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Higher Education Minister Shirley Anne-Somerville says the UCAS figures show the number of applicants from all ages from deprived areas has actually increased.

The minister accepts the reduction in 18-year-olds is a concern.

Mr Gray calls on the minister to restore the cuts to grants her government made in 2013.

Ms Somerville says the government is increasing the payment threshold and period for loans.

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University applications from 18-year-olds who live in the poorest parts of Scotland have fallen for the first time in a decade, according to a new report.

Data from admissions body Ucas, externalshowed a drop in the number of applications was sharpest among those from disadvantaged areas.

Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville conceded there was "more work to do".

But Scottish Conservative spokeswoman Liz Smith said the drop was "worrying".

Read more here.

Labour MSP Iain Gray asks what the government's response is to UCAS recording a fall in university applications by 18-year-olds from the most deprived areas.

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Delivering time for reflection today is Pastor David Fraser of the Alva Baptist Church in Clackmannanshire.

Questions around the fall in university applications in deprived areas and exporting live animals will be raised during topical questions.

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The Equalities and Human Rights Committee will lead a debate on its report “Looking Ahead to the Scottish Government's Draft Budget 2018-19: Making the Most of Equalities and Human Rights Levers”.

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Then the government will lead a debate celebrating 100 years of women’s right to vote.

SNP MSP Gillian Martin will lead a member’s debate encouraging cyber-resilience among young people.

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Tory MSP Brian Whittle says the evolution of the services in care homes is very quick and complex care needs is ever growing.

Mr Whittle says the care homes themselves has a limited flex in terms of costs and he says a couple of care homes in his area have gone under, due to the strain put on them by the welcome move on the living wage.

Ms Robison says the living wage issue has been quite controversial as public money has been provided to private firms to pay their staff.

That they then complain is quite counter intuitive she says.

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An East Lothian care home is to close after its owner said it could not survive in the current market.

The 16 elderly residents and 27 staff at Levenhall home in Musselburgh - run by Renaissance Care - will need to be rehoused or redeployed.

Chairman Robert Kilgour said the private care sector was "teetering towards the edge of a cliff".

East Lothian Council said it was working to find alternative accommodation for residents.

Mr Kilgour said no closure date had been set as yet as this depended on finding suitable alternative homes for the residents.

Read more here.

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Health Secretary Shona Robison says the priority has been to ensure the continuity of care for Bield Care Home residents.

Ms Robison says a number of new providers will take over some of those care homes.

She says: "The important thing is to minimise the impact of change on vulnerable elderly people."

The founder of a care home group has warned Scotland's private care sector is "teetering towards the edge of a cliff".

Renaissance Care chairman, Robert Kilgour, has announced the closure of Levenhall home in East Lothian.

He's said sixteen elderly residents and twenty seven staff will need to be rehoused and redeployed.

East Lothian Council says it's met residents, relatives and carers and is working to find other suitable accommodation.

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Tory MSP Miles Briggs raises the issue of the announcement of the closure of Renaissance Care in Musselburgh.

Mr Briggs highlights the impact of the apprenticeship levy on the home.

Health Secretary Shona Robison says the government has taken an approach to try to support the sector and provided significant resources to pay the living wage.

Ms Robison says she is aware the care home in Musselburgh did not have en suite facilities and did not meet the standards required.

She says it is a complex situation and says he does not recognise the scenario painted around the apprenticeship levvy,

Ms Robison says there are many issues around the care sector, including Brexit's impact on recruitment.

Health Secretary Shona Robison says: "I'm a firm believer in what works should be spread."

The caveat is of course in different situations like rural and urban settings, she says.

Geoff Huggins says systems of care are evolving.

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The Scottish government is being urged to step in over the future of up to 12 Bield care homes.

The firm has said financial constraints means it has to look differently at how the business operates.

Unison has warned that the closures would be a "disaster", with about 160 elderly people losing their homes.

Bield said it was in advanced talks to secure a new provider for four of the care homes in Edinburgh, Fife and Jedburgh.

At least eight of the care homes are set to be closed by the spring.

Read more.

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Ah, the health secretary, appears to join her voice.

Ms Robison is outlining the integration of health and social care and changes in care home provision.

Health Secretary Shona Robison outlines her vision for care, but we have no vision!

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Care home providers are paying up to £1,000 per shift for an agency nurse to cover rotas, it has been claimed.

A report by Scottish Care, which represents private care providers, found they were increasingly reliant on agency staff to plug staffing gaps.

It said about a third of nursing posts in care homes were vacant, with nine in 10 providers unable to fill all posts.

The Scottish government said it was creating extra training places to deal with the projected shortages of nurses.

Scottish Care said vacancy estimates currently stood at 31%, up on the 28% estimate for 2016.

Read more here.