Labour MSP Jackie Baillie begins by saying public money should be spend for the public good, and suggests the Scottish government is failing on that.

She says "it is not good enough" when services are being outsourced to companies like Carillion.

Ms Baillie criticises the SNP for not including the living wage as a requirement for companies bidding for public sector contracts in the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014.

The Scottish government said it was against EU rules at the time but has since introduces the living wage in the care sector, she notes.

"It's amazing what you can do when there's the political will."

Sports Minister Aileen Campbell confirms she has instructed her officials to contact the club to see what support can be provided.

Claire Baker urges the minister to back the call to football fans to help save the club which the minister does.

Image source, SNS

Cowdenbeath FC held an extraordinary general meeting and a fans/supporters meeting last week to discuss the future of the club.

Fans took charge of the club's operations in 2010 but has been struggling in recent years.

The club has said declining crown numbers, players' freedom of contract and losing ownership of its ground has all have a negative impact on its operations.

Cowndenbeath FC's 'Honour the Past, Ensure a Future' campaign is attempting to reverse its fortunes by promoting its 135-year history and its contribution to the local community.

It hopes to raise £135,000 during 2018.

Labour MSP Claire Baker asks about assistance for Cowndenbeath FC's Club 135 campaign, Honour the Past, Ensure a Future, which aims to secure the future of the club.

Tory MSP Jackson Carlaw asks about the most recent meeting with the chief executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

He specifically asks about ensuring there are appropriate health services around new developments.

Health Secretary Shona Robison says she expects health and social care partnerships to be involved in planning at community level.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell says she continues to work with Housing Minister Kevin Stewart and points to investment by the Scottish government in affordable homes, including those for social rent.

Green MSP Andy Wightman about about discussions the health secretary has had with the housing minister regarding action that can be taken to mitigate the cost of health inequalities brought about by poor or unsuitable housing.

Health Secretary Shona Robison says NHS Grampian is receiving a resource budget uplift of 2.1% in 2018-19, the highest of any territorial board.

Mr Rumbles says over a quarter of patients suffering chronic pain disorders are waiting longer than 18 weeks, with NHS Grampian having the worst results in Scotland.

He attributes this to ten years of "under-funding".

The cabinet secretary says local variation on chronic pain waiting times does not correlate with health boards being below NRAC.

NHS Grampian has had issues with staff recruitment, she says, arguing it is therefore not a money issue.

Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles questions plans to provide additional funding to NHS Grampian, in light of information provided by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre suggesting the health board has been underfunded by £165.6m since 2008.

Image source, Getty Images

Morale in the Scottish Ambulance Service is at "rock bottom" because of excessive demands placed on staff, according to the union Unite.

The BBC has obtained the results of an internal staff survey suggesting work pressure had affected the health of more than half of the respondents.

Unite also warned of increase in the "turnaround" times before an ambulance is ready for its next call.

The ambulance service said it took the wellbeing of staff very seriously.

Unite said the centralisation of hospital services has increased the time it takes ambulance staff to turnaround 999 calls and, with fewer casualty departments, there are bottlenecks in dropping patients off.

Read more here.

Labour MSP Jackie Baillie inquires about action to reduce ambulance waiting times.

Health Secretary Shona Robison says the recommendations are being finalised with a view to publish in spring.

Maurice Corry asks what actions are being considered and the cabinet secretary says the focus is on ensuring current pathways are fit for purpose.

She says many clinicians have said existing waiting times targets have helped to improve treatment.

Image source, SPL

Cancer charities have called for urgent action to reduce the length of time patients are having to wait for key diagnostic tests.

Nearly 16,000 people were waiting longer than the target six weeks for procedures such as CT scans, MRI scans and ultrasounds in December.

That compared to 3,554 people on 31 December 2015.

Charities said the figures paint a picture of a service struggling to keep up with growing demand.

Read more here.

Conservative MSP Maurice Corry requests an update on progress with the clinical review of cancer waiting times and queries when results will be published.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell says NHS Health Scotland provides a range of services for children diagnoses with FASD.

Rona Mackay calls for a single data recording system for FASD.

Ms Campbell says the care pathway helps professionals with the diagnostic process.

She confirms the consistency of recording will be part of ongoing work to improve assessment and diagnosis.

Image source, Getty Images

A hard-hitting health campaign was launched in September to urge women to avoid drinking any alcohol during pregnancy.

Mothers-to-be are being warned that their unborn child could be at risk of irreversible brain damage if they choose to drink alcohol.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) hopes to "set the record straight" after years of "mixed messages".

They estimate that around 500 babies are born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) every year in Scotland.

FASD is often associated with facial features such as small eyelid openings, short upturned noses and small heads.

But it can also affect the heart, cause varying degrees of learning disabilities and it can cause permanent damage to a baby's brain.

• Warning over drinking in pregnancy
• Newborn babies tested for alcohol
• Changes to alcohol guidelines welcomed

The nine-month information campaign is called "No alcohol, no alcohol harm" and it coincided with International FASD Awareness Day, external.

Read more here.

SNP MSP Rona Mackay wonders how the NHS monitors children diagnosed with foetal alcohol syndrome.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell notes people that engage with the arts have better health outcomes and the Scottish government is taking steps to reduce barriers.

Ms Hamilton suggests the recent decision on the Scottish Youth Theatre has the potential to damage health.

The minister recognises the ongoing issue around SYT and says discussions are continuing on its future.

Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton asks about action to tackle health inequalities and the role of access to arts and culture.