Labour MSP Jackie Baillie says the first minister is not good at history because she credits her with being a minister when the cuts were made to the Vale of Leven hospital and this is not the case.

Ms Baillie asks the first minister to withdraw her statement and answer the question on the Vale of Leven.

Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh says he is sure the government will reflect on Ms Baillie's point.

Ms Sturgeon says the government will consider Mr Griffin's proposal for an income family fund.

Mr Griffin says in March he was told his baby would die, but now baby Rosa is at home, after the most stressful period in his life.

He says other famlies face the same challenges but do not have an MSP's salary.

Mr Griffin calls for more support to ensure all parents can be with their premature babies.

Ms Sturgeon says she will work with Mr Griffin and others to ensure this.

Earlier this month the Daily Record reported:

"It's been a tough year for Labour MSP Mark Griffin and wife Stephanie, but they've finally been allowed to take their daughter Rosa home.

"As they gaze down at their youngest daughter, Labour, external MSP Mark Griffin and wife Stephanie can hardly believe what this year has thrown at them.

"In April, they were told their unborn daughter would almost certainly die after an infection ravaged Stephanie and left her near to death.

"The couple braced themselves to say goodbye as the 12-week premature tot was born. But then a miracle happened. Little Rosa clung to life.

"Weighing just over 1lb, she was rushed to intensive care.

"Over the course of the next five months, she defied all odds to overcome every obstacle in her way.

"Now, 22 weeks after she came into the world, and after four blood transfusions and an operation, she has finally been allowed home to her family."

Read more here., external

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Mark Griffin asks what financial support the Scottish government offers to parents of premature babies whose child is in hospital.

Ms Sturgeon says she is delighted Mr Griffin and his wife have been able to take their baby daughter home from hospital.

The first minister says the support varies from board to board and she points to the review that is under way.

In June we reported that a project to improve the Glasgow to Edinburgh rail line, which has faced delays and rising costs, has been held up a further three months.

Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne said he was "very confident" the latest deadline would be met, though he could not give a "cast-iron guarantee".

He told a Scottish Parliament committee that no more taxpayers' money would be needed for the project.

The first electric services are now due to start running in October.

A deadline set in January 2014 had aimed to achieve this milestone in 2016, and this was later pushed back until July 2017.

The Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) was costed at £742m in January 2014 - up £90m on the previous estimate.

Read more here.

Tory MSP Annie Wells asks what the Scottish government's response is to reports that the electrification of the Glasgow-Edinburgh via Falkirk rail service is subject to further delay.

The first minister explains the two issues causing the delay, including the delay on rolling stock.

Ms Wells says: "Commuter patience is wearing thin."

She calls for no further delays after September.

Image source, bbc

The first minister says the change should be made to make Network Rail accountable to the Scottish government.

She says she is "deeply unhappy" with the delay with the electrification of the line.

Image source, Getty Images

Devolving all powers brought back from Brussels post-Brexit could prove "extremely damaging" for business, the Scottish secretary has claimed.

David Mundell said that some devolved powers exercised in Brussels will have to be built into UK-wide frameworks to protect internal markets.

But the SNP said this confirmed that UK ministers plan a "power grab" of devolved competencies.

Mr Mundell made his comments in a speech in Paraguay.

Read more here.

SNP MSP Bruce Crawford asks what the government's response is to the reported comments of the secretary of state for Scotland that the UK government does not plan to devolve all powers returning from the EU following Brexit.

Ms Sturgeon says David Mundell's comments show the UK government seems intent on undermining devolution.

The first minister says the Scottish government is not opposed in principle to UK arrangements where necessary, but they must be reached by agreement.

Image source, bbc

Mr Crawford says he was "gobsmacked" to see fracking on the list of powers detailed by the UK government.

The first minister says it is not acceptable and the list of 111 areas was brought into play by the Conservative government.

She says the Welsh government and the Scottish government have put forward a set of amendments to prevent this power grab.

The first minister says if the EU WIthdrawal Bill stays the same as it is now the government will not back it.

Labour MSP Rhoda Grant raises the issue of superfast broadband roll out.

The first minister says she wants to get 100% of households having superfast broadband.

Image source, Getty Images

The people of Catalonia should determine its future, the Scottish government has said.

The region's government has insisted a referendum on independence from Spain will go ahead on 1 October.

Madrid has vowed to block the vote, saying it is unconstitutional.

Commenting on the ongoing dispute, Scotland's External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: "The decision over Catalonia's future direction is a matter for the people who live there."

• Read more here
• Catalan separatists rally around mayors
• Spain plays cat and mouse as Catalan vote looms
• Catalonia's collision course with Madrid

SNP MSP Ivan McKee raises the issue of the "shocking scenes in Catalonia".

Ms Sturgeon says the situaton in Catalonia is of concern.

She says she hopes for dialgoue between the Catalan and Spanish governments

The first minister says the right to self-determination is critical.

She points to the Edinburgh Agreement that paved the way for the Scottish independence referendum as an example.

Image source, Getty Images

Holyrood took control over income tax rates and thresholds in 2016. Ministers have so far opted not to change the basic rate of tax, but varied the threshold at which the higher 40p rate kicks in.

The last time MSPs debated their various tax policies, parties failed to find any consensus.

In recent elections, Labour ran on a platform calling for a 50p top rate of tax, but the party kept its motion for yesterday's debate broad - "that income tax should be increased to allow greater investment in public services" - in a bid to force other parties to make their positions clear.

The SNP has backed a 50p top rate of income tax UK-wide, but has previously rejected increasing tax rates north of the border alone unless powers over tax avoidance were also strengthened.

However, in her recent programme for government speech, Ms Sturgeon said the time was right to "open a discussion about how responsible and progressive use of our tax powers could help build the kind of country we want to be".

The Greens have argued for a radical redesign of the tax system which would see higher earners pay more and those on low incomes pay less.

The Scottish Lib Dems have also called for tax rises, targeting a 1p increase in income tax, something they also promoted in an amendment.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie says the first minister complains that Westminster has cut her budget.

Mr Rennie asks if education is not her spending property, then what will it be?

Ms Sturgeon says it is about protecting our public services.

She says the government is doubling childcare for the youngest children and investing £120m more this year in schools.

The first minister says lets have that proper grown up debate on income tax.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie says Ruth Davidson's party said tax increases were pickpocketing during yesterday's debate on income tax.

Mr Rennie calls on the first minister to reconsider the Lib Dem tax proposals.

Ms Sturgeon says: "The hypocrisy of the Tories on this issue knows no bounds."

The first minister highlights the consultation on tax powers that will lead to proposals on tax for the parliament to scrutinise and decide on.

Image source, Getty Images

Environment is one of the Scottish government's buzz words and it certainly features heavily in this year's programme for government.

The most headline grabbing element is the commitment to phase out new petrol and diesel cars by 2032 - that's eight years ahead of the UK government's pledge.

It might seem an alien concept to us now with only a tiny proportion of drivers behind the wheel of an electric vehicle (EV).

But car manufacturers know the writing is on the wall and have already been investing heavily in EVs.

Read more here.

Mr Harvie says reaching net zero by 2040 should be the goal.

The first minister again says the government is consulting on the targets on climate change.

She says there is no intention on the part of this government to slow down on meeting its climate change obligations.

Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie says the government's proposals show a slower pace in climate action when acceleration is so urgently needed.

Ms Sturgeon says this government continues to be a world leader on climate change.

She says consideration is being given to calls to go further.