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Labour MSP Pauline McNeill says more than 20 homeless people have died since mid-November in Glasgow due to a street drug.

The first minister says Glasgow Alcohol and Drug Partnership has met to discuss this issue and what can be done to reduce harm. She adds the government continues to work with partnerships across the country and the police.

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SNP MSP Fulton Macgregor raises reports of blue water at a high school in Coatbridge and calls for a full investigation into the problem by the local authority.

Ms Sturgeon confirms a range of measures are being taken, parents and pupils are being kept informed by letter, and government officials will continue to liaise with the council.

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SNP MSP Alisdair Allan asks what the government can do to assist the workforce of TalkTalk in Stornoway who have learned they are to lose their jobs in the summer.

The first minster expresses her concern at the news and she says Highlands and Islands Enterprise are working on the issue.

The first priority is to avoid all redundancies she says.

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Tory MSP Alexander Burnett raises the issue of the 13-year detention of Kyle Gibbon, who has autism, at the Carstairs state hospital.

The first minister pledges to ask her mental health minister to look into this.

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Mr Leonard says 1,178 households found themselves homeless in Scotland in the last year as a result in a lack of support from public services.

That's a rise of 41% he says.

"You have a moral duty to deliver the funding" needed by these families, the Scottish Labour leader insists.

Ms Sturgeon says Derek Mackay will set out further details on council funding later on.

The increase in homelessness is down to welfare cuts and changes, she argues.

Perhaps is welfare was devolved we could do something about that, the first minister says.

She urges Mr Leonard to bring forward proposals on the budget "because he hasn't done so so far".

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The Scottish Greens have said they hope to be able to back the Scottish government's budget, but are "not quite there yet".

The minority SNP government will need the support of MSPs from at least one other party if it is to pass its spending plans for the coming year.

Talks with the Greens are understood to be at an advanced stage, but an agreement has not yet been reached.

MSPs are due to hold their first vote on the budget proposals at 17:00.

If the budget bill passes the stage one vote, amendments will be considered by the finance committee before a final vote of MSPs on 21 February.

• Richer or poorer? Ask the calculator
• Scottish budget proposals at a glance
• How does tax in Scotland compare to the rest of the UK?
• Watch the budget debate on Holyrood Live from 14:30

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Mr Leonard says the £50m is over five years, whereas six times that is being cut from council budgets.

The Scottish Labour leader tells the first minister that people and children in need are falling through the cracks.

The first minister replies that the rise in homelessness last year, after an eight year decline, is down to changes in welfare that she has no control over.

Notwithstanding that, the Scottish government is tackling homelessness by implementing the recommendations of the taskforce it set up, she says.

The first minister says the Greens are the only party to have put forward constructive proposal on the budget.

The Scottish Greens have said they hope to be able to back the Scottish government's budget, but are "not quite there yet".

According to Scottish government figures, local authorities received 18,486 applications for homelessness assistance during the six months between 1 April 2018 and 30 September 2018.

This is 2% higher than the same period during 2017.

View the most recent statistics here., external

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Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard says new figures confirm that homelessness is rising for the first time in a decade.

Shelter have reported a housing emergency, says Mr Leonard.

He asks if the first minister believes a £319m cut to local government is properly resourcing councils to deal with the problem.

Ms Sturgeon says Derek Mackay will set out his budget this afternoon and she points out Labour have not offered any credible proposals, apart from Alex Rowley who did not have the approval of the party.

She adds she agrees with Shelter, but says the long term trend shows a reduction in homelessness applications.

The first minister points to a £50m ending homelessness together fund and insists the government takes this issue very seriously.

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Glasgow's troubled health board is dealing with a third outbreak of infection in a matter of weeks. Four deaths, two hospitals, two entirely separate investigations.

Staphylococcus Aureus is a common bacteria found on the skin.

It is transferred through human contact and can also be airborne through the shedding of skin cells. For most people it stays outside the bloodstream, but it can cause a range of infections if it gets under the skin.

Most of the time you can be treated with antibiotics, but it can be serious. For vulnerable very premature babies whose immune systems have not developed and who need a high level of medical support it can be very dangerous if it gets into the bloodstream.

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Mr Carlaw raises the issue of how hospitals respond when faced with tragic incidents such as these.

The Scottish Conservative interim leader questions whether the guidelines and protocols are robust enough.

The first minister replies that guidance should always be reviewed and it should always be informed by expert opinion.

Infection and prevention control teams will investigate all outbreaks in any healthcare setting, she explains.

Ms Sturgeon insists a robust procedure is in place, but reiterates the importance of reviews.

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Mr Carlaw asks when the first minister and the health secretary were first made aware of these cases by the health board.

The health secretary became aware of these cases on Monday, replies Ms Sturgeon.

She adds that she is satisfied the health board carried out the correct notification procedure.

The Conservative deputy leader asks why about half of Scotland's hospitals have not been inspected by Health Care Environment Inspectorate.

The first minister says inspections are based on intelligence and are risk based and since starting inspection 259 reports have been published.

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Two premature babies have died after contracting a blood stream infection at a Glasgow hospital.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde confirmed it was initially investigating three cases in the neonatal unit at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital.

But it said two of the "extremely premature" babies have since died and the infection was "one of a number of contributing causes" in both deaths.

The third premature baby required treatment and is in a stable condition.

Read more.

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Scottish Conservative deputy leader Jackson Carlaw begins by raising the issue of an infection that contributed to the deaths of two premature babies at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital in Glasgow.

Ms Sturgeon joins Mr Carlaw in giving her heartfelt condolences to the families of the babies who died, and sends her best wishes to a third baby who remains in intensive care.

The first minister says NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is taking all necessary steps to maintain patient safety, including regular screening of newborn children and enhanced cleaning being put in place.

She says the board has asked Health Protection Scotland to carry out an investigation and says the staphylococcus aureus bacterium is regrettably not uncommon.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said ahead of the change in December, ScotRail consulted with local authorities and regional transport partnerships.

For May 2019, ScotRail has published its proposals and is encouraging the public to reply he adds.

Mr Ruskell says there was "zero consultation" for Dunblane to Edinburgh commuters, resulting in the only train that would get people into the capital for the start of the work day being removed.

Mr Matheson insists there was extensive consultation ahead of the changes in December.

He adds that while there were some people negatively affected by changes, the vast majority were benefited.

Image source, Getty Images

Rail passengers were asked to check their journey details as a new timetable came into effect in December.

ScotRail said the changes would allow shorter journey times, more seats and more services on updated routes.

The company said the timetable would see more than 100 new services across Scotland.

It came amid criticism after recent training for drivers and conductors led to delays and cancellations on some services.

Read more.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell asks how commuters' views inform ScotRail timetabling changes.