Summary

  • The Public Petitions Committee takes evidence on how public sector menus cater for vegans

  • Opposition leaders and backbench MSPs grill the first minister

  • An SNP MSP leads a member's debate marking World AIDs Day

  • MSPs debate the safe staffing bill for the first time

  1. Power station closure and care in Edinburgh raisedpublished at 12:24 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    gordon lindhurstImage source, bbc

    Tory MSP Gordon Lindhurst raises the issue of a fire station in Edinburgh that was forced to close due to a lack of firefighters.

    The first minister says the government fully supports the fire service.

    kezia dugdaleImage source, bbc

    Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale says the findings of a Care Inspectorate report into Edinburgh's provision was "stark".

    The Labour MSP calls for a taskforce to address the "crisis".

    Ms Sturgeon says the findings of the report will be heeded.

  2. Background: Michelin's Dundee factory 'will definitely close'published at 12:20 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    MichelinImage source, Getty Images

    Michelin has confirmed its Dundee factory will definitely close despite efforts to keep it open.

    The tyre manufacturer announced earlier this month that it will close the site with the loss of all 845 jobs by 2020.

    Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said the firm had agreed to "look again at the numbers" - but had again concluded the site was not viable.

    He said the aim was now to re-purpose the site in order to create new jobs for its workers.

    Read more.

  3. SNP MSP seeks update on the Michelin Action Grouppublished at 12:20 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    shona robisonImage source, bbc

    SNP MSP Shona Robison seeks for an update on the Michelin Action Group, which is dealing with the closure of the firm's Dundee factory.

    Ms Sturgeon says the third meeting was very productive and says the shared aim is to secure the long term future of the site.

  4. Postpublished at 12:19 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

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  5. Increase in the number of staff supporting those children with ASNs says Sturgeonpublished at 12:19 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    nicola sturgeonImage source, bbc

    Mr Leonard argues children need qualified teachers, they need them now and they can't wait.

    The Scottish Labour leader says teachers and parents are telling him about the impact of Ms Sturgeon's cuts.

    The first minister says there is an increase in the number of staff supporting those children with ASNs.

    Ms Sturgeon adds that education authorities have increased funding on additional support.

  6. Background: Mother confronts minister over autistic daughter's schoolingpublished at 12:16 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    Marie Gillam now home-schools her daughter JessicaImage source, Marie Gillam
    Image caption,

    Marie Gillam now home-schools her daughter Jessica

    The mother of an autistic girl confronted Scotland's education secretary in August about how her daughter was treated in school.

    Marie Gillam said her daughter Jessica had been left dirty after she was not given assistance using the toilet.

    During a BBC Radio Scotland phone-in, she told John Swinney that children with additional support needs were "really being failed".

    Mr Swinney said the circumstances as described were "totally unacceptable".

    The city council in Edinburgh, where Jessica was at school, said it took the concerns raised "very seriously" and was investigating them.

    Read more here.

  7. Concerns raised about specialist teachers supporting ASN pupilspublished at 12:16 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    richard leonardImage source, bbc

    Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard asks Ms Sturgeon whether the number of specialist support teachers has gone up or down since she became first minister.

    Ms Sturgeon replies she does not have that information to hand, but insists there are more teachers in education.

    Mr Leonard answers his own question, saying the number of teachers supporting pupils with ASN is 122 fewer under Ms Sturgeon.

    He raises the case of Calum, who has low functioning autism and whose mother says went into "meltdown on a daily basis", due to a lack of support at his school.

    Why have specialist teachers been cut, Mr Leonard asks?

    Ms Sturgeon pledges that the education secretary will look into Calum's case.

    She says the total number of staff supporting pupils with ASN has increased.

  8. Postpublished at 12:10 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

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  9. Sturgeon says Scottish households will continue to get a very fair deal on taxpublished at 12:09 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    nicola sturgeonImage source, bbc

    Mr Carlaw says the first minister has not impressed business leaders in her own constituency with her response.

    The Scottish Conservative deputy leader predicts that the SNP will "flutter their eylids" at the Greens to get their budget over the line and he calls for no more taxes on Scottish households.

    The first minister insists Scottish households will continue to get a very fair deal on tax.

    Ms Sturgeon says if the SNP had followed Conservative advice last year there would have been £550m less to spend on public services.

  10. Postpublished at 12:07 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

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  11. Background: Scots firms call for 'more modern' business rates systempublished at 12:06 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    High streetImage source, Getty Images

    Plans by the Scottish government to introduce more frequent business rate revaluations will fail unless a "more modern" tax system is delivered, a business lobby group warned in September.

    The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) said modernisation should include a new "digital rates interface".

    It argued the move would help firms pay bills, apply for reliefs, lodge appeals and submit data.

    FSB was responding to a consultation on proposed business rates legislation.

    Read more here.

  12. Business leaders describe business rates as crippling says Carlawpublished at 12:05 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    nicola sturgeonImage source, bbc

    Mr Carlaw says business leaders in the first minister's constituency say business rates are crippling.

    He asks how small businesses are expected to survive across Scotland.

    Ms Sturgeon argues that this is part of the independent revaluation process.

    The rates relief the Scottish government provides to businesses is the most generous in the UK, reiterates the first minister.

  13. Background: Chancellor plans High Street rates reliefpublished at 12:04 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    Chancellor

    Chancellor Philip Hammond announced a £1.5bn boost to small High Street UK retailers in the Budget.

    The financial package includes £900m in business rates relief for nearly 500,000 small businesses and a pot of £650m to rejuvenate high streets and their transport links.

    Planning rules will also be eased to allow home-building on empty sites.

    Business groups welcomed the plans but Labour said the rates relief did not go far enough.

    Read more here.

  14. And we're off........published at 12:04 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    jackson carlawImage source, bbc

    Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw gets us under way, saying that the Chancellor slashed business rates in his October budget.

    Mr Carlaw calls for the same to be passed on to small firms in Scotland.

    Ms Sturgeon says the finance secretary will set out the Scottish budget next week, and insists Scotland has the most generous business rates relief in the UK.

  15. First minister's questions is next....................published at 11:55 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    Party leadersImage source, PA/BBC
  16. Background: Scottish campaign launched to tackle puppy farmspublished at 11:54 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    Puppies in a cageImage source, Getty Images

    The Scottish government has launched a campaign highlighting the pitfalls of buying illegally bred puppies.

    Buy a Puppy Safely will focus on raising awareness of the tactics used by illegal breeders to deceive buyers.

    One in four of puppies bought online die before their fifth birthday, and one in three get sick or die in the first year.

    The puppy trade in Scotland is estimated at £13m per year - a large proportion of these are illegally bred.

    Read more here.

  17. Illegal puppy tradepublished at 11:52 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    SNP MSP Emma Harper
    Image caption,

    SNP MSP Emma Harper

    SNP MSP Emma Harper seeks an update on its work to tackle the illegal puppy trade.

    Rural Affairs Minister Mairi Gougeon points to a public information campaign, which should reduce demand.

    Ms Harper wonders about the impact of Brexit on the illegal puppy trade.

    Ms Gougeon says there is much uncertainty about Brexit generally, including about our ports.

    The Scottish government will continue to be vigilant, she adds.

  18. Scottish government to introduce legislation for sprinklers in new social housingpublished at 11:48 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    Housing Minister Kevin StewartImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    Housing Minister Kevin Stewart

    Labour MSP David Stewart whether it will provide an update on its position on legislating to ensure that all new-build social housing has working sprinkler systems installed.

    Housing Minister Kevin Stewart reminds the chamber that in June the government committed to take forward Mr Stewart's member's bill calling for this.

  19. New technologies will improve monitoring of scallop dredging says cabinet secretarypublished at 11:45 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing
    Image caption,

    Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing

    Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing says ships, aircraft and officers around the coast ensure high levels of compliance to regulations.

    New and innovative technologies will improve this further, he adds.

    Ms Beamish highlights a number of alleged incidents, stating they are are "serious cause for concern".

    We must establish robust monitoring on the entire fleet, she says.

    Mr Ewing points to investment to work in partnership with the fishing industry to cover all vessels with tracking.

    He is unable to comment in any cases currently under investigation.

  20. Background: Film shows effect of 'illegal scallop dredging' near Obanpublished at 11:41 Greenwich Mean Time 6 December 2018

    Media caption,

    Divers film 'illegal scallop dredging' near Oban

    Divers say they have filmed evidence of suspected illegal scallop dredging in a protected area near Oban.

    It shows a "suspicious" boat at night in the Firth of Lorn Special Area of Conservation.

    Although the footage does not show dredge gear in use, divers say they subsequently visited the sea bed and discovered damage in keeping with dredging.

    The evidence has been presented to concerned groups in the town and is being investigated by Marine Scotland.