SNP MSP Emma Harper asks the Scottish government what action it is taking to ensure that homes in the private rented sector are energy efficient. 

Image source, bbc

Further Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville says the board received £6m from the building sale and the college have retained £4m from that sale.

Mr Tompkins says Glasgow Kelvin College supports some of the most deprived students in Glasgow and says the money should have been reinvested. 

Ms Somerville says the resources retained by the college will allow it to support the students Mr Tompkins mentions. 

Image source, GSA

The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) has released details of how the former Stow College building will be converted.

The college is to become a school of fine art with "inspirational and truly world class teaching and learning spaces".

The work at the former Stow College is part of a £80m campus development project being undertaken by GSA.

It is scheduled to be completed in time for it be in use in the academic year 2018/19.

Read more here.

Image source, GSA

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins asks whether the Scottish government will provide an update regarding Glasgow Kelvin College’s request to retain £3 million from the sale of the Stow College building. 

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Education Secretary John Swinney says the automation of benefits is a matter for local authorities.

Ms McNeill asks Mr Swinney to commit to talk to authorities about successes and accept that there is a duty on the government to investigate further to take more people out of poverty.

Mr Swinney says it is important in all circumstances that people are able to access benefits that they are entitled to.

The education secretary says he is happy to speak to local authorities and engage with Ms McNeill.

Labour MSP Pauline McNeill asks the Scottish government what consideration it has given to automating some benefits, such as school clothing grants, free school meals and the educational maintenance allowance, to increase the uptake by those most in need. 

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Further Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville says she is please the dispute has been referred to ACAS and that she hopes any strike will be postponed until ACAS has its findings.

Mr Thomson asks the minister to acknowledge the concerns around funding.

Ms Somerville says in challenging financial times the budgets for universities and colleges have increased. 

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Scottish college lecturers are planning an escalating programme of national strikes in a dispute over pay.

Members of the EIS Further Education Lecturers' Association want to see more action taken to end differences in pay between colleges.

The first 24-hour strike is planned for next Thursday.

Colleges Scotland, which represents colleges, said the dispute was "unnecessary" and progress was being made to address the union's concerns.

But, the union said if the dispute was not settled by the middle of next month they will strike for three days every week.

Tory MSP Ross Thomson asks what contingencies are in place to mitigate the impact on students, particularly those with upcoming exams, of reported planned strikes by college lecturers. 

Health Secretary Shona Robison says the government and NHS recognise the value of a motivated workforce.

Ms Robison says the approach to measuring staff experience will be greatly improved and will be implemented by early next year.

Mr Sarwar says the "government has overseen a workforce crisis" and many feel there is not enough to do their jobs.

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The Labour MSP asks why Ms Robison thinks its ok for NHS staff to receive a real terms cut. 

Ms Robison says that thee are more staff now and the government are working to attract more.

She says she recognises that pay freezes have been difficult.

Ms Robison says the government will continue to engage with the RCN. 

The health service in Scotland is "stretched pretty much to breaking point", according to a doctors' leader.

Peter Bennie, the chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) in Scotland, warned that staff shortages could lead to "system breakdown".

Mr Bennie called for a major increase in funding or an "honest debate" about what services the NHS could offer.

The Scottish government said it recognised that it must "up the pace of change" in the health service.

Labour MSP Anas Sarwar asks the Scottish government what its assessment is of NHS workforce morale. 

Image source, Thinkstock/PA/Getty Images/Scottish Parliament

Coming up at 11.40am we will bring you coverage of general questions.

First minister's questions follows at noon and we will bring you extensive coverage as ever.

Image source, bbc

Committee deputy convner Pauline Mcneill thanks Bill Scott from Inclusion Scotland and Emma Trottier from Engender for their evidence.

The Social Security Committee moves into private session. 

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins says the delivery plans are critical to the Bill's success. 

Mr Tomkins asks about the frequency of the delivery plans and what the witnesses would like to see included in them. 

Bill Scott from Inclusion Scotland says he would agree with three year frequency rather than five. 

Mr Scott says the most important thing is speaking to the people living in poverty because they are experiencing it.

"There should be a requirement to speak to those groups," he says.

He says the attainment issue is "huge" and that there are disabled pupils with sensory impairments leaving school with no qualifications. 

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Emma Trottier from Engender says pathways into poverty for men and women are different.

Ms Trottier says there are certain moments that women have increased risks of falling into poverty and one of them is motherhood.

She says investment in childcare will play a huge role in helping women out of poverty.

Tory MSP Gordon Lindhurst asks about accountability and how the government can be held to account in regard to targets in the Bill. 

Bill Scott from Inclusion Scotland says the Bill could be amended quite easily to included approval for progress and targets.

Mr Scott says this would promote scrutiny at a parliamentary and public level. 

He says without this the Bill "lacks teeth". 

Mr Scott says "this is setting a target for the public to achieve".