Labour MSP Anas Sarwar says humanity is dying before our eyes in Aleppo.

Mr Sarwar calls on the Scottish government to do something but he accepts he does not know what.

Ms Sturgeon thoroughly endorses the sentiment from Mr Sarwar.

She calls for more humanitarian aid for Syrian and anyone guilgy of war crimes must be held to account.

The first minister agrees with Anas Sarwar that the humanitarian crisis must be on everyone's minds.

She says Syrian refugees in Edinburgh are still experience trauma but are doing well thanks to people coming together and offering homes to them.

Tory MSP Douglas Ross raises the issue of prisons and release of prisoners on a Friday, making access to services difficult.

Ms Sturgeon says she will look into this issue further.

SNP MSP Richard Lochhead criticises Halfords for its delivery charges.

Ms Sturgeon says the government will apply pressure on the UK government to take action and says Mr Lochhead's story is shocking.

Mr Harvie says no party gained a majority in the debate on taxation.

The Scottish Green co-convener says it is in everyone's interests to avoid a budget stalemate.

He says the wealthy should be paying more taxes.

The first minister says Derek Mackay will outline his budget.

Ms Sturgeon says the SNP put its tax plans to the country and won by a considerable margin.

Jamie McIvor
BBC Scotland education correspondent

What's the link between the Scottish government's budget and council budgets?

Councils are heavily dependent on the Scottish government for their money. The single biggest source of cash they get is government money.

Image source, PA/Getty images

A complex formula decides exactly how the cash is distributed between different councils - this takes account of several factors including the demographics of the area.

Business rates are, essentially, set at the same level across Scotland no longer going into a national pot to get distributed back to councils. But the amount raised in business rates is one of the factors which determine how much councils get from the government. Councils have the power to cut business rates to try to stimulate economic growth but cannot put them up above the national level.

The only significant power over money councils have is the council tax. Charges for services, bus lane fines and the like, make up a small proportion of overall budgets.

Read more from Jamie McIvor here.

Scottish Green Party co-convener Patrick Harvie warmly welcomes the change of direction on the decision to raid councils to fund a national policy.

Mr Harvie says national taxation powers must be used for national policies.

The first minister says she will not comment in detail on the budget.

Ms Sturgeon says again that the budget protects nationally funded services, schools and local services.

Scottish Labour MSP Jackie Baillie raises the case of Angela Macdonald who she says faced going to England or Northern Ireland for neo-natal care.

Ms Sturgeon says she cannot comment on the individual case but wishes Ms Macdonald and her baby all the best.

A protest against ship-to-ship oil transfers in the Moray Firth has taken place in Nairn.

Cromarty Firth Port Authority wants permission to transfer millions of tonnes of crude oil at sea.

Image source, ROWENA CAMERON

Campaigners around the Moray Firth said the risk of an oil spill would be catastrophic to the marine environment.

But the port authority has insisted procedures are in place to prevent the accidental discharge of oil and said the risk of a spill was minimal.

The Moray Firth is home to bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises, minke whales and other marine and bird life.

Green MSP John Finnie asks about the transfer of oil at sea off the coast of Nairn.

The first minister says this is a reserved issue and she says the UK government must take account of advice from SNH.

Conservative MSP Miles Briggs raises the issue of the loss of inpatient beds from the Centre for integrative Care.

Ms Sturgeon says this is not a major change.

Ms Dugdale says the SNP has a problem with its numeracy standards but the small increase in teachers this year does not cover the 4,000 teachers who have gone since the SNP have been in power.

The Scottish Labour leader says Ms Sturgeon has the powers now but she won't use them.

The first minister says the budget will deliver for public services.

Ms Sturgeon says the budge is "a fair budget and a good budget".

Education Secretary John Swinney has welcomed an overall increase in teacher numbers in Scotland - although he said "significant improvements" were needed in some areas.

Image source, Thinkstock

New figures show the total number of teachers across Scotland has risen, but 12 council areas saw numbers fall.

Mr Swinney said the stats were "good news" in light of recruitment "challenges" in some areas.

Opposition parties said numbers were still down over the long term.

And they said parents "have a right to be very angry" about the attainment gap between pupils from better and worse-off backgrounds.

• What's happening in your area?

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale says today is budget day, when the SNP will pass on Tory cuts.

Ms Dugdale says on education the SNP have presided over a decade of failure.

The first minister says there needs to be increased investment in schools and that is what Derek Mackay will deliver.

Ms Dugdale says the SNP voted with the Tories against 1p on income tax.

Ms Sturgeon says there has been an increase in teacher numbers highlighted this week.

She says the data published this week will allow an absolute focus on improving standards in education.