That's all from Holyrood Live on Wednesday 9 May 2018.

Health Secretary Shona Robison agreed the independent inquiry into mental health services in NHS Tayside must have the confidence and involvement of the families of the suicide victims right from the start.

The health secretary also agreed to Labour MSP Anas Sarwar's call for five principles to underpin the inquiry, including a genuinely independent chair and inclusion of the families throughout.

Scottish Labour's health spokesperson welcomed the health secretary widening the terms of the inquiry beyond Carseview Centre to NHS Tayside mental health services generally.

Image source, bbc

MSPs also agreed to vote next Tuesday on whether to back the UK government's Brexit bill.

The Scottish government said it would not recommend consent unless more amendments are made to the Westminster Bill concerning devolved powers.

The UK government said "significant changes" had already been made.

The Welsh government has agreed to a deal, but Scottish ministers said there was still a "key sticking point" around consent.

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf agrees with Rachael Hamilton that evey MSP will have had complaints about potholes.

Mr Yousaf points out his responsbiliity is the 3,500 km of the trunk network across Scotland.

The minister cites £8.2bn investment into this since 2007 and an increase in the trunk road budget of £65m in 2018-19.

Image source, bbc

The minister says: "We're putting our money where our mouth is in terms of the trunk road network."

Mr Yousaf points out additional money, to the amount of £6.5m, has gone to carriageway maintenance due to the extreme weather this winter.

He points out local authorities have to reflect really hard on where they spend money over the years.

The minster pledges to work with councils on this issue and respond to individual pot hole complaints from MSPs.

That concludes this meeting of the parliament.

Image source, Getty Images

The boss of a Scottish civil engineering firm has become the guardian angel of his council's roads by filling in potholes for free.

Mark Armstrong realised he could help cash-strapped Highland Council by using leftover asphalt from road laying jobs his staff had completed elsewhere.

Now he fills in potholes in his local area, paying his workers for the extra time required.

He claims it benefits his business by saving him money in vehicle repairs.

Mr Armstrong, who owns MA Ventures and employs 15 people in Alness, Easter Ross, told the BBC Scotland News website: "I had a couple of incidents with potholes which caused significant damage to our vehicles."

Image source, Mark Armstrong

Read more here.

Freezing temperatures will lead to more potholes on UK roads, as snow and ice break up road surfaces, says the RAC.

It says the extreme cold weather has caused freezing water to get into cracks on already bad road surfaces.

Image source, Robert Graham

Driving into potholes can break suspension springs, damage shock absorbers and distort wheels.

In Scotland, local authorities were given £10.4bn this year and the Scottish government says it is up to them to manage their own budgets.

A spokeswoman said the government has said it is open to discussions about the costs linked to the severe weather.

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Colin Smyth begins by pointing out there are few issues raised as often to him, and as passionately, as potholes.

Mr Smyth bemoans the plague of potholes on Scotland's roads.

The Labour MSP points to jobs being haemorrhaged at local authorities in the thousands.

Image source, PA

In January the BBC reported that the number of drivers breaking down after hitting potholes had seen a "concerning" rise, according to the RAC.

The RAC saw an 11% jump in breakdowns caused by poor quality roads in the last three months of 2017.

The firm blamed snow and icy conditions, and warned many roads are "hanging in the balance" if conditions are particularly cold or wet in spring.

Drivers can face a bill of hundreds of pounds if their cars hit a pothole.

SNP MSP Tom Arthur points to £7.2m being put in a road repair problem in Renfrewshire by the council.

He outlines the roads which are to be improved.

Ms Hamilton also points to a report from confused.com report which claims:

• the potholes on Scotland's roads were the worst in the UK
• report suggests that these potholes are four miles deep in total
• cost £104 million in repairs in 2016

Image source, bbc

• with requests for payments for repairs due to the damage inflicted by them rising by 130% between 2013 and 2017
• over £2 million has been paid out in pothole-related compensation

Ms Hamilton says the recent severe weather has now made repair almost impossible, meaning that Scotland’s roads are now facing a crisis

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton begins by stating Scotland' roads are chronically underfunded.

Ms Hamilton points out recent statistics suggesting more than a quarter of country roads were in an unsatisfactory state.

The Tory MSP outlines her plan for a pothole fund of £100m over the next Scottish parliament.

This would lead to a road network fit for purpose, she argues.

We must deal with the national shame that is Scotland's road, Mr Hamilton concludes.

Ms Hamilton uses her motion to highilght "serious issues with Scotland’s roads".

The Tory MSP says ;they have considerably deteriorated following the recent extreme weather, with new potholes being created and existing ones becoming worse.

She points to recent statistics which she says suggest that more than a quarter of the country's roads are in an unsatisfactory state.

Image source, bbc

The Tory MSP also says:

• between 2015 and 2017, almost 12,000 miles of these were either earmarked for inspection or required maintenance
• since 2010, spending on maintenance has been reduced by 20%

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton will now lead a member's debate on the condition of Scotland's roads.

The Scottish government's amendment the Scottish Labour's motion on waiting times is agreed unanimously.

Scottish Labour's motion as amended is then also agreed.

Image source, Scottish parliament

Mr Stewart says NHS staff work tirelessly to ensure under-staffing and under-resourcing does not impact patient care.

However, it has led to increases in waiting times.

The Labour MSP also expresses concern about differences in life expectancy and healthy life expectancy between the most and least deprived communities.

Early access to treatment is key to tackling this gap, he says.

The member concludes by quoting Nye Bevan.

Image source, SPL

Last October we reported that Scotland's health "is not improving" as the NHS faces "significant challenges".

The warning came from Audit Scotland, whose annual report lists concerns over missed targets, longer waiting times, "stalled" improvements and growing pressure on budgets.

Scottish Labour renewed its calls for Health Secretary Shona Robison to quit in light of the report.

Ms Robison insisted that "significant" improvements have been made, while stressing that there was "no quick fix".

The Scottish government published its "blueprint" for the future of the NHSin December 2016, aiming to treat people closer to home rather than in hospital.

Read more here.