The Scottish government will now lead a debate entitled: 'A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People'.

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Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott says there is nothing positive about a strike affecting students and lecturers after ten years of the SNP being in government. 

Mr Scott asks why there was not an earlier intervention.

The education secretary says the government is encouraging the process of national bargaining between the employer and the union.

Green MSP Ross Greer says students want the lecturers to get the pay they deserve. 

Mr Greer says strikes will be suspended if the pay agreement is offered and surely the government should be recommending this.

Mr Swinney says he refers Mr Greer to what he has already said and that the aim is to secure an agreement and get the lecturers back to work.

Labour MSP Iain Gray says this is the 10th anniversary of SNP government and those who work in colleges have suffered more than most at their hands. 

Mr Gray says the only positive thing FE staff were promised was national pay and conditions but they are still waiting.

The Labour MSP says it is a "disgrace" that college lecturers are having to strike to get the minister's attention and asks if Mr Swinney will apologise for taking so long to intervene. 

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Mr Swinney says Mr Gray paid no attention whatsoever to the statement and that the Labour MSP has nothing positive to say.

The education secretary says ministers have been involved in talks for some time with both sides and if Mr Gray was remotely interested in students then he would have welcomed the government intervention. 

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Conservative MSP Liz Smith says constituents are very rightly angry about the impact of strike action on students.

Ms Smith asks what discussions are going on with the colleges about taking into account the strike action's impact on students exams.

She asks why has it taken over a year to call for evidence to resolve the dispute and she asks why has it taken so long

Mr Swinney says resolving the dispute is why he is taking the actions he is.

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The education secretary says he knows that college staff, despite being out on strike, are working to minimise the impact, but the best way to minimise the impact would be to end the strike.

He says some evidence before him is disputed by the union in the dispute and he says there needs to be an evidence baseline.

This is a process of national bargaining and the government's responsibility and he regrets having to intervene.

Mr Swinney says he asked the EIS to suspend the planned strikes due to take place this week and going forward while this process of active dispute resolution is in progress.

He says he urges both parties to work constructively with the independent facilitator to find the common ground and achieve an agreement.

Mr Swinney says over the past few weeks  the sides have made some welcome progress but a settlement has not yet been reached.

He says the impact on students was "not acceptable to me".

The education secretary says he decided to formally intervene and met with both sides separately on Sunday evening.

He says he informed both the union and the employers that he was making a significant change to the way the talks will be conducted from now on. 

The education secretary says John Sturrock is a highly respected QC and widely recognised as a leading mediator and facilitator and he will now facilitate the talks in an effort to bring about improved relations between both parties.

Mr Swinney says: "What has not been agreed are the terms and conditions. 

He says while both parties agree in principle to harmonization in order to create the right platform for an FE workforce for the future, the nature of that harmonization is disputed.

He says the two key issues are the number of core teaching hours and the number of annual leave days.

The education secretary: "This dispute, then, is not simply about pay, with these issues of core teaching hours and annual leave being amongst the most difficult to resolve."

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Education Secretary John Swinney says the college sector is now better placed than ever before to enable students to flourish and succeed.

Mr Swinney says he appreciates there has been significant restructuring of the sector.

He says there is still more to be done to secure the vision of world class college sector.

The education secretary says the present dispute has its roots in the relationship between pay and terms and conditions.

Education Secretary John Swinney says the government has been working for 10 years on the college system reform and it has been clear in its ambitions. 

Mr Swinney says the government has been delivering changes along with key stakeholders such as local authorities.

The education secretary says the youth unemployment rate has reduced and more young people have completed courses at college. 

He says colleges are delivering for adults as well as young learners and also for women. 

Members of the EIS Further Education Lecturers' Association are on strike today with further action planned for:

• Wednesday 17 May
• Tuesday 23 May, Wednesday 24 May and Thursday 25 May
• Tuesday 30 May, Wednesday 31 May and Thursday 1 June

Both sides of the dispute which has seen college lecturers across Scotland go on strike said last week that progress was being made towards a resolution.

Members of the EIS Further Education Lecturers' Association took part in a fourth day of action last Thursday and there is another strike today.

The union wants to even out pay differences but Colleges Scotland say pay could not be separated from issues like holiday entitlement.

Talks to resolve the dispute took place last Thursday and Friday.

Education Secretary John Swinney will now give a ministerial statement on the college lecturer strike.

Lib Dem MSP Alex-Cole-Hamilton says this is an "audacious and cowardly attack."

He asks how many attacks have taken place and how successful any investigation has been in bringing perpetrators to justice. 

Ms Robison says this attack was very serious because it was a global attack.

The health secretary says Police Scotland has bolstered its resources to deal with cyber-crime. 

She says that, in this instance, Police Scotland and the National Crime Agency is treating this as a "very serious attack."

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Green MSP Alison Johnstone says any new protocols on IT safety should not impact on frontline staff nor increase their workload.

Ms Johstone asks about engagement with patient groups.

Ms Robison says there has been no breach of any patient data.

She says there should be engagement with patient groups.

Health Secretary Shona Robison says this cyber-attack has been a "wake-up call" not just for the private sector but across the boards.

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Health Secretary Shona Robison says in February the chief operating officer of the NHS wrote to boards reminding them they needed to have the best resilience in place.

Ms Robison says there are regular attacks on the NHS systems and their limited impact is a positive sign.

She says less than 1,500 devices from 150,000 were affected by Friday's attack

The minister says there have been payments as it is not the policy to pay out for attacks.

Labour MSP Anas Sarwar says almost every health board in Scotland has been targeted by cyber-attacks and his party has been calling for a review.

He asks when there will be a review and if there has been any money paid out as a result of attacks. 

Mr Sarwar says staff should be focused on care and not IT system attacks.