The economy committee takes evidence on the Scottish National Investment Bank Bill
Triple portfolio questions on the constitution, culture and education
MSPs debate ending the stigma of menopause
An SNP MSP highlights International Museum Day
Half the world's population are going to go through the menopause.
The symptoms vary from individual to individual, and can last a few months or several years.
During BBC menopause week BBC Breakfast, external has been looking at different issues affecting women going through it.
We asked a group of women what they wish they'd known about menopause before it started.
Ms Lennon highlights women with Down's syndrome tend to reach menopause ten years earlier than non-disabled women, which means symptoms are often missed.
She says she has been campaigning for improved menopause care and for more dedicated clinics.
Only five health boards have a menopause clinics in Scotland, she highlights.
She goes on the highlight 63% of women said menopause had been treated as a joke in the workplace.
Women often feel overlooked and disregarded because of this, she explains.
Image source, bbcLabour MSP Monica Lennon
Labour MSP Monica Lennon says the menopause is a normal part of life but has been a taboo subject for too long.
It will mean a lot to women that the minister is putting the menopause front and centre with this debate, adds Ms Lennon.
"It's time we all became more clued up about the menopause," she tells the chamber.
The Labour MSP says the menopause is not an illness but its effects can be damaging to health.
The Tory MSP highlights 47% of women who took the day off because of the menopause felt they could not disclose the real reason to their employer.
The menopause can be really stressful and we must embed an understanding of it in the workplace culture, she argues.
Ms Wells says many women struggle with concentration so it is easy to see how issues can arise.
She says she has asked public and private sector employers what policies they have in place and will share the responses with the parliament.
Ms Wells says menopause can come with severe implications for women's mental and physical health.
The stigma is related to women not wanting to think about this stage of life but the result is that talking about it is not normalised, she suggests.
38% of men have said they feel helpless in being able to support their partners, proving this is not just a women's issue the Tory MSP insists.
She praises the BBC Breakfast's 'Wake Up To Menopause' campaign for shining a light on the issue.
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Image source, bbcTory MSP Annie Wells
Tory MSP Annie Wells welcomes the opportunity to discuss the menopause today and to help tackle this "incredibly taboo subject" and end the stigma around it.
Ms Wells says many women going through the menopause feel like no-one is listening to them.
She tells the chamber, that to be completely honest, she has been a little anxious about her having symptoms of the menopause starting and what's to come.
The Tory MSP explains she has been able to learn more about the menopause due to this debate which has helped.
The menopause can be a contributing factor to pay and career progression due to the impact on mental and physical health, Ms McKelvie states.
She says the government is working with women's organisations on how best to respond to this.
Ms McKelvie commends the work of the STUC Women's Committee who carried out a survey on the menopause in the workplace in 2018, with 3,000 respondents.
The Menopause & the Workplace survey found, external:
Image source, STUCThe government is updating its current menopause policy at the moment she says and is encouraging all employers to update or introduce their menopause policies
She also says the government is funding a feasibility study for a Centre for Flexible Work in Scotland, a UK first.
The minister highlights the Festival of Ageing taking place on Thursday which will widen the conversation on menopause.
Women are reclaiming the airwaves, we've grabbed the foghorns and we're all prepared to shout about it, she tells the chamber.
The is an economic imperative of addressing the menopause because we have an ageing population and more women are in the workforce, insists the minister.
Ms McKelvie says is it absolutely essential that workers are in employment for as long as they want to be and workplaces are made more flexible.
Philippa Roxby
Health reporter, BBC News
Image source, Getty ImagesThe menopause is when women's periods stop and they can no longer become pregnant naturally.
The menopause is a natural part of ageing which normally happens between the ages of 45 and 55, but can also be brought on by surgery to remove the ovaries or the womb (hysterectomy).
In the UK, the average age of menopause is 51.
BBC health reporter Philippa Roxby answers the most common questions about menopause.
Ms McKelvie says she is determined to make a real difference to help those going through the menopause.
The minister adds: "It's about sharing some of that lived experience."
She welcomes the documentary by Kirsty Wark and the insightful articles by Mandy Rhodes in Holyrood magazine.
Older People's Minister Christina McKelvie
Older People's Minister Christina McKelvie says she is pleased and proud to have this debate, the first in the UK to be held on menopause.
The negative impact of women is often life-changing but many feel too ashamed to seek help, she says.
The minister says there are 34 known symptoms of menopause, including hot flushes, hair loss and fatigue.
Most women will be juggling these symptoms with work and family responsibilities, she highlights.
Image source, SP
Image source, Getty ImagesThe Scottish government is leading a debate on ending the stigma around menopause.
The gender pay gap action plan, external includes support for women during menopause as part of efforts to improve workplace practices.
Education Secretary John Swinney says no teacher should feel their jobs negative impact their health and wellbeing, and the survey results are "worrying".
He points to efforts to improve support available to teachers, recruitment and retention efforts, and an improve pay offer for staff.
Ms Dugdale asks how Mr Swinney will ensure teachers will stay on and what will he do if they leave.
The cabinet secretary says part of the work the reduce teacher workload is to remove unnecessary and unproductive tasks.
He insists he is working with schools to improve teacher empowerment.
Image source, ThinkstockAlmost half of Scotland's teachers have seen a doctor in the last year due to the strain of their job on mental and physical health.
The NASUWT survey also revealed one in ten teachers had been prescribed anti-depressants, 12% had undergone counselling and 3% were admitted to hospital.
Nearly two thirds of teachers felt their job had negatively impacted their mental health in the last year.
Over three quarters agreed workplace stress had increased in the last 12 months.
Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale seeks a response to the NASUWT survey on teachers’ mental health.
Skills Minister Jamie Hepburn says more apprenticeships are being delivered than ever before and many of these are in construction.
He points to the target of having 29,000 new apprentice starts in 2020, including 1,300 graduate apprenticeships in construction.
Image source, Getty ImagesMore construction workers are needed to address Scotland's housing shortage, industry experts have said.
An independent group commissioned by the Scottish government has made 40 recommendations, external to boost the sector and close the skills gap.
Shortages of bricklayers, joiners, painters and decorators need to be addressed with better training facilities, they concluded.
The group said the shortfalls were most acute in the Highlands and islands.