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Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop stresses the Scottish government is committed to challenging Islamophobia in Scotland.

Mr Sarwar says the cross-party group on challenging Islamophobia has agreed an action plan.

Ms Hyslop says she cannot say yet when the tackling hate crime event will take place.

In March Transport Minister Humza Yousaf and Labour MSP Anas Sarwar told BBC Scotland that racism and Islamophobia are getting worse in Scotland.

Appearing together on the BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland, they both said they frequently received violent death threats via social media and in emails.

The MSPs said members of the Muslim community and other faiths had reported increasing levels of abuse.

This included on the street and while engaged in work.

Read more here.

Labour MSP Anas Sarwar askswhat discussions the government has had with the media industry regarding the role that it can play in challenging Islamophobia.

Economy Secretary Keith Brown details a range of activities which aim to lower the gap.

He says the Scottish government is reviewing the business pledge at the moment and there have been discussions on using procurement powers to encourage firms to close the pay gap.

Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale states bonuses and dividends are not counted in gender pay gap figures.

Mr Brown agrees to pass on these comments to the first minister but adds the UK government reserves powers to act on bonuses and dividends.

Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor

The New York Times looks across in wonder at the British way of dealing with pay inequality.

"Transparency and Shame" is how it sums up the legal requirement to publish data on each larger company's average and median pay gaps, as well as bonuses, and on the female share of jobs in each quartile.

Perhaps it requires a foreigners' view to see there is something potentially quite profound has happened to corporate and workplace Britain, with the flood of statistics that have marked the first year of an annual extravaganza of corporate candour.

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Perhaps it will become known in future years as Mind the Gap Day. Maybe we are at the birth of a data-driven revolution.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission, among others, see this process as a bright light shone in dark places.

It provides a lot of powerful ammunition when a woman or women go to the boss asking for a pay rise.

Read more here.

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Scottish banks and financial services firms pay men far more than women on average, according to gender pay data.

All UK companies with 250 or more employees were required to publish the information by midnight, including hundreds of firms based in Scotland.

BBC analysis showed financial giants such as Standard Life, Aberdeen Asset Management and Royal Bank of Scotland had some of the worst gender pay gaps.

Their average median hourly rate for women was 37% lower than for men.

That means an average woman at these firms earns 63p for every £1 the average man gets paid.

• Gender pay gap: Four things we've learnt
• What is the gender pay gap?
• What happens to companies that don't publish?
• Read more here

SNP MSP Gillian Martin asks what steps the Scottish government is taking to close the gender pay gap.

"I have accepted the findings of the Commissioner’s report in relation to the two breaches of the code of conduct. The first finding relates to the sending of an inappropriate social media message to a female member of staff employed by another MSP. This message was the reason I resigned as a Scottish Government Minister in November 2017, and I have previously made a public apology for having sent it. I reiterate that apology today.

"The Commissioner has concluded that this message constituted sexual harassment. Analysis by my solicitor suggested that, while I accepted the message was inappropriate, it did not constitute sexual harassment. I therefore advised the Standards, Procedures & Public Appointments Committee that I did not accept the finding. The Committee has chosen to accept the Commissioner’s conclusion.

"The second finding relates to my having asked a member of staff to make a payment on my behalf, with my reimbursing her some 24 days later. I have accepted that this was an inappropriate request to make, and that I should have reimbursed her much earlier than I did. While I have explained that the delay arose from a loss of perspective on my priorities after a serious family health issue, I accept entirely that it was wrong and I have publicly and privately apologised to the woman in question. Again, I reiterate that apology."

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Mr McDonald goes on: "The Commissioner’s report has disproved or disregarded the overwhelming majority of Mr Dornan’s complaint. The manner in which Mr Dornan chose to publicise his complaint, and make lurid allegations against me, has had a significant and lasting impact upon my personal mental health and wellbeing, and has thus affected my family. I am grateful that these allegations have not been upheld, as I have always denied them.

"The Committee has chosen to recommend that I should be suspended from parliament for a period of one month with no salary. This will not affect my staff members, and will not prevent my ability to continue to represent my constituents. The Committee’s recommendation will be subject to a vote of Parliament. I will take no part in the vote of MSPs in relation to this and will accept the outcome of that vote. I have sought since my return to demonstrate that I have reflected on my conduct and I will continue to do this. I will, as always, continue to represent the interests of my constituents diligently as I have done from the moment they did me the honour of electing me."

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Ms Haughey expresses disappointment that details of the decision were shared in the media by James Dornan.

The committee convener says the findings of the commissioner's report have been shared with the media.

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Ms Haughey says, as well as being found guilty of sexual harassment of one member of staff,the committee also found Mr McDonald failed to treat a staff with respect over a financial matter.

Both were considered a breach of rules, she explains.

The committee has agreed both should result in a sanctions, which will need to be approved by the whole parliament, says the convener.

The committee will recommend that the parliament excludes Mr McDonald for one month, which will not overlap with recess, without pay.

Mr McDonald will also be unable to access the Holyrood complex for this month.

Rights to ceremonial privileges will also be withdrawn from the MSP until dissolution.

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Standards committee convener Clare Haughey says the committee has considered a report from the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life about a complaint about Mark McDonald from James Dornan.

The committee was unanimous in its agreement with both findings and the conclusion of the commissioner that Mark McDonald failed to treat one witness with respect and it was harassment.

The Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life has found the MSP guilty of sexual harassment based on that case.

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Holyrood's standards committee is to rule on whether to suspend former government minister Mark McDonald from parliament after a harassment probe.

Mr McDonald quit as early years minister after admitting sending an "inappropriate" message to a woman.

BBC Scotland understands that the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life has found the MSP guilty of sexual harassment based on that case.

However no evidence was found to support another complaint against him.

Read more here.

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We're going to switch to coverage of the Standards Committee now to bring you the ruling on whether to to suspend former government minister Mark McDonald from parliament after a harassment probe.

If you wish to continue watching the Equalities and Human Rights Committee evidence session on bullying, watch here at Scottish Parliament TV, external.

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Holyrood's standards committee will shortly rule on whether to suspend former government minister Mark McDonald from parliament after a harassment probe.

We'll bring you extensive coverage of the ruling and all the reaction to it.

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Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton raises the issue of homophobic bullying.

Mr Cole-Hamilton says some teachers still have some anxiety about what they can say about homosexuality.

The Lib Dem MSP states young people must be supported about thinking about their identity and bullying must be stopped.

Cara Spence of LGBT Youth Scotland says the legacy of Section 28 mean some teachers are resistant to this.

The government repealed Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988, which forbade the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities.

On 21 June 2000 MSPs voted by 99 to 17 with two abstentions to abolish the bar on the promotion of homosexuality in schools.

We may want to look at legislation to tackle this issue says Cara Spence.