Image source, Getty Images

A leading charity dealing with suicide prevention has said the Scottish government is not treating the issue as a top priority.

The Samaritans commissioned a poll which indicated 61% of people in Scotland have been affected by suicide.

Almost 40% of those taking part said they would not know who to turn to if they were supporting someone in crisis.

The Scottish government is drawing up a new prevention plan and said it was spending over £1bn on mental health.

In 2016, there were 728 probable suicides in Scotland. This was an 8% rise on the previous year.

Most of those who die are men, 71% in 2016.

Read more here.

Details of organisations which offer advice and support are available at BBC Action Line or you can call for free, at any time, to hear recorded information 0800 066 066.

Convener Lewis Macdonald seeks overarching views on the Scottish government's suicide prevention action plan.

"We were very disappointed with the first draft," replies James Jopling of Samaritans.

We waited two years for the plan and it impacts families across Scotland, so we expected more from the plan, he explains.

We are getting better at facing issues around mental health but Scotland continues to have a higher suicide rate than elsewhere in the UK, Mr Jopling says.

However a slight increase last year demonstrates why a plan is critical, he adds.

Image source, bbc

The Health Committee will now take evidence on the Scottish government's draft Suicide Prevention Action Plan.

Health Committee convener Lewis Macdonald thanks people who have been affected by suicide for giving informal evidence prior to this committee.

Mr Macdonald introduces the witnesses for this evidence session:

• Dan Proverbs from Brothers in Arms, external
• James Jopling from Samaritans in Scotland, external
• Craig Smith from the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), external
• Toni Giugliano from the Mental Health Foundation Scotland, external
• Scott Walker from the National Farmers Union Scotland, external

Read the submissions to the committee here., external

Image source, bbc/Getty Images/David Donaldson

Good morning and welcome to Holyrood Live on Tuesday 12 June 2018.

The Health Committee will take evidence on the government’s draft suicide action plan from a range of stakeholders.

After topical questions, there are two ministerial statements: one on the National Council of Rural Advisors and the other on Scottish Greenhouse Gas Emissions 2016.

MSPs will then debate ‘Improving the lives of Scotland's Gypsy Travellers’.

Finally, Tory MSP Maurice Corry holds a debate on Orkambi, the drug for cystic fibrosis.