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Michelle's family - who had complained that the original sentence was too short - have now been told that the killer has been approved for temporary release.

They set up a petition calling for a halt to Wilson's relocation to Ayr on his release, gathering almost 4,500 signatures, and have now discussed their concerns with Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf.

They want an explicit requirement for the welfare of victims and their families to be taken into account when parole and early release are considered, as well as the creation of "exclusion zones" where offenders cannot go during early release.

They also want improvements to the victim notification scheme so families are given reasons for an offender's release, and can make representations in person.

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The Scottish Conservative leader cites the example of another family, the Carsons, who have been "traumatised" by the early release of a prisoner.

The first minister accepts the case raised by Ruth Davidson is unacceptable.

Ms Sturgeon explains the government is looking at what more needs to be done to ensure familes of victims are informed of early release of a prisoner.

Ms Davidson says the Stewarts and Carsons want victims to be put at the heart of the justice system and she calls for the adoption of "Michelle's Law" in full.

She says the families are here in the parliament today.

The first minister says the government is happy to liaise with the familes on this issue.

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Ms Davidson says the Stewart family, who lost their daughter Michelle, said the government had offered "lots of warm words but nothing concrete".

Ms Sturgeon says Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has met with the Stewart family to hear their understandable concerns.

"We are actively considering the Stewart family's concerns", says the first minister.

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The family of a murdered teenager have met Scotland's justice secretary to discuss their campaign to strengthen the rights of victims of crime.

Michelle Stewart, 17,was stabbed to deathnear her home in Ayrshire by her ex-boyfriend John Wilson in 2008.

Wilson wasgiven a sentence of at least 12 years, but could be approved temporary release after only nine.

Ms Stewart's family have launched a campaign calling for more input from families of victims in these decisions.

Following their meeting, Mr Yousaf said much of what was being sought by the Stewart family could easily be introduced and he would seek to see how that was possible.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has previously offered the family her sympathies and promised to look into the matter.

Read more.

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The first minister says the government is consulting on victims' rights and how to listen to their views.

Ms Sturgeon accepts there needs to be more transparency about how the parole board makes its decisions and around early release.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson says the first minister said on Tuesday that she would improve the support for victims when prisoners are released.

Ms Davidson calls for the detail on this.

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Islands MInister Paul Wheelhouse explains a full tender process was undertaken and led to Lloyds Banking Group being awarded the contract.

Audit Scotland have not raised any concerns about the tender process he says, meaning there are no plans to investigate the financing.

Ms Grant describes this as disappointing.

She says a "summer of chaos" if ongoing because there are not enough ferries and calls for investment.

Mr Wheelhouse points to investment in the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service by the Scottish government and asserts new ferries are being commissioned.

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On 21 August BBC Naidheachdan reported that an expert on ferry services raised a question about the appropriateness of the agreement under which CalMac is taking the MV Loch Seaforth boat from Lloyds Bank.

Before the end of the agreement in 2022, the boat, and the port developments it needed, would have to spend £67m into the public purse.

The boat will continue with the bank then.

Roy Pedersen, a group of experts from Scottish Government ferries, said that this was a bad bargain, and that two smaller boats had been more adequate.

Read more here.

Labour MSP Rhoda Grant asks whether the government plans to investigate the financing of the Calmac vessel, MV Loch Seaforth, which is now owned by Lloyds Banking Group after a lease deal was agreed at a reported cost to the public purse of £53 million.

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A schools campus in East Ayrshire is set to be named after the celebrated Scottish novelist William McIlvanney, who died last month aged 79.

The £45m facility, to be built at Sutherland Drive in Kilmarnock, will house primary and secondary schools, a Gaelic school and a childcare centre.

East Ayrshire Council said it would ask permission from the McIlvanney family to name the campus in his honour.

The renowned writer was born and educated in Kilmarnock.

Read more here.

SNP MSP Willie Coffey asks the Scottish government whether it will provide an update on the completion status and final outturn costs of the William McIlvanney school campus in Kilmarnock.

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Health Secretary Jeane Freeman says NHS Grampian received a reousrce uplift of 2.1% in 2018-19, the highest of any territorial board.

NRAC sets out target shares and was introduced in 2009-10, she states.

The Scottish government has been moving boards to parity and all boards have now been brought within 0.8% of parity.

Mr Rumbles argues NHS Grampian is performing among the worst for cancer, CAMHS and other health pathways.

Ms Freeman says it is not possible to create a connection between recruitment challenges and the funding formula.

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In May the Press and Journal reported that critics had claimed the Scottish government’s health service funding system is “failing” the north-east.

It said fresh figures appeared to show a correlation between poor performance in the region’s hospitals and low funding from Holyrood.

The statistics formed part of a dossier produced by the Scottish Conservatives, which they said showed NHS Grampian is falling behind in meeting the government’s performance targets.

The board only met 37.5% of the national targets to be met by every health board for the first half of 2017-18.

Read more here., external

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Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles asks the Scottish government, in light of information provided by SPICe that NHS Grampian has received the lowest share of public funding of any NHS board for each of the last nine years, how the new health secretary plans to reimburse NHS Grampian for a funding shortfall totalling £165.6 million over that period.

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Tory MSP Jamie Greene says service users are talking about "crush hour" rather than "rush hour".

He highlights ScotRail's PPMs are at a three year low and asks when tangible improvements will be seen.

Mr Matheson directs the member to his previous answer about improvements taking place.

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Infrastructure Secretary Michael Matheson says electrification of the route will be completed later this year.

£370m of government funding is being provided to deliver a new fleet of trains, he explains.

New capacity will be delivered in December 2018 and again in May 2019, assuming the timetable of works is stuck to, he adds.

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In February we reported that assengers on Scotland's trains had been promised improvements but for many they can't come quick enough.

"Most weeks I'm standing probably 50% of the time," says Charles Kelly, who commutes from Dunblane to Edinburgh Park.

He says the trains are usually packed at rush-hour because there are not enough carriages.

Sometimes there are four carriages but on other occasions just two, he says.

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"There have been occasions where people have fainted because it is so busy, so hot," Charles told the BBC Scotland documentary Mind the Gap: Are Scotland's Trains Fit for the 21st Century.

"One of them was taken in an ambulance from Linlithgow."

Read more here.