Summary

  • MSPs take evidence on a petition calling for the introduction of individual risk-based blood donation in Scotland

  • Nicola Sturgeon is quizzed by opposition ministers during first minister's questions

  • Labour MSP Neil Findlay leads this afternoon's member's debate entitled 'Flawed Airport Consultation'

  • Social Security Minister Jeanne Freeman will no giver a ministerial statement on Scotland's Social Security Agency

  • MSPs debate the Limitation (Childhood Abuse) Bill at stage 1

  1. Background: Education must not be 'political football'published at 12:14 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    PupilsImage source, Getty Images

    Scotland's largest teachers' union has said education must not be used as a political football in council elections.

    But the EIS said there should be a proper discussion on education.

    The union is publishing a manifesto and is calling on voters to question candidates about local education.

    Some have expressed concern local issues could be overshadowed by Brexit and the possibility of another independence referendum.

  2. Is education still the SNP's number one priority, asks Labour's Kezia Dugdalepublished at 12:14 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    Kezia Dugdale

    Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale says the first minister used to claim that education was her number one priority.

    Ms Dugdale says there are 4,000 fewer teachers and class sizes are bigger.

    She asks the first minister to tell teachers, parents and pupils why they should believe the SNP.

    Ms Sturgeon says: "Education is my top priority."

    She says £120m of additional funding is now in headteachers hands.

    The first minister says all eight councils that have frozen the council tax are Labour led.

  3. Postpublished at 12:12 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

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  4. First minister insists it is the SNP that will stand up for Scottish fishingpublished at 12:12 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    Ms Sturgeon asks what it means when the UK government says it wants a deal that works for the EU fishing industries.

    She insists it is the SNP that will stand up for Scottish fishing. 

  5. Davidson says says after Brexit the UK will have left the CFPpublished at 12:11 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    Ruth DavidsonImage source, b

    Ms Sturgeon says the Tories are lining up in the Brexit negotiations to sell out the fishing industry.

    Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson says SNP MPs in fishing communities are saying the CFP is terrible while Nicola Sturgeon says Scotland would go straight back in.

    The first minister says the Tories are preparing to treat the fishing industry as expendable.

    Ms Davidson hits back and says after Brexit the UK will have left the CFP.

  6. Sturgeon says Davidson's Brexit view has 'flip flopped more than a fish that has been landed'published at 12:06 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    Ms Davidson says chapter 13 of the EU conditions of membership requires participation in the CFP.

    The Scottish Conservative leader says the SNP position is to be part of the CFP, according to Angus Robertson, but that was contradicted by his SNP MP colleagues.

    First Minister Nicola Sturgeon

    The first minister says Ruth Davidson has held several different positions on Brexit all by herself.

    Ms Sturgeon says Ms Davidson has fallen in with Theresa May on Brexit and has "flip flopped more than a fish that has been landed".

  7. Postpublished at 12:06 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

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  8. Sturgeon says successive Tory governments have sold out the fishing industrypublished at 12:03 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson raises the issue of full membership of the EU and says that would mean membership of the Common Fisheries Policy. 

    The first minister says the SNP has been crtical of the Common Fisheries Policy for years. 

    Ms Sturgeon says it is the SNP that always stands up for Scottish fishing and always will.

    She says it is successive Tory governments that have sold out the fishing industry.

  9. We now move to first minister's questionspublished at 12:00 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    PA/Scottish ParliamentImage source, PA/Scottish Parliament

    We will now bring you extensive coverage of first minster's questions. 

  10. Proposals are being analysedpublished at 12:00 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    Mental Health Minister Maureen Watt says the government has been in contact with colleagues in Wales and are due to meet again to discuss the Act.

    Mr carlaw says the government undertook to bring forward fresh proposals and it has been 18 months since the changes in Wales.

    Mr carlaw asks when the proposals will come.

    Ms Watt says proposals are being analysed. 

  11. Background: Organ transplants reach record level in Scotlandpublished at 11:58 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    A total of 348 people had transplant operations in Scottish hospitals last yearImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    A total of 348 people had transplant operations in Scottish hospitals last year

    A record number of Scots received a life-changing organ transplant last year, new figures have shown.

    The year 2016-17 also saw the highest ever number of cases where people's organs were donated after their death.

    A total of 133 people who died in Scottish hospitals became organ donors, up from 99 the previous year, said NHS Blood and Transplant.

    That meant that 348 people who were waiting for a transplant were able to have the surgery they needed.

    People who are willing to donate their organs currently have to opt-in to the system, for example by joining the Organ Donor RegisterImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    People who are willing to donate their organs currently have to opt-in to the system, for example by joining the Organ Donor Register

    The number of people who were waiting for a transplant fell to the lowest ever recorded, with almost 2.4 million people in Scotland now on the NHS Organ Donor Register - approximately 45% of the population.

    Scotland's Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said more needed to be done to ensure as many people as possible could benefit from transplant surgery.

    The Scottish government has just carried out a consultation about moving to a "soft opt-out" system of donation - where a person's organs could be taken for transplantation after death unless they had specified this should not happen.

    The same system was introduced in Wales, where more organs are being donated and more lives saved since then..  

  12. Organ donation questionpublished at 11:58 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    Tory MSP Jackson Carlaw asks the Scottish government what discussions it has had with the Welsh Government regarding organ donation since the Human Transplantation (Wales) Act 2013 came into full effect in December 2015. 

  13. 'Significant investment has been made in the Borders"published at 11:58 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    John SwinneyImage source, bbc

    Education Secretary John Swinney says the government is providing increased support for local authorities

    Mr Swinney says the Borders council has received £315,000 from the attainment fund. 

    Mr Lamont says the Borders has the worst attainment gap in Scotland and that teachers and pupils are being let down by the Scottish government.

    Mr Swinney says "significant investment has been made in the Borders". 

  14. Background: Sturgeon defends education record over 'shameful' report claimspublished at 11:56 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    PupilsImage source, PA

    Nicola Sturgeon has defended her government's record on education after a report raised concerns about the attainment gap in Scottish schools.

    The new analysis by the Sutton Trust identified "major weaknesses" in performance in sciences in particular.

    Opposition leaders described the report as "shameful" and blamed "catastrophic failures" by the SNP.

    But Ms Sturgeon insisted her reforms were "narrowing" the gap between pupils from different backgrounds.

    Read more here.

  15. Attainment gap questionpublished at 11:56 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    Tory MSP John Lamont asks the Scottish government what progress it is making in closing the attainment gap in the Scottish Borders. 

  16. Background: Edinburgh and Glasgow top UK list of green space citiespublished at 11:55 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    The bright green areas highlight Edinburgh's green spaceImage source, ESRI
    Image caption,

    The bright green areas highlight Edinburgh's green space

    Edinburgh and Glasgow have more green space than any of the UK's other 10 most populated cities.

    New maps, by mapping software company Esri UK, external, show Edinburgh tops the list with 49% green space.

    Glasgow's total of 32% placed it second in the league table - ahead of Bristol (29%), Birmingham (24.6) and Greater London (23%).

    Liverpool was shown to have the least, with only just over a sixth of its land classified as green space.

  17. Greenspaces questionpublished at 11:55 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    SNP MSP Sandra White asks the Scottish government what action is being taken to preserve greenspaces. 

  18. Minister 13,665 women have been implanted with transvaginal mesh since 2007published at 11:55 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    Mental Health Minister Maureen WattImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    Mental Health Minister Maureen Watt

    Mental Health Minister Maureen Watt says 13,665 women have been implanted with transvaginal mesh since 2007.

    Ms Watt say the chamber had the opportunity to question the health secretary in March and if there is a debate required then ministers would be happy to agree. 

  19. Medical expert quits mesh implant review grouppublished at 11:53 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    Olive McIlroy and Elaine HolmesImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    Olive McIlroy and Elaine Holmes said they could no longer trust the expert group on mesh implants

    An expert at the centre of the independent review group looking at the safety of mesh implants in Scotland resigned last month

    The consultant, who does not wish to be named, stepped down following the revelation that an entire chapter of the final report had been removed.

    It follows the resignation of two patient representatives, Olive McIlroy and Elaine Holmes, who claimed the report had been watered down.

    Health Secretary Shona Robison said no evidence would be hidden.

    Transvaginal mesh implants are medical devices used by surgeons to treat pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence in women, conditions that can commonly occur after childbirth.

    Meanwhile more than 800 UK women are taking legal action against the NHS and the makers of vaginal mesh implants, the Victoria Derbyshire programme has learned.  

    What's the issue with mesh implants?

  20. Transvaginal mesh implants questionpublished at 11:53 British Summer Time 27 April 2017

    Labour MSP Neil Findlay asks how many women in Scotland have been implanted with transvaginal mesh since 2007.