Ms Ruth Davidson says Education Secretary John Swinney admitted yesterday that the government got it wrong, but today the first minister says it is everybody else's fault.

Ms Davidson says the government's workforce planning in teaching has been disastrous.

The first minister says the decision in 2010 was based on unaniomus advice of the teacher workforce planning group.

She says the government has ensured there is an increasing number of people going into teacher training since then.

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Hundreds more teacher training places are to be made available at Scottish universities from September.

Education Secretary John Swinney said the number of places would rise by 371 to a total of 3,861 at the start of the next academic year.

Mr Swinney said the places would be funded by more than £3m of Scottish government cash.

The announcement follows criticism from political opponents over falling standards in Scotland's schools.

Read more here.

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Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson says the first minister is asking for applause for a mess her government made.

Ms Davidson says first there were too many teacher trainees and then they cut the numbers drastically leaving too few teachers.

Ms Sturgeon says in 2010 the Tories said it might be necessary to examine teachers conditions and slash pay.

The first minister says the level of teacher training was leading to unemployment at that time.

She again says since then more people have been going into teacher training.

Image source, EPA

MSPs on Holyrood's education committee heard a raft of concerns from Scottish teachers about their training and the strain they are under.

Trainee teachers said they were graduating without sufficient skills to teach maths to primary seven pupils.

And more experienced staff warned of "overwhelming" strain, warning many will not stay in work to the age of 67.

Education Secretary John Swinney said it was important teachers were trained well and supported within schools.

And committee convener James Dornan called for "urgent assurances" from the General Teaching Council about the issues raised during the session.

Read more here.

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Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson says the education secretary has said cuts to education training positions went to far.

Ms Davidson asks the first minister to admit her government got it wrong.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says five years ago there was significant teacher unemployment which is why the positions were cut.

Ms Sturgeon says since then there has been an increase in teacher training numbers.

Health Secretary Shona Robison says thee have been significant improvement and Scotland is leading the way in comparison to the rest of the UK.

Image source, Science Photo Library

Just under 88% of patients attending accident and emergency departments in Scotland in the first week of 2017 were seen within four hours.

The Scottish government wants at least 95% of patients seen within that time.

A total of 25,066 people presented at A&E, with 454 spending more than eight hours to be seen, admitted then transferred or discharged.

Separate statistics showed a slight drop in the number of people delayed in hospital longer than necessary.

Read more here.

Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour asks what action the government is taking to reduce A&E waiting times.

Mr Matheson says the Scottish government has always been clear that it disagrees with the UK government rules on the retirement age of prison officers.

Mr Leonard asks if the Scottish government will continue to press the UK government on this.

The justice secretary says he recognises the valuable and important role that prison officers play and the Scottish government will continue to make representation to the UK government opposing it.

Labour MSP Richard Leonard asks what the government's position is on the retirement age for prison officers, and what discussions it has had with the UK government regarding this.

SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth ask the Scottish government when it last met Fife Council and what issues were discussed.

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Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman says loneliness and isolation is an emerging issue and the government is working with stakeholders to take forward its approach.

Ms Evans asks for assurances that the Care Inspectorate and Care Inspection Scotland will take loneliness into account following patient operations.

Ms Freeman says "yes" and there will be strategic planning in these areas.

A growing body of evidence suggests that loneliness is as big a killer as smoking or obesity, prompting the Scottish government to commit to developing a National Strategy on Social Isolation.

Patients at one GP practice in Glasgow have taken the initiative formed their own support group to tackle the issue.

Once a week, they get together to catch up and help beat the low mood that they might be feeling.

Liz says she became lonely and depressed after the death of her son three years ago.

She told BBC Scotland's Lisa Summers that the group lifts her mood and improves her mental health.

The health implications have prompted the Scottish Government to commit to developing a National Strategy on Social Isolation.

SNP MSP Mairi Evans asks whether the government will provide an update on the action it is taking to tackle loneliness and social isolation.

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Communities Secretary Angela Constance says local government elections use proportional representation.

Mr Gibson says Labour councillors were suspended in Aberdeen for going into coallition with the Tories but nothing was done about the Labour councillors in Ayrshire who did the same thing.

"If you vote Tories you may just get Labour," says Ms Constance saying "Labour councillors have betrayed voters."

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On 25 May we reported that the City of Edinburgh Council had been unable to form an administration to lead the local authority, three weeks on from the election.

A meeting on Thursday ended without an agreement.

However, the local authority has made temporary arrangements so urgent decisions can be made. Local services are continuing to operate as normal.

The SNP is the biggest party on the council but is well short of an overall majority.

Labour suspended nine councillors after they agreed a coalition deal with the Conservatives on Aberdeen City Council.

The Labour group signed a deal with the Conservative and independent groups, allowing them to out-vote the SNP - the biggest party but a minority.

Scottish Labour's executive committee ordered the councillors to stand down from the coalition before 17:00.

The councillors were suspended after the deadline passed.

Read more here.

Where will power lie in Scottish councils?

SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson asks what the government's position is on how the coalitions that have been recently formed across local authorities will impact on the provision of local services.