Image source, Getty Images

That's all from Holyrood Live this Tuesday.

New legislation that aims to ensure an equal gender balance on many public sector boards has been passed by the Scottish Parliament.

Women make up just over 50% of the Scottish population, but currently make up only 45% of public board membership.

The new law sets an objective for at least 50% of non-executive members on all boards to be women by 2022.

The legislation was passed by 88 votes to 28, with the Scottish Conservatives voting against.

Join us tomorrow for the all important Budget Bill debate at stage 1.

Image source, bbc

Ms Watt says first aid and out of hospital CPR will be promoted within the Year of Young People, external.

The mental health minister pays tribute to St Andrew's First Aiders.

Image source, Year of Young People

Image source, Thinkstock

In November 2016, the BBC reported on St Andrew's First Aid's calls for all primary school children in Scotland to be given first aid training.

The charity said they should learn potentially live-saving skills such using the recovery position.

It also said children should know how and when to call an ambulance.

The Scottish government said it recognised the value of children learning first aid skills and insisted individual schools were best placed to decide what was appropriate.

Mental Health Minister Maureen Watt notes the rate of people dying from heart disease has fallen in recent years, including a decrease of coronoary heart disease by 27%.

Bystander CPR can increase survival after OHCA by two or three times, she notes, hence it being the first priority in the Scottish government's strategy.

Our commitment it to equip half a million people with CPR skills by 2020, she says.

She highlights schools have the flexibility to provide first aid training and it is up to individual schools to do this.

Would you know what to do in a medical emergency? Brian McNally of the British Red Cross, external gave Fiona Stalker from Out for the Weekend a guide to basic first aid.

The 7 simple techniques are:

• Get to know the recovery position
• How to help someone who’s choking
• Dealing with bumps to the head and concussion
• How to cope with stings, bites and subsequent allergic reactions
• How to stop a nose bleed
• How to treat minor cuts
• Spotting hypothermia in children

Image source, Getty Images

More Scots are being successfully resuscitated following a cardiac arrest, according to Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) figures published in October.

Over the last six months, an average of 66% of patients whose arrests were witnessed by ambulance crews were alive on arrival at hospital after treatment.

SAS said the "fantastic" results followed the introduction of new "models of care".

The figures were released on Restart a Heart Day, external.

Read more here.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP John Scott praises the first aiders for all the good work they do right across Scotland.

Mr Scott says St Andrew's first aiders are volunteers and are often first on the scene at events where injury or illness occurs.

He says it is not acceptable that people living in deprived areas are twice as likely to have an OHCA than those living in affluent areas.

The Tory MSP encourages the government to support the teaching of first aid techniques in schools and beyond.

Image source, Science Photo Library

OHCAs are more common among those living in deprived areas, according to the OHCA data link project, external.

People from the most deprived areas are twice as likely to have an OHCA that from the least deprived.

The average age of people who have a OHCA in these deprived areas is 7 years lower.

People from deprived areas are also 43% less likely to survive than those from the least deprived areas.

SNP MSP Tom Arthur says he was struck by the figures highlighting the extent of health inequalities in relation to OHCA.

The initial results, external of the Scottish out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) data link project were published in August.

It found there are around 3,000 OHCAs each year in Scotland. 62% of these effect men while 38% effect women.

Only around one in 20 survive the event to leave hospital and people living in rural areas are 32% less likely to survive.

Image source, Scottish government

Tory MSP Brian Whittle pays tribute to the St Andrew's First Aiders for their contribution to sporting events.

Mr Whittle says being trained in first aid can save lives, which is really pertinent given the pressures on A&E services.

Image source, bbc

Three out of four parents in the UK would not be able to save their baby from choking, says Mr Whittle.

He concludes by again thanking all the first aiders, whose contribution is all too often taken for granted.

The Tory MSP says

Image source, St Andrew's First Aid

St Andrew's First Aid, external is the only dedicated first aid charity in Scotland, aiming to deliver services, volunteering opportunities and training.

The charity covers various events all over Scotland to ensure first aiders are able to respond as soon as possible.

It also seeks to raise awareness of the importance of first aid to encourage more of the public to access training.

St Andrew's First Aid does not receive government funding and is therefore reliant on donations from organisations, trusts and the public.

Labour MSP Johann Lamont notes survival rates following out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) are between 6% and 8%, the lowest in Europe.

She points to a link between individuals living in areas of deprivation and the likelihood of surviving on OHCA.

People from more deprived areas are less likely to receive bystander CPR, she says.

More lives could be saves if more people had the skills to save others, Ms Lamont argues.

She supports St Andrew's First Aid's calls for more people to be trained in first aid, noting this could reduce A&E admissions.

Examples of first aid education in schools are highlighted, with additional bonuses including pupils growing in confidence.

Labour MSP Johann Lamont's motion:

• highlights a shortage of first aid skills in Scotland
• points to health inequalities apparent in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA)
• notes Scotland has one of the lowest OHCA survival rates in Europe
• urges the Scottish government to "support efforts to establish a nation of skill first-aiders"

Image source, Scottish parliament

Image source, Thinkstock

Labour MSP Johann Lamont begins her debate on St Andrew's First Aid and out-of-hopsital cardiac arrests.

Image source, bbc

The Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Bill, external is passed by MSPs.

88 MSPs backed it and 28 voted against it.

Angela Constance says the Scottish Conservatives have failed to say what action they would take in place of this Bill.

"If it's not this Bill, what? And if it's not now, when?"

There is nothing in this Bill to prevent action to promote wider diversity on boards, she says.

The advancement of women is good for others with protected characteristics, Ms Constance argues, accepting there needs to be more to increase the representation of the BME and disabled communities.

She concludes by stating the Bill could be a catalyst for equal representation in wider public life.