I want to be careful not to misrepresent the outcomes of fix rooms, the minister states.

Elsewhere, such facilities have led to a decline in public drug-taking and fewer needles left on streets, she argues.

"I will not pretend this is going to be a panacea for all the issues around drugs."

For some, the argument will be that there is no safe way to take a class A drug, she recognises.

However, the minister argues safe drug consumption facilities are not about drugs being safe but reducing the dangers associated with taking them.

Such facilities provide opportunities for drug takers to access wider health services too, Ms Campbell says.

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP John Mason says he has concerns about the supply of drugs and says this model will build crime into the system.

The minister disagrees and says this is a public health response to a public health need in the city Mr Mason represents.

The Home Secretary is to be invited to visit Glasgow to learn more about proposals for the UK's first "fix rooms" for drug addicts.

Councillors claim the innovation will combat the increase in street injecting and HIV infections among users.

The city's Health and Social Care Partnership developed and agreed proposals for the facility.

It is designed to cut public injecting, reduce harm for users and communities, and prevent increases in drug-related infections.

Read more.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell begins by highlighting the number of deaths and people affected by substance misuse.

"This pain will remain in Scottish society for some time."

She calls for an examination of what is being done to help some of the most vulnerable people in society.

The minister speaks about a model in Victoria, Australia which has had some successes with a health-led response to drug problems.

Solutions may initially seem controversial and be unpopular, but existing responses are not working, she says.

Ms Campbell says all treatment and rehabilitation services must be focused on recovery.

Image source, SPL

Last August the number of drug-related deaths in Scotland last year totalled 867, a rise of 23% on 2015.

Numbers have been steadily increasing since 1995, when 426 fatal overdoses were recorded.

The latest statistics from the National Records of Scotland, external showed more than 70% of deaths were among people aged 35 or over.

Critics say the continuing rise calls into question the effectiveness of the Scottish government's drugs strategy.

Read more here., external

Image source, Scottish Parliament

The chamber resumes with a debate on safe injection facilities.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell opens for the government, her motion is above.

Image source, Getty Images

MSPs will shortly be asked to back plans to introduce the UK's first safe injection room for drug users in Glasgow, following a debate kicking off at 2.30pm.

The city council hopes the so-called "fix room" will help to tackle an increase in street injecting and HIV.

But the Scottish government's top legal advisor, the Lord Advocate, says the facility would be illegal unless the UK government changes the law.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell will use a Holyrood debate to seek cross-party support for the move.

She will argue that similar facilities have proved effective in the 70 cities across the world that have already introduced them.

And she will urge the five Holyrood parties to unite in calling for the UK government to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act to ensure that the injection room is legal.

Read more here.

Holyrood Live returns in an hour for a debate on safe injection facilities.

Join us then.

Veterans Minister Keith Brown welcomes the anticipated arrival of a further Typhoon squadron as RAF Lossiemouth.

The RAF has changed a great deal over the last hundred years, he says, including the opening of all roles to women.

I have been obliged to "hitch a life" from the RAF three times, Mr Brown reveals and he exults to professionalism of the pilots.

The minister points to the transferable skills acquired by people who serve in the RAF.

The Scottish government will continue to help people to make use of these skills after leaving the armed forces, he says.

Labour MSP David Stewart begins by saying: "We all owe a debt of gratitude to the RAF".

His father served at RAF Kinloss decades ago and Mr Stewart himself served for two terms as part of the parliamentary scheme when he was an MP, he recalls.

The Labour MSP says responsibility for RAF personnel does not end when they stop service, calling for a "high quality transition" to civilian life.

Image source, bbc

Watch the recent documentary RAF At 100 with Ewan and Colin Macgregor here on the iPlayer.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Liz Smith talks powerfully of her father's service as a corporal in one of the squadrons of the RAF in the siege of Malta during the Second World War.

From 1940–42, the fight for the control of the strategically important island of Malta, then a British colony, pitted the air forces and navies of Italy and Germany against the RAFand the Royal Navy.

The Allied victory in Malta played a major role in the eventual Allied success in North Africa.

"Little wonder then that the RAF was held in such high regard."

The Tory MSP praises the "excellent documentary" from the brothers Macgregor on the RAF.

She concludes saying of those who served and are serving in the RAF: "We all owe them so very much."

Reevel Alderson
BBC Scotland Home Affairs correspondent

As the Royal Air Force celebrates its centenary, there are calls for a Glaswegian to be recognised as its "founding father."

Lt-Gen Sir David Henderson had a distinguished career in the Army, fighting with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in the Zulu and Boer Wars and the Sudan.

Image source, Dugald Cameron

But his pivotal role in establishing the RAF in the final year of World War One has largely been forgotten.

It was his proposal, in a seven-page memorandum, which persuaded Prime Minister David Lloyd George to combine the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) - a branch of the Army - and the Royal Naval Air Service into a separate air force.

Read more here.

Image source, bbc

Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott uses his speech to higlight role of Royal Air Force Station Sullom Voe in the Shetland Isles of Scotland.

It was a Flying boat base and was closely associated with the adjacent airfield of RAF Scatsta.

The building of this flying boat station started well before the Second World War during 1938 and it became home to various Coastal Command squadrons that patrolled the North Sea, Norwegian Sea and North Atlantic for enemy ships and U-Boats.

201 Squadron was posted there just 25 days before the declaration of war on 3 September 1939. 240 Squadron was posted there a month later on 4 November 1939 then Sullom Voe became the first location in the British Isles to be bombed on Monday 13 November 1939 when four bombs landed in a field.

Mr Scott points out that no damage was formally reported apart from the death of a rabbit!

Tory MSP Alexander Stewart says the RAF has been involved in many operations since the end of world war two, including offering humanitarian aid.

He welcomes personnel sitting in the public gallery today.

"I personally congratulate the Royal Air Force for reaching this milestone."

Image source, Mike Parker

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Alexander Stewart's motion highlights the establishment of RAF squadrons in Edinburgh and Glasgow in 1925.

Image source, Scottish parliament

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Alexander Stewart will now lead a debate marking RAF 100, the Centenary of the RAF.

........but don't go away!

Ms Sturgeon welcomes the report and she encourages all councils to take action to implement its recommendations.

Ms Lennon says she is worried about the critical state of local government finances highlighted in the report, particularly in terms of care for the elderly.

The first minister says this was addressed in the recent budget and details the measure therein.

Ms Sturgeon says the government is gettting on with that work day in day out.

She calls for something more constructive than calls for more money to be brought to the chamber by Labour.