Tory MSP Dean Lockhart asks what action the government is taking to increase the availability of social housing in rural communities.

Image source, bbc

Equalities Secretary Angela Constance highlights the 50:50 by 2020 campaign.

Mr Whittle says there has been a loss of 152,000 college places, which disproportionately affects women and he asks if this will help.

Ms Constance says women are far from under-represented in colleges.

Image source, PA

In 2014 Scotland's, then, new first ministersaid that smashing to "smithereens" the glass ceiling faced by women is an important part of tackling inequality.

Speaking at the annual SNP's women's conference, external in Ayr, Nicola Sturgeon said she wants to "ensure there were no limits on women's ambitions".

Ms Sturgeon is the first woman to hold the top job in Scottish politics.

Her cabinet was the first in Scotland to have an equal number of men and women.

Read more here.

Tory MSP Brian Whittle asks the Scottish government what action it is taking to help promote women to more senior positions in the public and private sector.

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins says tackling the root causes of migration is essential and that the UK government has committed funding to this.

Ms Constance says it is disappointing that the UK government cannot think again on the Dubs amendment.

She says "we have a long way to go" until we have a humane approach to migration.

Image source, bbc

Communities Secretary Angela Constance says she wrote to the new immigration minister on June 6 highlighting issues and making clear destitution should never be a consequence of the asylum system.

Ms Constance says the Scottish government take a very different approach to asylum and refugees than that of the UK government.

She says she is concerned about the UK government's two tier approach to asylum and refugees.

The minister says the Scottish government believes in one system for asylum seekers and refugees, treating them fairly and humanely.

Hundreds more migrants are being left destitute in Scotland, according to the British Red Cross (BRC).

The charity said the number of destitute refugees and asylum seekers it had helped in Glasgow had increased from 326 in 2014 to 820 in 2016.

It accused the UK government of making the asylum process "increasingly difficult" - a claim the Home Office has disputed.

The Scottish government said the situation was "unacceptable".

According to the charity, the new figures to "some extent" reflected an overall increase in the number of people claiming protection in Scotland, including asylum seekers from Syria.

But it claimed changes made in 2014 to the support and advice offered by the Home Office had also increased destitution among migrants.

Read more here.

SNP MSP Fulton MacGregor asks the Scottish government what discussions it has had with the UK government regarding the impact on Scotland of the UK government's policy on refugees and asylum seekers.

Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman says there are around 7,000 young carers and less than 4,000 take up Carer's Allowance.

Ms Freeman says the government aims to raise awareness of this.

Ms Gilruth asks if the UK government should have a benefit take up campaign to improve this.

Ms Freeman says the UK government have taken no recent action on this

Image source, Thinkstock

In February we reported that young carers in Scotland are more likely to suffer from mental health problems, stress and sleep disorders than their peers,according to a study.

The research also found that a quarter of the 238 young carers who took part are caring for someone on their own.

A similar proportion are looking after more than one person.

But the report also suggested young carers often have greater feelings of self-worth than their counterparts who do not have caring responsibilities.

The study is said to be the first in Scotland to compare the health of young people who have responsibility for caring for someone in their household with those who do not.

It was carried out on behalf of the Children's Commissioner, external in partnership with the Carers Trust Scotland, external and the Scottish Young Carers Services Alliance, external.

• Tips on being a young carer – from someone who knows
• What is it like to be a young carer?
• Life as a young carer: 'People rely on you more'

Young adult carers were the focus of a new campaign between the Scottish government and Young Scot to raise awareness of what support they could be entitled to.

Launched on 12 June, the social media and digital campaign aimed to reach carers aged 16-24 who may be entitled to Carer’s Allowance but are not claiming it, using platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to reach young adults.

An estimated 49,000 people in Scotland aged 16-24 are carers.

Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman said: “Carers make an immense contribution to our society. Their dedication and commitment to caring for loved ones – often making significant personal sacrifices to do so – deserves our thanks and respect."

SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth asks the Scottish government what it is doing to raise awareness among young carers of welfare support that they may be entitled to.

Image source, bbc

Local Government Minister Kevin Stewart says; "We will introduce a Local Democracy Bill that has the potential to be the biggest transformation of democracy since devolution."

SNP MSP Richard Lochhead asks the Scottish government what progress is being made with the devolution of powers to communities, and whether it plans to allow communities to have a greater say regarding the impact of major infrastructure projects.

Labour MSP Pauline McNeill asks if health and safety regulations around smoke detectors will be considered.

Ms Constance says the review group will look at some of the issues Ms McNeill raises.

The communities secretary says some of the biggest risk is around the private rented sector.