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Brexit Secretary Mike Russell replies that the first minister spoke to Theresa May on Tuesday afternoon, where she reiterated her call for a second referendum.

Mr Russell goes on to say he sees no sign that the prime minister is listening.

"I think this is a tragedy in the way this has gone."

He accuses the Tory administration at Westminster of "government by attrition".

SNP MSP Linda Fabiani asks the Scottish government when it last held discussions with the Prime Minister.

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Brexit will be the focus of portfolio questions, as will the ministerial statement that follows, with Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead pondering the impact on further and higher education.

Then MSPs will boldly go where no man (or woman!) has gone before, we’re off to final frontier as they debate how to make Scotland Europe’s leading space nation.

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Parliamentary Business Minister Graeme Dey says it is entirely fitting that the Scottish Parliament sets aside time to mark the Longhope lifeboat disaster and celebrate the bravery of the RNLI crews.

Mr Dey says it is hugely laudable and staggering that since its inception, 195 years ago, the RNLI has saved over 142,000 lives.

It is a sobering thought that 778 RNLI crew have lost their lives in that time, he adds.

The minister says a commemoration of the tragedy will take place on Sunday 17 March at the Longhope Lifeboat Museum, external.

He says the commemoration will be run by Kevin Kirkpatrick, current coxswain of the Longhope lifeboat, who lost his father, uncle and grandfather in the tragedy.

Mr Kirkpatrick's wife Karen lost her grandfather, father and uncle also.

Image source, RNLI

Sir William Hillary, who witnessed a number of shipwrecks off the Manx coast, began the RNLI in 1824.

Sir William, who was born in Yorkshire but later moved to the island, had initially appealed to the Admiralty to set up a service to help vessels in distress.

However, his request went unheard, leading to him founding the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck in 1824.

The organisation became the Royal National Lifeboat Institution thirty years later.

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur begins by listing the names of the eight men who perished in the Longhope lifeboat disaster.

This was a crew that saved many lives over the decades and had received RNLI honours for this, he tells the chamber.

Brims is a small township Mr McAthur says, highlighting that at the time the population was only 30 people.

The tragedy saw a quarter die, he explains.

"I'm pleased that parliament has a chance to honour them today."

The lifeboat TGB capsized on 17 March 1969, after setting out from Hoy in Orkney, to help a cargo ship adrift in a fierce storm.

The next day, it was found floating upside down in the Pentland Firth. No-one survived.

On the night of the tragedy, the Liberian-registered boat called 'Irene' had sent out a mayday reporting it was in trouble.

The TGB went to its aid in conditions of near-zero visibility.

Radio contact was later lost. The lifeboat is believed to have been overturned by a freak wave, possibly 100ft (30.5m) high.

When the boat was recovered, the bodies of all but one of the crew were inside the hull. The coxwain was still at the helm.

Image source, Alastair Skene

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur is leading a debate marking the 50th anniversary of the Longhope lifeboat disaster, in which eight people died.

Here is the motion...

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Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh cites some progress in shorter questions and answers but without more progress " I will have to cut off members".

Raucous laughter results in the chamber and Mr Macintosh concedes that was "quite an unfortunate pun".

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Ms Sturgeon says the national alcohol and drugs strategy - published last November - set out a range of measures to reduce harm.

This is backed by an additional £20m a year for drug and alcohol services, she adds.

Mr Finnie says: "The current approach clearly isn't working".

He urges the Scottish government to set up a statutory inquiry into Scotland's drug death crisis to "end this ongoing tragedy".

The first minister says she is not immediately persuaded this is the best way forward.

She highlights the number of drug deaths among young people is falling and many of the recent increases is due to ageing users.

Chris Clements
Social Affairs Correspondent, The Nine

More people in Scotland are dying from drugs than ever before and the deaths are hitting every part of the country.

An investigation by BBC Scotland's The Nine studied the record rise in one rural area - Dumfries and Galloway.

Could the increase in drug-related deaths in south-west Scotland be down to a burgeoning black market trade in pills bought through social media?

Read more here.

Green MSP John Finnie asks about action in response to the reported increase in the number of drug deaths.

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Ms Sturgeon says last week the health secretary and the chief medical officer met with mesh survivors and Mr Findlay.

The first minister cites the working group looking at helping mesh survivors and improving their treatment.

The mesh survivors made an emotional plea to bring the top US surgeon to Scotland to carry out mesh removal and train surgeons, Mr Findlay says.

He accuses the Scottish government of issuing an ambiguous press statement on Friday and asks if Dr Dionysios Veronikis will be brought to Scoltand.

The first minister insists the health secretary has done everything she can on this issue and adds Jeane Freeman has asked a group of medical directors and clinical managers to look at this.

Campaigners have called for a specialist surgeon from the US to be allowed to help people with problems caused by vaginal mesh implants.

Hundreds of women say the procedure has ruined their lives.

Dr Dionysios Veronikis has offered to come to Scotland and operate on women who have suffered severe pain since the implants.

The Scottish government said it was open to discussions with health boards on the funding of additional training.

Read more here.

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Labour MSP Neil Findlay queries action taken following the recent meeting between the health secretary and mesh survivors.

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Ms Sturgeon says the powers remain reserved the Westminster but she points to efforts to help older people maximise their incomes.

She highlights delays being faced by women in getting their pensions and issues around Pensions Credit for mixed-age couples.

Ms Ballantyne says many young people only have a basic understanding of how pensions work and asks about educating school pupils within the curriculum.

The first minister agrees this is a reasonable proposition and she will further consider how to improve education.

But she suggests that the experience of WASPI women is not setting a good example for young people.

Kevin Peachey
Personal finance reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Savers focused on cashing-in some of their pension pot are "sleepwalking" into poor financial decisions, experts have warned.

The City regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has confirmed plans to make choices clearer to those approaching retirement.

Savers can cash in their pension from the age of 55.

The FCA wants savers to be sent "wake up" information packs from 50 and to be given clearer details on investing.

Read more here.

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Tory MSP Michelle Ballantyne asks about steps to ensure people are financially ready for their retirement.