Rory Cellan-Jones
Technology correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Remember the days when the Budget was secret and anybody who leaked it got fired?

Well, nowadays much of it gets dribbled out days in advance and over the weekend there was an eye-catching leak - or rather Treasury press release - about new money for technology.

The most striking element of a package which included £75m for artificial intelligence research, £160m for new 5G mobile phone networks and £100m to train more computer science teachers, was the Chancellor's plan to bring driverless cars to our roads.

It was not the fact that he saw this as a vital technology where the UK could be a leader which surprised me - we have plenty of groundbreaking research under way - but the timescale for this autonomous driving future.

Read more here.

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP David Stewart thanks Mr McKee and praises his country and western allusion that a truck may now leave a drive, saying "I lost my heart to a driverless Ford Mustang".

He goes on to say perhaps he should not give up his day job.

The Labour MSP goes on more seriously saying anything that he welcome anything road safety.

Mr Stewart says the possibility of hackers must be looked at when driverless cars are discussed.

Tory MSP Jamie Greene says this is not technology of the future, it is the technology of today.

Self-drive cars have not been rolled out yet due to legislative constraints, he says.

It is inevitable that driverless cars and driverless vehicles will lead to a decline in paid driving jobs, Mr Greene states, similar to the decline in "horse employment" when cars came into existence.

We should be thinking about training for the workforce and consider where future opportunities will be, states the Tory MSP.

Image source, Getty Images

In November we reported that driverless cars could be on UK roads within four years under government plans to invest in the sector.

Chancellor Philip Hammond told the BBC the objective was to have "fully driverless cars" without a safety attendant on board in use by 2021.

"Some would say that's a bold move, but we have to embrace these technologies if we want the UK to lead the next industrial revolution," he said.

However, the chancellor admitted he had yet to use a driverless car himself.

Read more here.

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SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson raises the age old trolley problem.

Watch BBC Radio 4's take on it here., external

SNP MSP Ivan McKee says automation is an issue we're all aware of.

It's coming and faster than we expect, he says.

Mr McKee says autonomous vehicles will impact more than people's relationships with cars, but also transform cities.

Infrastructure spend will be revolutionised and road space will be used much more efficiency, the SNP MSP states.

People with disabilities will be able to access personal transport on the same basis as everyone else, and older people will not have to worry about losing their vehicles he arguse.

Mr McKee also suggests road safety will be improved given 94% of accidents now are due to driver error.

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Ivan McKee will now lead a debate on the impact of driverless cars on Scotland.

Image source, IDEO

Green MSP Andy Wightman asks, if Scotland is leading the way on transparency, why does the information behind the Sunday Post report have to be paid for, when it is free in England.

Ms Sturgeon says Andy Wightman should be more positive as he is at the leading edge of the work that has been done.

The first minister says the Scottish Land Information Service has been launched meaning anyone can make inquiries free of charge.

She says some of the issues around taxation are not within the powers of Holyrood and she says ultimately it would be better if the Scottish Parliament could take action over these matters.

Ms Sturgeon says the government is committed to increasing the transparency around land ownership.

She points to the land register and says the government takes tax avoidance very seriously.

Ms Beamish asks for reassurance that the regulations to be brought forward will deliver the promises the Scottish government have made on land and property ownership.

Ms Sturgeon welcomes the recognition that Scotland is leading the way on this issue and says the regulations will be introduced in spring of this year.

An investigation by the Sunday Post, external reveal £2.9bn-worth of Scottish property is held by offshore companies.

The Sunday Post found:

• Scottish property is held in 22 different tax havens around the world, by 776 companies
• Records reveal some 1,271 purchases – some of them multiple properties – with sums paid ranging from £132m to just £1
• This includes pubs, shopping centres, private schools, care homes, Highland shooting estates and even ex-council houses
• Real estate which was held offshore when it was sold has cost the taxman millions in capital gains tax revenue
• Last year alone, firms based overseas bought more than £200m worth of Scottish land and buildings

Owning Scottish property through offshore companies is perfectly legal and there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by any of the companies involved.

Offshore ownership is attractive to those who wish to either keep their identity secret and or reduce the tax they pay.

Labour MSP Claudia Beamish asks about action being taken regarding the transparency of land ownership, following a recent investigation by the Sunday Post.

The Scottish government opened a consultation on its Draft Suicide Prevention Action Plan 2018 last week, which responses being accepted until the end of April.

It contains four themes:

1. improving the use of evidence, data and guidance on suicide prevention;
2. modernising the content and accessibility of training;
3. maximising the impact of national and local suicide prevention activity;
4. developing the use of social media and online resources.

View the consultation engagement paper here. , external

Ms Sturgeon says she is sorry Annie Wells has lost her voice.

The first minister says the purpose of a draft suicide plan is to allow the views of people to be taken on board.

She says the final plan will fully reflect these contributions.

The goal is to derive a plan that substantially builds on the downward trend in suicides, she says.

Last year suicide rates increased for the first time in six years, says Mr Briggs, and says the government plan must be more ambitious.

Ms Sturgeon agrees more work needs to be done and the publication of the draft plan allows this.

Tory MSP Miles Briggs asks for a response to Samaritans Scotland stating the draft suicide prevention plan was "very disappointing", standing in for Annie Wells who has lost her voice.

SNP MSP Bob Doris asks how the Scottish government plan can help those at risk of suicide in his constituency.

Ms Sturgeon highlights the online consultation and engagement events around the suicide strategy.