Summary

  • First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says she will not bring indyref2 legislation to Holyrood as planned

  • She adds her government will concentrate on the "best" Brexit deal for Scotland

  • Opposition leaders urge the first minister to take the referendum plan off the table all together

  • Health Secretary Shona Robison apologises to those families affected by "substandard practices" in maternity services

  • MSPs pass the Railway Policing (Scotland) Bill

  1. Politicising of job losses at RBSpublished at 14:10 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Mr Greene says it is unfortunate the minister chooses to politicise this and says the Scottish government is doing nothing to help those facing redundancy.

    Mr Brown says it was Mr Greene who first politicised this.

  2. Minister perturbed that UK government appears to be allowing RBS job lossespublished at 14:10 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Economy Secretary Keith BrownImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    Economy Secretary Keith Brown

    Economy Secretary Keith Brown says he is very concerned about the news from RBS and its impact on staff.

    Mr Brown says he is perturbed that the UK government, which is the majority shareholder in RBS, appears to be allowing these job losses purely to save costs.

    He says the Scottish government will do all it can to help RBS staff facing job losses.

    Tory MSP Jamie Greene says 59 jobs will be lost in Scotland and he asks what contact the Scottish government has had with RBS.

    Mr Brown says there have been very good discussions with RBS, however there was no contact made on this issue.

  3. Background: Royal Bank of Scotland to move hundreds of jobs to Indiapublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    RBSImage source, Getty Images

    Royal Bank of Scotland is cutting 443 UK jobs dealing with business loans as it shifts many of the roles to India.

    The state-owned bank said it was moving the jobs, which help to handle loans for small businesses, as part of an ongoing cost-cutting drive.

    But the company, which owns RBS and NatWest, added that UK staff would still deal with customers and take the decisions on whether to grant loans.

    The Unite union said UK workers and taxpayers would lose out from the move.

    "By shipping these jobs to India, RBS will be getting that work done more cheaply at the cost of jobs and livelihoods here in the UK," a spokesman said.

    Read more here.

  4. Question on RBS moving hundreds of jobs to Indiapublished at 14:08 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    RBSImage source, Reuters

    Tory MSP Jamie Greene asks what assistance the government will provide to workers in Scotland who might lose their jobs as a result of RBS moving hundreds of jobs to India.

  5. Topical questions is nextpublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    MSPs will now ask this week's topical questions.

  6. Postpublished at 14:03 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

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  7. Time for reflectionpublished at 14:01 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Reverend John C Duncan MBEImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    Reverend John C Duncan MBE

    This week's time for reflection will be delivered by Reverend John C Duncan MBE, Minister at St Athernase Church of Scotland in Leuchars and former Army Chaplain.

  8. Coming up ..... Nicola Sturgeon's 'way forward for Scotland' statementpublished at 11:33 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    First up in the chamber this afternoon RBS jobs, the lack of additional funding for Scotland following the Conservative and DUP deal and paediatric services at St John's Hospital in Livingston are raised during topical questions.

    Nicola Sturgeon is expected to make an announcement at around 2.20pm on the "way forward for Scotland" following the general election result.

    Ms Sturgeon will make a statement in the Scottish ParliamentImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    Ms Sturgeon will make a statement in the Scottish Parliament

    Health Secretary Shona Robison will then deliver a statement on NHS Ayrshire and Arran maternity services.

    Maternity, British Transport Police, child on iPadImage source, Getty, PA, BBC

    MSPs will then debate the Railway Policing Scotland Bill at stage 3 before being asked to vote on this for the final time.

    After decision time, SNP MSP Gillian Martin will lead a member's debate on the online exploitation and abuse of children.

  9. Financial implications of the Billpublished at 11:23 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Committee convener Margaret Mitchell

    Committee convener Margaret Mitchell raises the issue of the financial implications of the Bill.

    Mr Matheson says there is a central estimate of 6% based on the impact of Welsh legislation.

    He says this legislation will be taken forward in stages with the first elements introduced in 2018/19.

    The minister says the financial support will be refined as those dates approach.

  10. The way the police deal with domestic abuse has changed dramaticallypublished at 11:20 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Police ScotlandImage source, Getty Images

    Committee convener Margaret Mitchell says this is very welcome legislation but it should always be looked at in the context of asking if there is a better way to do this.

    Mr Matheson says there is absolutely no doubt that the way the police deal with domestic abuse has changed dramatically.

    The justice secretary says police no longer treat some domestic abuse as a "private matter".

  11. 'Would we like to do more? Of course we would like to do more'published at 11:15 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Committee

    Tory MSP Margaret Mitchell asks if there are sufficient rehabilitation programmes across the country for those committing domestic abuse.

    Mr Matheson says the government has commissioned work to investigate how current programmes can be rolled out to other areas.

    "Would we like to do more? Of course we would like to do more," he says.

  12. Concerns raised over how the civil courts deal with child contactpublished at 11:12 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Mr Matheson says he is aware of concerns being raised over how the civil courts deal with child contact but that this Bill was never supposed to address the issue.

    The justice secretary says the government are aware of the issue and are looking to address concerns in this area.

  13. Domestic abuse courtspublished at 11:12 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Michael Matheson

    Mr Finnie asks if there is any plans to roll out domestic abuse courts.

    Mr Matheson says that is being done now but that there are not enough cases.

    The justice secretary says in some areas they do not have the number of cases to justify sitting constantly.

  14. Should the training of judges in new domestic abuse law be mandatory?published at 11:05 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Mr Finnie says there needs to be some form of compulsion in terms of training or a roll out of domestic abuse courts.

    The Green MSP says there are still intemperate comments coming from judges in domestic abuse cases.

    Mr Matheson stresses the independence of the judiciary and making training compulsory would lead to calls for "mandatory training on X, Y or Z".

  15. Green MSP says this legislation will be challenging for the courtspublished at 11:04 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Green MSP John Finnie

    Green MSP John Finnie says there are raised expectations for this legislation and he says he thinks it will be challenging for the courts.

    Mr Finnie asks about judicial training and asks for a guarantee that there will be specific training.

    Mr Matheson says part of the induction programme to become a sentencer includes domestic abuse.

    He outlines the ongoing training for sentencers.

  16. 'Defence of reasonableness'published at 11:02 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Tory MSP Oliver Mundell
    Image caption,

    Tory MSP Oliver Mundell

    Tory MSP Oliver Mundell asks why the "statutory defence of reasonableness" was included.

    Mr Mathesons says it will be for the courts to decide on reasonableness and it is a safeguard for the accused to explain there was a reasonable reason for their actions.

    The minister says it is important to get the balance right.

    Mr Mundell asks if there are concerns the accused will use this defence to slow matters down or intimidate the victim.

    Mr Matheson says there is no evidence to support that.

  17. 'Course of conduct'published at 10:56 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Mr Matheson says the "course of conduct" definition in the Bill is used in the stalking offence.

    The justice secretary says in psychological abuse, victims experience a course of conduct.

    He says for many victims of domestic abuse it can be a course of conduct over a period of time.

    The minister says it is about trying to pick up individual instances that on their own would not be considered to be abusive, but when taken with other occasions, it would be.

  18. 'Recklessness' in the Bill is to support tackling psychological and coercive abusepublished at 10:50 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Michael Matheson

    SNP MSP Ben Macpherson raises the issue of criminal recklessness in the legislation.

    Mr Matheson says recklessness is distinct from carelessness and having regard to the reckless nature of someone's actions is important.

    He says the term recklessness in the legislation is to support tackling psychological and coercive abuse.

  19. Government has put in record levels of funding to tackle gender based violencepublished at 10:46 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    Mr MacGregor asks if local authorities will need to review the funding arrangements for third sector organisations tackling domestic abuse.

    The justice secretary says that will be down to individual local authorities.

    Mr Matheson says the Scottish government has put in record levels of funding to tackle gender based violence, working with Scottish Women's Aid and Rape Crisis Scotland.

  20. Role of third sector organisations in tackling domestic abusepublished at 10:44 British Summer Time 27 June 2017

    SNP MSP Fulton MacGregor and Justice Secretary Michael Matheson

    SNP MSP Fulton MacGregor asks what part third sector organisations like Scottish Women's Aid will have in the process.

    Mr Matheson says women's aid organisations do a fantastic job supporting victims of domestic abuse.

    Women will often disclose information to them that they would not to the police, he says.

    The justice secretary says the third sector organisations can support victims to approach the police and help them through the process.

    Mr Matheson says these organisations can help explain the new legislation meaning psychological abuse can now be effectively prosecuted.