving responsibilities to our schools means we need to question the support provided at every level of our education system to ensure it delivers what teachers need.

"This government will therefore introduce new educational regions to ensure good practice is shared across education and to ensure we deliver best value."

Mr Swinney says: "We are committed to establishing a fair and transparent needs based funding formula for schools. 

"We will consult on proposals for a funding formula in March 2017 but this review offers an opportunity to comment on how funding can be made fairer and support decision making by teachers at a school level."

Mr Swinney says the Scottish government will never "go down the divisive academy model'".

Mr Swinney says: "Our guiding principle for the way our schools are run is simple.

"Decisions should be taken at school level."

Mr Swinnney says the government has: 

• expanded its Attainment Challenge to £750m over the life of this parliament
• introduced the new National Improvement Framework 
• standardised assessment to be introduced
• free teachers to teach by removing unnecessary bureaucracy and workload.

Education Secretary John Swinney says the SNP will end the attainment gap by the end of the next parliament.

"We have set ourselves the task of ensuring that every child - no matter where they are from or how well off their family is - has the same opportunities and an equal chance to succeed."

Education Secretary John Swinney will now give MSPs details of a review of how Scotland's schools are governed.

The Scottish government says it wants to empower schools to take the decisions needed to raise attainment.

Image source, Thinkstock

Mr Swinney said there would be a "relentless focus" on closing the attainment gap and seeking equal opportunities for pupils.

Critics in local government fear there may be moves to reduce the role of councils in education by stealth.

Tory MSP Brian Whittle stresses the importance of the mountain weather forecasts and calls on the government to ensure it continues.

The minister again says she will meet with the Mountain Weather Information Service and Sport Scotland.

Sport Minister Aileen Campbell says the government is committed to ensuring that everyone continues to get mountain forecasts. 

A row has erupted over the provision of mountain weather forecasts after a group claimed its funding was uncertain.

The Mountain Weather Information Service (MWIS) said it could close if it loses support from sportscotland.

Image source, SAIS CREAG MEAGAIDH

The non-profit making forecasting service said this could put the safety of climbers and walkers at risk.

The Scottish government sporting body said it was committed to the provision of reliable, authoritative forecasts.

The MWIS claimed if funding was not continued it would stop producing forecasts at the end of this year.