Image source, bbc

Ms Somerville says her vision is for all learners to succeed.

The higher education minister says there needs to be a more imaginative use of first year at university.

She says universities need to pick up the rate of change of implementation of the commissioner's recommendations.

The minister welcomes the recommendations for the Scottish Funding Council.

Image source, Kim Traynor

Turning to the Fair Access Commissioner's first report, the minister says colleges play a crucial role in widening access.

Students from the most deprived backgrounds are well represented at colleges, she says, and the government will therefore prioritise access to university.

All students will have fair access to university by 2030, states Ms Somerville.

This target is for learners of all ages, she confirms.

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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, external showed 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".

The number of applications to universities from 18-year-olds in the most disadvantaged parts of Scotland fell from 1,970 last year to 1,900 this year, by the January 15 deadline.

The total number of applications from Scottish students aged 18 or under fell from 18,710 in 2017 to 18,000 in 2018.

The report from Ucas also noted that the application rate for people living in the most advantaged areas in Scotland had actually increased.

Read more here.

Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville says students from the most deprived areas of Scotland must be supported "into, through and beyond" higher education.

Acceptance rates for 18-year-olds from the most deprived communities has risen, she says.

Ms Somerville suggests this is because of changing perceptions around who can access university.

Bolder steps are needed to make sure more people from disadvantaged areas go to university, an official report says.

The Scottish government wants a fifth of students at each university to come from Scotland's poorest areas by 2030.

In his report, the government's Fair Access Commissioner, Prof Sir Peter Scott, highlights good work already being done.

But he warns this may not be sufficient and says universities and the government should do more.

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Sir Peter suggests that more places should be available at universities to ensure that efforts to help those from disadvantaged areas do not make it harder for others to get in.

He suggests a number of ways of doing this including:

• Allowing well-qualified applicants to enter university in second year
• Making sure college students who move on to university always have their college qualifications taken fully into account
• Making sure the free places given to EU students do not disappear if the Scottish government decides not to continue offering them free tuition after Brexit
• At present EU students are also entitled to free places at Scottish universities paid for by the Scottish government under European law

Read more here.

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Higher Education Minister Shirley Anne-Somerville will now deliver a statement on widening access.

It follows the Fair Access Commissioner's first report, published in December.

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Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur says environmental groups have expressed concerns about some of the changes from the draft to the final plan.

The climate change secretary says the criticisms have arisen by people just looking at the figures in the draft plan and then the final plan.

She says the targets in the draft plan were not credible.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell suggests the plan aims to reduce emissions by one million tonnes less than the draft plan did.

The cabinet secretary says the projections in the plan are based on assumptions that there will be no change on transport modes.

However, she argues there will be change because the Scottish government is aiming for that.

Bus passenger numbers in Scotland have fallen by 10% over the last five years, new figures show.

Official statistics from Transport Scotland show the bus being the only mode of transport to have experienced a drop in usage since 2011-12.

Over the last five years, car traffic rose by 5% and bikes by 15%. Rail, air and ferry passengers also increased.

Environmental organisations said the figures showed the need for more investment in sustainable transport.

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said the government was committed to reducing the harmful effects of air pollution and climate change and noted the decline in bus patronage was "concerning".

Read more.

Scottish Labour MSP Claudia Beamish says there is a stark difference between the plan and the government's previous plan, in some cases being unambitious.

Ms Beamish says her party want to see a 77% reduction in emissions by 2030.

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The Labour MSP says the government's targets have changed for the worst.

Ms Cunningham says there have been significant scientific changes since the draft plan was published.

The climate change secretary says changes have been made to make the plan "considerably more achievalbe.

Tory MSP John Scott says the plan lacks specificity.

He calls for more information on how the Scottish government plans to tackle emissions from transport, noting recent figures indicating a decline in bus usage.

How does the cabinet secretary expect a modal shift to more sustainable transport considering the lack of progress so far, Mr Scott asks.

Roseanna Cunningham labels John Scott's comments as "ridiculous".

She says transport emissions will be reduced by 37% by the end of the plan, adding that the Scottish government is more ambitious than the UK government.

The cabinet secretary points to measures for improving active travel, introducing low emissions zones and moving to low emissions vehicles.

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Last September we reported that Scotland's draft climate change plan lacks credibility, according to an independent body.

The UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC) found the plan focused too much on the rapid deployment of low carbon heating rather than addressing wider areas like transport emissions.

But it added that the Scottish government was still leading the UK on tackling greenhouse gas emissions.

The Scottish government said it showed "the strong progress being made".

The report found:

• Scotland is performing well compared with other nations in the UK and the UK as a whole
• The annual target for 2015 - the most recent available - was met
• Most progress has been made by decarbonising the electricity generation sector but more effort is needed elsewhere

Read more here.

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Ms Cunningham highlights the stringent and demanding climate change targets.

She says there is a moral obligation to act.

Jonathan Amos
Science correspondent, BBC News, in Pasadena

Ironically, this statement was delayed from last week due to the adverse weather event, which many have linked to climate change.

Image source, PA

As the UK and the wider European continent shivers, the Arctic has witnessed some spectacularly high temperatures in recent days, some 30 degrees above average in places.

Such a topsy-turvy picture inevitably has people wondering if this isn't some kind of fallout from global warming.

But, as ever, meteorologists will not conflate single events with more longer-term trends.

The UK Met Office, for example, is adamant that what is occurring now should be regarded as part of the natural ups and downs we get in our weather.

Read more here.

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Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham says the climate change plan is a little late due to last week's weather, which is perhaps appropriate as climate change will mean more severe weather for Scotland.

Ms Cunningham says the final climate change plan is "more balanced, more ambitious and more achievable".

The climate change secretary says the plan is broken down into sectors of the economy.

She says the elecricity sector is already largely decarbonised.

The minister highlights the introduction of low emission zones to Scotland's cities.

By 2032 Scotland will be one of the lowest carbon and most efficient food producers in the world, she says.