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Labour MSP Colin Smyth says Dumfries and Galloway is not covered by any city deal at the moment.

Mr Smyth asks when negotiations on the Borderlands deal will begin and calls for an end to secrecy surrounding the project.

Mr Brown says Mr Smyth would have to ask the local authorities about secrecy around the Borderlands proposals.

He calls for clarity from the UK government on these deals.

The minister says there will be deal for Dumfries and Galloway.

Tory MSP Oliver Mundell seeks reassurance that the Scottish government backs the Borderlands growth deal.

Mr Brown highlights the new south of Scotland enterprise agency and says parts of the Borders are covered by other deals.

He says he is willing with work with the UK government on a Borderlands deal but accuses it of not wanting to collaborate.

"That's not game-changing, it's game-playing".

SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson raises the issue of the Ayrshire Growth Deal and the lack of a funding announcement in the chancellor's budget.

Mr Brown says he has asked the UK government on a number of occasions to commit to a growth deal for Ayrshire.

He says there has bee no commitment from the UK government yet.

Economy Secretary Keith Brown said city region deals would help the Scottish economy thrive.

He says the deal must provide benefits to the entire region, not just the city involved.

The Scottish government will respond to the committee's report in due course, Mr Brown says, adding he hopes the UK government will also consider its conclusions.

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Scotland's new City Region Deals have "significant" problems that need to be addressed, according to MSPs.

The economic growth projects are focused on Aberdeen, Inverness, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Holyrood's local government and communities committee said objectives needed to be clearer.

Economy Secretary Keith Brown said "inclusive economic growth" was being delivered but that the report would be considered.

Read more.

Reverend Dan Harper from Bridge of Allan Parish Church delivers today's time for reflection.

This afternoon's session begins at 2pm.

Topical questions will be on city region deals and the employment tribunal of Fiona McBride.

This will be followed by a ministerial statement on the response to exceptional winter pressures.

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The Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relationships Committee then leads a debate on Article 50 withdrawal negotiations.

The day concludes with a members' debate on the maintenance of tenement communal property led by SNP MSP Ben Macpherson.

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The Health Committee moves into private session, with convener Neil Findlay thanking all those who work with it, as he says this is likely to be his last day in the role.

Convener Neil Findlay asks what happens next?

Geoff Huggins explains local testing work on the use of outcomes is ongoing to understand how it would work in the system.

He adds there is also work going into the next stage process to allow the government to make decisions.

Building on work undertaken by integration authorities and collecting data routinely will also be required, he says.

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Committee convener Neil Findlay says the review was delayed and it seemed underwhelming when it was published in November.

Ms Robison says it was a huge task in two parts and says "Sir Harry undertook an enormous task".

The health secretary thanks the former chief medical officer for his efforts on the review.

Mr Findlay asks about future comparitors if Scotland changes and the rest of the UK does not.

The health secretary says that is an important point and that is why "we have to proceed carefully".

SNP MSP Sandra White asks about data from deep-end practices.

Shona Robison says the new GP contract will provide greater information in the communities served.

The health secretary says this will provide information on a more detailed way which will help improve service delivery, particularly in deprived areas.

SNP MSP Emma Harper asks about incentives available for local authorities to engage in new methodologies.

Director for health and social care integration Geoff Huggins says it is important for local services to want the changes and points to Dumfries & Galloway as a positive example.

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Sir Harry published his 'Targets and Indicators in Health and Social Care in Scotland - A Review, external' in November 2017.

The former chief medical officer was appointed to lead the review of the approach to targets in Scotland's NHS.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth says Sir Harry said that individuals need help at different stages, with early intervention key.

Mr Smyth ask if the work of the Early Years Collaborative should be looked at.

Ms Robison says there is something in that and says the Early Years Collaborative has done good work.

Shona Robison says discussions are ongoing on how to closely align support services for children.

She says Sir Harry Burns' report provides a challenge on how to measure this.

Tory MSP Brian Whittle wonders what constitutes an adverse childhood event.

The health secretary agrees there is work to be done on this to ensure figures are reliable.

She says there needs to be more coherence to be able to seeks and tackle such events.

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SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth says Sir Harry Burns was quite critical of GIRFEC (Getting it Right for Every Child) and she asks if there could be more done in co-ordinating health and education.

There is always more that can be done in this area, says the health secretary.

Ms Robison says work is being done in trying to increase support in those formative years and having an impact pre-school and at school.

"There is always more we can do."

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Scotland's health "is not improving" as the NHS faces "significant challenges", Audit Scotland has warned.

The watchdog's annual report lists concerns over missed targets, longer waiting times, "stalled" improvements and growing pressure on budgets.

Scottish Labour has renewed its calls for Health Secretary Shona Robison to quit in light of the report.

Ms Robison insisted that "significant" improvements have been made, while stressing that there is "no quick fix".

Scotland's chief medical officer Dr Catherine Calderwood points to evidence in Wales on the prevalence of adverse childhood experiences.

She confirms the Scottish census will begin monitoring this, but notes that revealing such experiences can be traumatising.

The establishment of routine inquiries into adverse childhood experiences as part of obtaining medical history is being considered, she says.

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Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton says Sir Harry told the committee there needed to be more information about childhood traumatic experiences collected.

Ms Robison says there is a lot of importance around this area, adding that the connection with later impacts is very clear for all to see.

"We've had a number of cross-government discussions about that, looking for example how we can work more closely with early years services, working more closely with education."