Summary

  • The social security committee takes evidence on in-work poverty

  • First minister's questions kicks off at noon

  • A Tory MSP leads a debate on the regulation of electricians

  • The education secretary provides an update on P1 assessments

  • There is a statement on home detention curfews

  • The Brexit secretary updates parliament

  1. 'I do not shy away from NHS challenges' insists FMpublished at 12:38 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    nicola sturgeonImage source, bbc

    Mr Rennie says the law states people will be seen within 12 weeks.

    It is a law the SNP government has broken more than 100,000 times, he argues.

    What are the penalties for breaking this law, the Scottish Lib Dem leader asks?

    Ms Sturgeon accepts the 12 week treatment guarantee has not been adhered to more than 100,000 times but says 1.6 million people have been seen on time.

    I do not shy away from the challenges faced by the health services, she says, but we have put in place investment and reform plans to meet targets.

  2. Rennie asks about worsening waiting timespublished at 12:36 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    willie rennieImage source, bbc

    Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie turns discussion back to the NHS, citing waiting times figures.

    Why do we have to expect them to get worse before they can get better, he asks?

    The first minister says the vast majority of patients are seen within the waiting times target.

    The ageing profile of the population is putting pressure on waiting times, she adds, which is why the health secretary outlined an improvement plan earlier this week.

    It is right for us to be fully frank and honest with parliament as we work through this plan, Ms Sturgeon states.

  3. Background: Teachers' pay disputepublished at 12:36 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    classroomImage source, PA

    Teachers' organisations have rejected a 3% pay increase, describing it as "derisory".

    It follows a meeting of the committee which brings together representatives from the unions, Cosla and the Scottish government to negotiate teachers' pay.

    Unions have been campaigning for a 10% rise.

    Talks on pay are set to continue with another meeting of the Scottish Negotiating Meeting for Teachers (SNCT) scheduled for next month.

    Read more here

  4. 'We've recognised the need to give pay increases to those at the lower end of the scale'published at 12:34 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    nicola sturgeonImage source, bbc

    Mr Harvie says the consequence of getting this wrong will prevent the educational improvements we want to see.

    The councils which fund schools need to resources to do the job properly, he adds.

    When will this government give councils the funding and powers they "need and deserve", Mr Harvie asks?

    The first minister points out how the most recent Scottish budget was agreed with the Greens, which included a settlement for councils.

    "We've recognised the need to give pay increases to those at the lower end of the scale," she says on public sector pay.

    We have to have deals that are affordable, Ms Sturgeon adds.

  5. Harvie calls for teacher pay risepublished at 12:33 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    patrick harvieImage source, bbc

    Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie highlights the planned march in Glasgow of teachers calling for a fair pay settlement.

    He says the loss of teachers and the reliance on temporary staff is have a direct impact on education.

    Will the first minister promise teachers that the government will give them the fair pay rise that's due, he asks?

    Ms Sturgeon says the Scottish government is committed to fair pay rises across the public sector.

    Noting the most recent offer was rejected by teaching unions, she confirms discussions are continuing.

    She argues an offer on the table is "generous and fair", saying it will lead to between 5 and 11% increase.

    We want to have pay and other arrangement in place that attract people to teacher, she adds.

  6. Background: Stornoway to Aberdeen flights withdrawnpublished at 12:31 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    aberdeen airportImage source, bbc

    We reported earlier this month how Eastern Airways is withdrawing its services between Aberdeen and Stornoway in the Isle of Lewis.

    The airline said it had taken the decision to end the flights from 29 October because of rising costs.

    It said increasing ground handling charges at Stornoway Airport and higher fuel costs were factors.

    The airline said it also had a shortage of aircraft because two of it planes had been damaged while on the ground in recent months.

  7. Stornoway to Aberdeen air service cancellationpublished at 12:29 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    Alasdair AllanImage source, bbc

    SNP MSP Alasdair Allan highlights the recent cancellation of a Stornoway to Aberdeen air service.

    The first minister confirms she will ask the transport secretary to engage with the airline.

  8. Labour MSP highlights gun shop opening near schoolpublished at 12:27 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    Labour MSP Daniel Johnson raises the recent opening of a gun shop nearby a primary school in his constituency.

    Ms Sturgeon says she is not "instinctively comfortable" with this but is not aware of the specifics of the case.

    She agrees to come back to the member if there is more action the Scottish government can take, and recommends he contact the police for further information.

  9. Postpublished at 12:27 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

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  10. Care planspublished at 12:25 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    holyrood chamberImage source, bbc

    Tory MSP Peter Chapman asks how many patients NHS Grampian discharge without care plans in place.

    Ms Sturgeon says overall delayed discharges is coming down and services a working together to ensure there are care plans.

  11. What does the Daily Record story say?published at 12:25 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    The newspaper reports that a British citizen paralysed from the neck down faces life in Scotland without his wife of 32 years after a Home Office ruling.

    David Connolly’s wife Carin has been told she must return to her native Zimbabwe.

    She is David’s full-time carer as well as his partner and he cannot imagine how he would cope without her.

    But he now faces having to chose between staying in Scotland without Carin – or moving to Zimbabwe with her, where they have no home or access to medical care.

    Read the full story here, external

  12. Migration applicationpublished at 12:25 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    gillian martin

    SNP MSP Gillian Martin raises a Daily Record story about her constituent Cairn Connolly being denied an application to become a UK citizen.

    The first minister criticises the UK government's approach to migration and says the vast majority of people in Scotland would welcome the Connolly's to the country.

  13. Labour's plans would have seen NHS £360m worse off says Sturgeonpublished at 12:21 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    nicola sturgeonImage source, bbc

    Mr Leonard insists the Scottish government's budget choices have forced health boards to make significant cuts.

    "These cuts have increased year on year since Nicola Sturgeon became first minister," he says.

    How much have health boards have to cut since she became first minister, he asks?

    Ms Sturgeon says the health service's budget has increased above inflation in real terms.

    The report does not take account of the recently-introduced medium-term financial plan, she adds.

    And she claims that Labour's spending plans from the last Scottish election would have left the NHS £360m worse off today.

    Mr Leonard says health boards have had to make £1.1bn cuts since 2014.

    There has been a 7.7% increase in health spending in the last decade, replies the first minister.

  14. Postpublished at 12:19 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

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  16. What does the Audit Scotland report say about the NHS?published at 12:15 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    hospital wardImage source, pa

    The NHS in Scotland is not financially sustainable and its performance has continued to decline, the public spending watchdog has warned.

    Audit Scotland said health boards were "struggling to break even" and none had met all of the key national targets - with NHS Lothian not meeting any.

    It highlighted increasing demand on NHS services, and rising waiting lists.

    Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said the government was already taking forward Audit Scotland's recommendations.

    But the watchdog's report prompted widespread criticism of the Scottish government, with the Conservatives claiming it should "make shameful reading for the SNP".

    Read more here

  17. NHS not financially stable says Leonardpublished at 12:15 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    richard leonardImage source, bbc

    Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard raises today's Audit Scotland report into the NHS.

    It says the NHS is not in a financially stable position, while performance against national targets has declined.

    The Scottish Labour leader asks if the report is wrong.

    The first minister says the Audit Scotland report is "rightly blunt" but it does not tell us anything we are not already working to address.

    She insists the challenges faced by the Scottish NHS are the same as those faced by the NHS elsewhere in the UK.

    We have plans in place for investment and reform of the health service, Ms Sturgeon adds.

    She says that the report makes clear that it is current models of delivery which are the issue.

  18. Call for report into initial 'discredited' review to be publishedpublished at 12:11 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    Jackson CarlawImage source, bbc

    Mr Carlaw says the serious mis-step in the procedure process was the Scottish government's response to the "widely discredited" review.

    He urges the first minister to publish Prof Britton's report into that review, which has been received by ministers recently.

    The first minister confirms it is the Scottish government's intention to publish the report.

    The Scottish Tory deputy leader then asks for the women impacted to be able to access to Blue Badge scheme.

    I've got a lot of sympathy with this idea, Ms Sturgeon says, and confirms the social security secretary will look into it.

  19. Background: Mesh implantspublished at 12:10 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    mesh implantImage source, bbc

    Scotland's health boards have been ordered to "immediately" halt the use of vaginal mesh implants in surgery.

    The controversial implants werelisted as an underlying cause of deathof a woman in August, sparking calls for an inquiry and an outright ban.

    Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said NHS boards had been told to stop using mesh in cases of pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence.

    This will continue until a new "restricted use protocol" is drawn up.

    Mesh implants are used by surgeons to treat conditions which some women suffer after childbirth, with the synthetic substance used to repair damaged or weakened tissue. More than 100,000 women across the UK have been given them over the past 20 years.

    Read more here

  20. 'Unreserved apology' to mesh procedure womenpublished at 12:08 British Summer Time 25 October 2018

    nicola sturgeonImage source, bbc

    Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw - who is filling in for the pregnant Ruth Davidson - starts by joking that it is the first time in 13 years that a man has represented his party at FMQs.

    He then asks about women fitted with a mesh device, saying they have been let down.

    First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says she has "deep and profound sympathy" for what these women have gone through.

    That is why the Scottish government has acted in setting up a review and implemented an effective ban on new procedures, she says.

    She adds that the mesh implants will now only be used rarely, where the patient has given fully informed consent the FM says.

    Mr Carlaw praises the various people involved in the mesh campaign, before highlighting that the Australian government recently issued an apology to all women fitted with the device.

    He urges the first minister to follow suit.

    Ms Sturgeon says she has already done so, but will do so again by stating: "I apologise unreservedly to any woman who has suffered because of mesh procedures."