New Scottish Police Authority chairwoman Susan Deacon has backed the justice secretary in the row over Chief Constable Phil Gormley's future.

The police chief remains on "special leave" while a series of allegations of misconduct against him are probed.

Michael Matheson had been accused of acting unlawfully by intervening when the SPA decided to reinstate him.

However Prof Deacon told the justice committee she found the decision-making process of her predecessors "wanting in many ways".

She said she would have asked questions had she been in Mr Matheson's shoes, and added that the justice secretary would have been "failing in his duty" if he had not raised concerns.

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The former chairman of the Scottish Police Authority has said he felt he was left with "no choice" but to halt plans to return Phil Gormley to work.

The chief constable is on special leave amid a misconduct investigation.

The SPA board decided to bring Mr Gormley back last November, but it was reversed after Andrew Flanagan met Justice Secretary Michael Matheson.

Mr Matheson insists he only questioned matters of process, and did not seek to overturn the decision.

Mr Flanagan told a committee of MSPs that Mr Matheson had told him that it would be a "bad decision" to bring Mr Gormley back.

But he insisted he did not feel "directed to" halt the chief constable's return.

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Ms Davidson again cites this morning's Public Audit Committe (Just scroll down this page for full coverage of the evidence session with Andrew Flanagan.)

The Scottish Conservative leader says Mr Flanagan was left in no doubt he had to reverse the decision to allow Mr Gormley to return to work.

Ms Sturgeon says she is absolutely of the view that the justice secretary was right to ask the questions that he did.

The first minister says the SPA had not contacted Pirc, the acting chief constable, nor put in place welfare measure for the complaining officers.

She says if the justice secretary had not asked the questions he had, Ruth Davidson would have no doubt demanded he consider his position.

There is rank hypocrisy here, she says.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson says last week she asked about the justice secretary's involvement in preventing the chief constable returning to work

Ms Davidson says Ms Sturgeon said nine times that Mr Matheson only asked questions of the then SPA chair, Andrew Flanagan.

She says Mr Flanagan told MSPs earlier this morning that Mr Matheson had told him the SPA had made a "bad decision".

Which is true, she asks?

Ms Sturgeon says Mr Flanagan also said the justice secretary did not request he change his decision and that he was not directed to do so by Mr Matheson.

The first minister says the public would have expected the justice secetary to act as he did and ask those questions.

Image source, bbc/PA/SP

We will now bring you extensive coverage of first minister's questions, including all the social media as it happens.

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Mr Tomkins thanks the Holcoaust Memorial Trust for their work to ensure "we will never forget".

Mr Swinney agrees unreserverdely as the events of the holocaust must be forgotten by nobody.

Image source, Holocaust Memorial Day Trust

Holocaust Memorial Day is this Saturday.

It marks the day when Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated.

Events seek to remember the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust.

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins asks about support for the Holocaust Education Trust.

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Further and Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville says a full impact assessment report is not due until 2020.

However, she says the programme had broadened the experience and improved employment prospects of the young people involve.

Joan McAlpine calls for the minister to back the Keep Erasmus Plus campaign, led by YouthLink Scotland.

The Scottish government is clear on the value of Erasmus+ and says she "heartily supports" the campaign.

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The UK will continue to take part in the Erasmus student exchange programme until at least the end of 2020, the prime minister said last month.

Theresa May praised Erasmus+ and confirmed the UK would still be involved after Brexit in March 2019.

Whether it is involved long term is among issues likely to be discussed during the next stage of negotiations.

Erasmus+ sees students study in another European country for between three and 12 months as part of their degree.

The impacts of Erasmus+ on the third sector, the further education sector and youth work is raised by SNP MSP Joan McAlpine.

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Social SecurityJeanne Freeman says the government is clear that sub-sector organisations have an important part to play in tackling loneliness.

That's why the third sector funding has been protected, says the minister.

Ms Freeman cites the commitment of £3.2m to this.

Image source, Scottish government

A Connected Scotland: Tackling social isolation and loneliness andbuilding stronger social connections, external

The Courier reported that ministers are calling on Scots to talk to their neighbours and reconnect with old friends in the launch of the first national strategy on loneliness in the UK.

The Scottish government proposals include a plea for strangers to perform “acts of kindness” for each other and an expansion of GP prescriptions for community activities.

Launching the draft document A Connected Scotland, social security minister Jeane Freeman said the state has a role to play in improving people’s social lives.

The charity Age Scotland said the Scottish Government is right to take the bold and unusual step of “getting involved in maintaining and improving people’s social relationships”."

Read more here., external

SNP MSP Ruth Maguire asks how the Scottish government's strategy to tackle loneliness and social isolation could help promote the third sector.

Labour MSP Mary Fee raises the recent SAMH on survey on teacher training on mental health.

John Swinney agrees the issues must be reflected on by teacher education providers.

Health and wellbeing is one of the three fundamental aspects of the curriculum for excellence, he adds.

Image source, bbc

Education Secretary John Swinney says education authorities and staff in schools have a responsibility to develop and maintain the mental wellbeing of children.

Mr Swinney says a mental health link person is available to every school.

He says as part of the mental health strategy, a review into personal and social education (PSE) is being undertaken.

Many more school staff need to be trained to help pupils with their mental health problems, according to a leading charity.

A survey by the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) suggested two-thirds of teachers felt ill-equipped.

SAMH chief executive Billy Watson called on the Scottish government to create a programme this year to train all school staff in mental health.

Ministers are carrying out an audit of school-based counselling.

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Labour MSP Mary Fee queries how schools identify and support children with mental health problems.