Labour MSP Anas Sarawr asks about the link between deprivation and suicide and asks what the government is doing to address inequalities.

Ms Watt says across government the SNP is doing all it can to reduce inequalities.

She says it is important that provision of services is a local responsibilities.

Mental Health Minsiter Maureen Watt says no evaluation has been made of the government's previous suicide prevention strategy.

Mr Cole-Hamilton says suicide still represents the leading cause of death in men under 50 years old.

The Lib Dem MSP asks when there will be a replacement suicide prevention strategy.

Ms Watt says the current strategy is continually monitored and it will continue until a new one is published.

The current strategy will be reviewed in due course, she says. 

Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton asks what evaluation has been made of the government's previous suicide prevention strategy, and how this will underpin its updated mental health strategy.  

Employability and Training Minister Jamie Hepburn says £750m will be provided during the course of this parliament to help close the attainment gap.

SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth says in Fife the Labour party is planning to cut 100 teaching jobs.

Mr Hepburn says these are decisions directly for Fife Council.

Liz Smith says serious concerns were raised about additional support for learning in the education committee.

Mr Hepburn says the government investing in upskiling of teachers.

The Scottish government reveals that most of the country's schools will be handed money from the attainment fund.

Ministers are giving head teachers across the country direct access to the £120m.

The money is being divided according to how many children in primary classes and the first three years of secondary school are entitled to free meals.

The list reveals that 2,513 primary, secondary and special schools will benefit from the new scheme.

The money is in addition to the funding schools receive from their local council.

• How much is your school getting from the fund?, external

SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth asks the Scottish government what steps it has taken to close the attainment gap.  

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MSPs will now ask general questions

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After general questions, we will bring you extensive coverage of first minister's questions, with all the social media reaction as it happens.

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Committee convener moves the Public Audit Committee into private session.

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Labour MSP Jenny Marra asks if there will still be 17234 police officers in Scotland next year.

Paul Johnston from the Scottish government says there will be this year and next year.

Ms Marra asks about the year after that.

Mr Johnston says there may be a small reduction but he cannot give any exact numbers. 

Paul Johnston from the Scottish government  says the level o the budget for reform activity is £61m but it must be recognised that VAT has to come off this.

Tory MSP Liam Kerr says the Scottish government was warned about the VAT system before the merger but there has been an "extraordinary lack of planning", he asks "who is responsible and who is being held to account?"

Paul Johnston from the Scottish government says it is important that lessons are learned and there is currently a review into what has went wrong.

Mr Kerr asks when the report into this will be published.

Don McGillivray from the Scottish government says he will come back to committee with the dates.  

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Conservative MSP Ross Thomson asks if no-one saw this coming and if not, why not?

Paul Johnston from the Scottish government says Police Scotland and the SPA need to grapple with the financial pressure all organisations have been facing. 

Labour MSP Monica Lennon says the auditor general's report underlines the importance of governance and transparency.

Ms Lennon asks Mr Johnston what is view is of the SPA's governance and transparency.

Paul Johnston from the Scottish government says there is an attempt from the board to meet more regularly and to make those meetings public.

Mr Johnston says there are still issues but there is work going into rectifying those.

Don McGillivray from the Scottish government says over the last 12-18 months there has been significant change.   

Mr McGillivray says he agrees with Mr Beattie that the leadership in the first couple of years should have been better.

He says there is now a much more senior person in the leadership team to focus on the corporate side of the SPA and Police Scotland.

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Paul Johnston from the Scottish government says some work has been taken around increasing leadership capability.

Mr Beattie asks if the leadership in the legacy forces vanished overnight.

Mr Johnston says no, but says the reform was very complex.

SNP MSP Colin Beattie there is no indication of detailed planning to deal with this, "there's nothing there," he says. 

Paul Johnston from the Scottish government says there are plans in place to deal with this.

Mr Beattie asks why these weren't in place three years ago and that time has been wasted.

Mr Johnston says he acknowledges the time that it has taken but plans have now been put in place for long term financial sustainability. 

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SNP MSP Colin Beattie ask if there is confidence in the leadership and management of the SPA and Police Scotland

Paul Johnston says he has confidence in the steps to strenghen these and the people concerned.

Mr Johnston  says the performance in leadership of policing is strong.

He says he absolutely recognises the auditor general has identified a number of issues that must be addressed.

Mr Beattie says: "The reality is we are looking at three years of no substantial progress."