Ms Sturgeon highlights changes to SPA governance since the arrival of Susand Deacon as its chair.

She points to a positive report from Audit Scotland on the latest accounts.

Mr McArthur says members of the SPA should not be marking their own homework and calls for an independent expert led commission.

The first minister reiterates the changes Ms Deacon has brought in at the SPA.

Image source, bbc

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur queries the capacity of the Scottish Police Authority and whether it is fit for purpose.

Image source, bbc

Ms Sturgeon says all searches conducted by Police Scotland are captured and published on a quarterly basis.

The first minister says she understands the concerns some in the Asian community have.

But she says it is also important to recognise the good work being done by police officers.

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The first minister says the advisory group on stop and search recently published a report evaluating the first six months of a new code of conduct.

It found searches declined among all ethnic groups and they were being more effectively, she states.

A fuller evaluation will take place later this year, Ms Sturgeon confirms.

Mr Sarwar notes the statistics do not cover all stop and searches, including vehicle stops and stops at airports.

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He urges the Scottish government to ensure all types of stop and search are covered.

The Labour MSP also states people have accused him of "playing the race card or having a personal agenda" on this issue.

Nicola Sturgeon says the report does not show an increased risk of stop and search if an individual is black or Asian.

However, she accepts tackling the perception of something is just as important as tackling the reality.

Image source, Police Scotland

From The Herald:, external

"Stop-and-searches by Scottish police have continued at a higher rate than their counterparts in England, despite the introduction of a new code of practice to address concerns over the number of people being searched without a legal basis.

"The new figures reveal that in the first six months after the new code of practice for stop and search came in, there were17,446 searches.

"Though the total – which covers June to November 2017 – is down from 24,210 in the corresponding period in 2016, there were 5.4 searches for every 10,000 people carried out each month in Scotland compared to a rate of 4.3 per 10,000 in England and Wales."

Image source, Getty Images

Non-whites in Scotland are far more likely to be searched by police, a report suggested last July.

Data found Gypsy travellers were five times more likely to be searched, while black people were twice as likely to be targeted compared to whites.

The Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research report referred to police activity in 2016.

The data predated changes to stop-and-search practices by police, introduced on 11 May last year.

Read more here.

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Anas Sarwar seeks a response to figures that he says show black and Asian people in Scotland are more likely to be stopped and searched.

Image source, Getty Images

A children's charity has criticised the government for failing to implement proposals to make young people safer online - 10 years after they were made in a government-commissioned report.

The NSPCC says 11 of the 38 proposals were ignored and seven were partially implemented - four are now out of date.

It says a mandatory code to regulate social media and tackle online grooming is now required.

Ministers say they are working to make the UK the safest place to be online.

• Internet 'not designed for children'
• Tech firms must protect children online
• Children at 'significant' social media risk

The recommendations were made following the 2008 "Safer Children in a Digital World" review which was commissioned by then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown and led by clinical psychologist Prof Tanya Byron.

The Home Office has begun the process of creating a voluntary code to regulate websites, as part of its Internet Safety Strategy.

However, the NSPCC said this move was recommended in 2008 and it was now "too little, too late".

Read more here.

Mr Fraser says the Scottish children and young people's commissioner has called for a social media watchdog, among other recommendations.

The first minister says the government will continue to look at what needs to be done to make the internet safe.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser inquires about educating children on internet safety.

Image source, PA

More than 3,500 new-style apprenticeship places have been announced for Scotland.

The places are intended to provide educational qualifications and workplace training for senior school pupils and potential graduates.

They are in addition to the modern apprentice programme, which supported more than 26,000 people last year.

Skills Development Scotland said work-based learning was vital for Scotland's future prosperity.

Jobs agency SDS said it was supporting 2,600 foundation apprenticeships for pupils and more than 900 graduate apprenticeships in 2018.

Read more here.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says this is Scottish Aprrenticeship Week which provides a fantastic opportuntiy to highlight the life changing impact they can have.

Ms Sturgeon says apprenticeships increasingly provide opportunities for people of all ages.

Tory MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston says small businesses face barriers to taking on apprentices.

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Gillian Martin asks about progress on increasing the number of modern apprenticeships.

Less than half of so-called revenge porn cases reported to the police have been passed to prosecutors for further action, BBC Scotland has learned.

Between July and December last year, 225 complaints were reported to Police Scotland with just 89, or 39%, being referred to prosecutors.

Most victims were in their 20s, but a third were teenagers.

The force said the detection rate of these "complex" crimes was in line with the national average.

Read more here.

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Christina McKelvie raises the issue of revenge porn and the lack of cases passed to prosecutors.

The first minister highlights the public awareness campaign around revenge porn and says she was concerned about the report.

A total of 25 jobs are to go at a construction company's offices in Aberdeenshire.

Balfour Beatty said a challenging last two years was to blame for ending operations at its Kintore substation design office by the end of the month.

The company said it was a "difficult decision".

The workers will be offered other roles within the wider business where possible.

Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald raises concerns about Balfour Beatty's plans to close an electricity substation design centre.

Ms Sturgeon says decisions like this are always of concern.