Finance Secretary Derek Mackay praises the Commission on Local Tax Reform report “Just Change: A New Approach to Local Taxation, external,” and says of the Scottish governments changes "this is just the beginning".

Mr Mackay says the journey to fairer more progressive local taxation system has only just begun.

In March Nicola Sturgeon announced that people in Scotland's four highest council tax bands were to pay more under Scottish government proposals.

The plans would see the average band E household pay about £2 per week more, and the average household in the highest band about £10 a week more.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the move would raise £100m a year for education.

The council tax freeze will also end in 2017, with councils then able to increase the tax by up to 3% a year.

Ms Sturgeon said this would potentially allow local authorities to raise up to £70m to help fund local services across Scotland.

• Find your council tax band, external

Image source, PA

The 75% of Scottish households that live in bands A to D will be unaffected.

Opposition politicians - some of whom want the council tax to be scrapped altogether - said the proposals did not go far enough, with Ms Sturgeon being accused of "tinkering round the edges" rather than delivering genuine reform.

They also said the first minister had reneged on SNP manifesto promises in 2007 and 2011 to abolish the council tax.

And local government body Cosla said it was "astounded" that the government had "missed an opportunity which could have had benefits for millions of people".

Local Government Minister Kevin Stewart will now lead a debate on reforming local taxation.

MSPs agree to hold the rest of general questions just prior to decision time.

Coming up from 2pm we have two government debates:

• on local tax reform 
• and on how to secure large events for Scotland
• we expect the continuation of general questions

Ms Somerville praises the 'Standing Safe' campaign.

She says there needs to be a focus on changing attitudes to create a country where all individuals are safe and expected.

The minister says Nicola Sturgeon has pledged £20 over 2015-18 tackle violence against women and children and £1.85m has gone to Rape Crisis Scotland.

She says £292,000 is going to the University of Strathclyde to create a tackling violence against women toolkit.

The minister points to the Domestic Abuse Bill which will criminalise psychological abuse or coercive control.

Further Education and Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville welcomes the staff and students from the University of the West of Scotland.

Ms Somerville says work to challenge sexual violence and harassment must start earlier than when young people become students.

She details efforts to challenge the issue in schools and address gender violence.

The minister says students should have healthy respect for other and fully understand consent.

"One incidence of sexual violence is one too many."

Labour MSP Claire Baker says it is difficult to accurately measure the scale of sexual violence on campus.

Ms Baker says the Telegraph has estimated that one third of female students have experienced sexual violence or sexual harassment.

She says institutions must not shy away from strongly challenging on unacceptable behaviour.

Ms Baker says the environment of further and higher education can leave women vulnerable and at risk.

She says institutions have a duty to provide a safe environment to all students.

Conservative MSP Gordon Lindhurst says we must ensure there are adequate resources to help victims of sexual violence.

Mr Lindhurst praises the University of the West of Scotland on the 'Standing Safe' campaign. 

SNP MSP Christina McKelvie says sexual violence against women has no place in Scotland at all, including its learning environments. 

Ms McKelvie says the 'Standing Safe' campaign is a great exemplar.

As new students arrive for the start of the academic year, they expect to have the time of their lives. But what should be a fun time is marred by a problem that is particularly evident among young people at university - sexual harassment and violence. 

This year, several of Scotland's universities have taken steps to tackle the problem.

A report by the National Union of Students (NUS) suggests that one in five students experience some sort of sexual harassment during their first week of term.

Sexual comments, wolf-whistling when students walked into lectures, heckling in nightclub queues and jokes about rape were all cited as examples.

There are not specific statistics available to illustrate how big a problem there is with sexual violence among students, but earlier in 2016, Police Scotland said the number of recorded sexual crimes had increased by 6.2% on the previous 12 months - to 10, 273.

However, they said many of these offences were historical.

Ms Mitchell praises the work of the campaign Standing Safe, which is being launched by the University of the West of Scotland on 14 September 2016.

She says the campaign aims to address peer-on-peer violence in universities.

The Tory MSP says the university has links with Lanarkshire Rape Crisis Scotland and NHS Lanarkshire, with the purpose of working collaboratively through focus groups and student-led workshops to tackle sexual violence.

Scottish Conservative MSP Margaret Mitchell says since records began 45 years ago there has been a continued rise in sexual violence in Scotland, including rape.

Ms Mitchell says sexual violence and sexual harassment are a widespread but largely hidden problem.

She says, according to Rape Crisis, one in seven female students experiences sexual violence when at University.

The Tory MSP says it makes sense for universities to try and address this issue within the student population. 

Conservative MSP Margaret Mitchell will now lead a debate entitled 'Standing Safe Campaign'.

That brings our coverage of first minister's questions to a close.

Labour MSP Monica Lennon says there is a postcode lottery with children in the most deprived areas having longer waiting times for mental health services. 

Ms Lennon says £150m over five years might not be enough.

The first minister says the link between deprivation and mental health is very much on the mind of the government.

She says the funding will be kept under review and says the Scottish government is determined to provide services which meet the increased demand.

Image source, bbc

Conservative MSP Dean Lockhart asks what action the Scottish government is taking to reduce waiting times for young people referred to mental health services in Forth Valley and across Scotland.

The first minister says the £150m investment in mental health services will help.

Mr Lockhart says the number of young people geting treatment in NHS Forth Valley has fallen.

Image source, bbc

He says it is vital young people get the help when they need it and calls for an urgent action plan

Ms Sturgeon says the minister for mental health will be happy to meet Mr Lockhart.

The first minister says it is very important not to see the increase in demand for child mental health services as a problem but as a reduction in stigma.

She agrees the performance of NHS Forth Valley is unacceptable.