Image source, Richard Webb

A children's unit at a West Lothian hospital closed on a number of weekends in December due to a shortage of doctors.

It follows ongoing staffing and recruitment issues which mean there are not enough doctors available to cover overnight and weekends.

NHS Lothian advised parents to call NHS 24. It said children could still be assessed in the emergency department.

The health board said a paediatric consultant would be available on-call at all hours.

NHS Lothian also said maternity and neonatal services at the hospital would be unaffected by the closure.

Labour MSP Neil Findlay will now lead a debate on St John's children's ward.

We'll bring you coverage of this debate and reaction to the passing of the budget.

MSPs vote to pass the Budget Bill,, external with 70 MSPs backing it and 56 against.

Image source, bbc

Mr Mackay says Labour MSP James Kelly was wrong on the increase in income tax an MSP will pay by 1,300%.

The finance secretary says the NHS is the largest benficiary of this budget.

He calls on MSPs to pass his budget, which he says is "creating a more equal society".

Mr Mackay says the budget will make Scotland the lowest and fairest taxed part of the UK.

Image source, bbc

Yesterday MSPs agreed changes to Scotland's income tax system which will set up new rates and bands.

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has put forward plans for a new five-band system which will cut bills for lower earners but raise them for others.

MSPs passed the proposals, which are part of the budget deal the SNP struck with the Greens, by 67 votes to 50.

The vote means Mr Mackay's spending plans will go to the Holyrood chamber for final approval on Wednesday.

The Conservatives and Labour opposed the changes, which will come into force from the start of the new financial year in April.

• Budget calculator - are you better or worse off?

• Scotland's budget: what does it mean for me?

Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie calls for councils to be able to choose how they both raise and spend their budgets.

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay says he is open to discussion, but argues this budget will increase the resources being given to local government before taking council tax into consideration.

Turning to business, he points to a number of representative organisations welcoming parts of the budget including acceleration funding and public service investment.

There is much support for this budget, the finance secretary says, including from the public who have backed it 2-1.

Image source, bbc

The Scottish government's tax and spending plans for the next year are expected to pass their final parliamentary hurdle in less than 10 minutes.

The budget includes major changes to Scotland's income tax rates and bands, which will see middle and high earners pay more and lower earners pay less.

The minority SNP government struck a deal with the Scottish Greens last month that will give them enough votes to pass the budget.

The final vote will be held at 17:15.

The deal agreed with the Greens will see the party's six MSPs support the budget in return for a package which includes £170m more for local councils than had originally been proposed.

• Will the tax changes leave you better or worse off?
• Scottish budget: what does it mean for me?

Image source, bbc

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay says "watching Mr Swinney blow Adam Tomkin's bubble" was the highlight of this debate.

Mr Mackay is then chastised for making personal comments when Labour MSP Neil Findlay tries to intervene.

The finance secretary goes on to say Labour are reduced to being the anti-SNP party.

He says there is £1.2bn of additional resources in his budget.

Scotland faces "a much higher level of uncertainty and volatility" in its budgets due to new powers and Brexit, Holyrood's Finance Committee has said.

The group published its report on the government's draft budget, external, which marks the first use of new tax powers.

Members said new powers combined with economic uncertainty caused by Brexit meant it was "critical" there was "complete transparency" over budgets.

Here is the committee's report., external

Image source, bbc

Mr Tomkins says the budget process was not open and transparent, referring to the additional £160m in public spending found by Mr Mackay for Mr Harvie.

The Tory MSP says this annual dance between Mr Mackay and Mr Harvie is one of the most "unedifying spectacles in the parliamentary calender".

Former Finance Secretary John Swinney asks what the difference is between these negotiations and when he negotiated with the Scottish Conservatives.

Mr Tomkins say his party got results.

This is a "budget of betrayal", Mr Tomkins argues, highlighting two-thirds of voters backed parties who promised not to raise taxes in 2016.

Image source, PA/Scottish Parliament

The deal between the Derek Mackay and the Greens will see:

• an additional £170m going to local councils
• raise public sector pay for 75% of workers rather than 51%
• all public sector employees earning up to £36,500 will now receive a minimum 3% pay increase
• increase to the new higher rate threshold by 1% to £43,340, to address
• an additional £10.5m to help fund inter-island ferries in Orkney and Shetland

This is a budget the puts up taxes despite the fact that the block grant is going up this year, begins Tory MSP Adam Tomkins.

It will do nothing for consumers and damage Scottish businesses, he argues.

"Growth is central, it goes to the core of how we fund our public services."

The Tory MSP suggests the message being set out is that the Scottish government will tax aspiration and success.

"Pay more, get less. That is Nicola Sturgeon's dismal economic legacy," he states.

Changes to the Scottish government's budget will raise an extra £62 million, the Scottish Fiscal Commission has confirmed.

The independent body has published official forecasts for income tax revenue, updated to reflect revisions to the 2018/19 tax and spending plans approved by MSPs last month.

The extra revenue comes from a change to the higher rate threshold and the extension of the public sector pay rise.

Image source, Getty Images

An anomaly in the draft budget proposals from December would have seen those earning between £43,525 and £58,500 paying less tax rather than more.

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said this would be addressed by changing the higher rate threshold to £43,438 rather than the £44,274 that had originally been proposed.

The commission forecasts the move will raise a further £55 million, taking the total additional revenue raised by the final income tax policy to £219 million.

The extension of the Government's public sector pay policy to apply to 75% of public sector workers is forecast to raise a further £7 million in income tax.

Image source, bbc

Ms Lennon says this is about progressive taxation and she says her party is not embarrassed to ask those who can pay more to do so.

The Labour MSP says the cabinet secretary has failed to explain why nine out of ten austerity job losses have come from local councils.

She says the cabinet secretary misled parliament earlier on this issue.

The Labour MSP says the budget is increasing pressure on local government and its staff.

"We simply can't afford to go on like this."

"This budget does not do enough to stop austerity or fund local services."

In January Scottish Labour put forward budget proposals to raise and spend an extra £960m with radical changes to taxation.

Labour's proposals would alter the system even further than the Scottish government proposals , with higher taxes and spending.

Image source, bbc

Leader Richard Leonard said "radical" use of Holyrood's tax powers could "end the failed experiment of austerity".

However, Mr Mackay said the "fantasy figures" were "riddled with blunders" and would actually raise far less money than Labour claim, while the Scottish Conservatives accused both parties of "hammering" taxpayers.

Labour MSP Monica Lennon argues the budget fails to protect the most vulnerable people in society.

She argues Labour's "costed alternative" would raise almost £1bn extra, which would act as an economic stimulus.

"Our plans, just like the SNP's, ensure those earning up to £33,000 won't pay a penny more," Ms Lennon states.

Tory MSP Miles Briggs suggests a 50p top rate of tax would lose money.

The Labour MSP says there is no evidence for this assertion.