The Brexit secretary appears before the Europe committee to discuss the article 50 withdrawal negotiations
The final FMQs before the festive break
Image source, PA/BBCWishing you the merriest of seasons greetings from the Holyrood Live team and a happy new year.
Quote MessageWe'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne."
Robert Burns
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Image source, bbcThe first minister praises those working in the emergency service, transport and hospitality sectors over Christmas.
Mr Mountain highlights voluntary groups also working over the festive period.
Ms Sturgeon agrees volunteers make a huge contribution and it is important to recognise what they do.
She ends FMQs by wishing everyone a very merry Christmas.
Tory MSP Edward Mountain highlights the people from across the country who will be working over the festive period to keep Scotland going.
Last year, the NHS 24 hotline in Scotland experienced its busiest festive period since it began 15 years ago.
Figures showed the service received more than 45,000 calls in the four days over Christmas.
The total is almost double the number of calls in the same period in 2016, with thousands more calls being taken over the new year period.
Bosses said the service was facing "exceptional" demand due largely to cold and flu queries.
Image source, bbcThe first minister says all boards submit winter plans every year.
Mr Stewart says last Christmas saw unprecedented burdens on the NHS and the festive season can be a time of anxiety for some families.
The first minister insists NHS 24 provides a good service over the festive period and where there is a requirement for a call back that is done.
The government is ensuring there are higher numbers of staff working with NHS 24 over this festive period than last year, she says.
She says people are always advised to take extra care at this time of year and look out for elderly neighbours, directing people to the Ready Scotland website, external.
Labour MSP David Stewart queries the capacity of NHS 24 to deal with demand over the Christmas period.
Trade unionists rallied outside Holyrood ahead of the budget
Finance Secretary Derek Mackay unveiled his Scottish budget, external last week, pledging extra funding for education, the health service, local government and infrastructure.
Analysis from SPICe, external of the budget highlights local government is indeed seeing an increase in real terms, but that includes capital and ring-fenced grants.
Strip it down to the core funding for local government, already down in real terms by 8% since the start of the decade, and you can see a further cut of £319m, or 3.4%.
Image source, SPICeSPICe
Ms Sturgeon says local government funding is fair, with a 2% increase in total revenue against the backdrop of cuts to the Scottish government's budget by Westminster over the past decade.
Mr Simpson says the first minister has avoided answering the questions.
He cites Scottish Parliament research suggesting councils face a real terms cut of £319.1m.
The research said: Once Revenue funding within other portfolios (but still from the Scottish Government to local authorities) is included, the total is £11,071.2 million, a cash increase of 3.8% (£405.1 million), or 2% (£210.5 million) in real terms.
This £210 million real terms figure was used by the Cabinet Secretary as the headline Local Government figure in his Budget speech.
However, when looking specifically at the non-ringfenced Revenue funding available for councils to deliver services (GRG+NDRI) this falls by 1.7% (-£157.2 million) in cash terms, or 3.4% (-£319.1 million) in real terms between 2018-19 and 2019-20.
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Tory MSP Graham Simpson asks how much councils’ core budgets will change under the draft Budget.
Image source, bbcMs McAlpine says yesterday the EU released papers on a possible no deal.
Should Article 50 be revoked, she asks?
The first minister replies: "The government should at this stage request an extension of Article 50."
This would allow another referendum and Article 50 could be revoked if people voted to Remain, she says.
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Image source, bbcThe first minister says the “entirely predictable” reaction by the EU27 indicates the prime minister must stop wasting time.
The deal will be rejected in the Commons and will not renegotiated by the EU, she tells the chamber.
A no deal must simply not be allowed to happen, she adds.
May and Juncker share quiet word at EU summit
Theresa May's bid to make her Brexit deal more acceptable to MPs has suffered a blow after EU leaders said it was "not open for renegotiation".
She wanted legal assurances on the Irish backstop and had warned the deal itself was "at risk" over the issue.
But European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker said there could be clarifications but no renegotiation.
Labour says MPs must vote on the deal next week and it was "unacceptable" for it to be pushed back to January.
SNP MSP Joan McAlpine seeks a response to the outcome of the recent European Council summit.
Image source, bbcLabour MSP James Kelly raises the Ferret investigative website highlighting several meetings between Scottish government ministers and airline company executives.
There is no secrecy about that at all, replies Ms Sturgeon, adding that ministers meet with representatives from all interests - including trade unions.
Liam Kerrr then says in the most deprived areas of Aberdeenshire four out of five S3 pupils are not reaching the levels of literacy required.
Ms Sturgeon insists figures last week showed improvements in literacy, numeracy and in closing the attainment gap.
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