Image source, Scottish government

The education secretary says together we are building a teacher and pupil led school system.

He cites the headteachers' charter as an example of this "agenda of improvement".

Mr Swinney tells the chamber updated devolved school management guidelines, external have been published today, developed in partnership with local government.

This guidance supports the development of devolved school management schemes, which set out how local authorities fund schools and the accountability and responsibility for financial decisions.

Education Scotland is focusing on school empowerment to provide better outcomes for communities, he adds.

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Education Secretary John Swinney reminds the chamber of the landmark deal with councils to empower schools.

Mr Swinney says he has sought reassurance that the non-legislative approach was the right one.

He says decisions about children should be made as close to them as possible, which is why the government has empowered schools.

Education Secretary John Swinney will update MSPs on education reforms.

It is exactly a year since he announced the government was shelving the Education Bill.

Mr Cole-Hamilton highlights the case of a constituent who was a patient of William Duff, a dentist jailed for reckless endangerment on 2001.

The constituent has not have an remedial work offered by the NHS to fix the issues, despite the fact she is in constant pain, he says.

Mr Fitzpatrick suggests the member write to him to discuss how to take the matter further.

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Public Health Minister Joe Fitzpatrick says the £850m waiting times improvement plans will help address these issues.

Mr Cole-Hamilton cites a drop in NHS dental staff and asks why.

The public health minister replies substantial progress is being made in the are of prevention through the oral health improvement plan.

Mr Fitzpatrick says more people can now access an NHS dentist than when the SNP came to power.

He does accept some of the waits are unacceptable, particularly when children are in pain.

Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton asks about efforts to reduce long waits for inpatient and day-case dental treatment.

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Over 1,000 dental patients had to wait more than 12 weeks for inpatient or day case treatment, figures from SPICe have revealed.

This equates to 22% of patients waiting for hospital dental treatment.

The figures were obtained by the Scottish Lib Dems.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde was the worst performing health board, with 340 patients waiting more than 12 weeks.

Tory MSP Annie Wells says despite a promise to recruit 800 new mental health workers, only 186 whole time equivalents had been brought on so far.

Will the target be met, she asks.

Ms Haughey says the figures are published on a quarterly basis and officials are working with health board colleagues to ensure more people are recruited where needed.

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Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey says the Scottish government is committed to providing the mental health services young people and children need.

There is a particular focus in the suicide prevention plan, Ms Haughey adds.

Ms Fee says there was a belief among patients that unless the situation was serious enough children were not being seen by CAMHS.

She highlights the case of a teenager who had already tried to take her own life, who then had to wait four weeks to be seen by CAMHS.

The minister accepts long waits for CAMHS are unacceptable, but points to £250m to support positive mental health and prevent ill health in the programme for government.

Labour MSP Mary Fee seeks a response to reports that children and young people who attempt to take their own lives have to wait weeks for specialist mental health support.

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According to the Scotsman..., external

"Young people who have attempted to take their own lives are among thousands waiting for specialist mental health support, it has emerged.

"Headteachers have raised concerns with Scotland on Sunday that Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is inundated and struggling to cope.

"One parent had to wait nearly a month for her daughter to see a specialist despite the 16-year-old being categorised as “high-risk” following a suicide attempt.

"NHS statistics show there are more than 10,000 young patients waiting to be seen, including more than 400 who have waited over a year, despite a £4 million investment by the Scottish Government to recruit 80 mental health specialists to deal with the backlog."

Labour MSP James Kelly says an increase to wages of 1% would increase tax receipts by £750m and he calls for procurement legislation to be altered to ensure people are paid the living wage.

We are working to ensure as many people are paid the living wage as possible within the law, Mr Mackay replies.

Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie says there will always be a risk of forecasting errors but he warns the complex nature of the fiscal framework compounds the problem.

The finance secretary replies an easy solution to this complexity would be Scottish independence.

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Ms Hamilton says the SFC and Fraser of Allander Institute have highlighted downward revisions to Scottish income tax growth.

The Tory MSP asks if this means future tax hikes dragging Scotland further into a "black hole".

Derek Mackay replies the revisions are down to an SFC error.

The finance secretary insists income tax is going up year on year and that the Scottish economy is doing well.

He warns Boris Johnson is planning a tax cut for the richest 10% in the country.

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay says the Scottish Fiscal Commission forecasts £11.5bn to be collected in 2018-19, with an increase to £14.6bn by 2024-25.

Ms Hamilton points to recent concern about tax receipts not being high enough and suggests Scotland's economy is "running on empty".

Mr Mackay insists the economy is performing well.

He goes on to defend the income tax system, insisting it is "more progressive" and more people pay less tax than they would south of the border.

Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton asks about forecasts for income tax growth.

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The Scottish Parliament must take action to boost low pay and productivity to avoid falling behind on income tax revenue, according to a new report.

The Institute for Public Policy Research said extra revenue from slightly higher tax rates will be cancelled out by lower economic growth.

Meanwhile the Scottish Fiscal Commission has warned of a looming £1 billion income tax black hole, due to a predicted shortfall in income tax receipts.

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Reverend Lorna Souter is delivering today's time for reflection.

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Coming up this afternoon...

• Topical questions: Income tax growth; high risk young people on mental health waiting lists; dental treatment waiting times
• Ministerial Statement: An Update on Scotland’s Education Reforms
• Management of Offenders (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
• Members’ Business: Gil Paterson – Health Issues Raised by Aircraft Noise

MSPs now consider a report back from the Sub-Committee on Policing meeting held on 13 June 2019.

Ms Mitchell asks when the code of practice will be available, even in draft form.

Ms Hamilton replies it will be for the biometrics commissioner, in consultation with a list of prescribed bodies, to create the code.

The commissioner will not be under the direction of ministers or parliament, so she cannot say when it will be produced, adds Ms Hamilton.

The bill team leader hopes the code of practice would be a priority for the new commissioner.

The convener ends this part of the committee.

Part of the commissioners remit would be keeping abreast of new technologies and consider them before deployment, Elaine Hamilton explains.

Labour MSP Daniel Johnson expresses concern the definition of biometric data does not capture all it should.

The definition was considered carefully and the intention is to define it broadly to establish the remit of the commissioner, Ms Hamilton replies.

Mr Johnson suggests the commissioner might be adding to an already crowded landscape in terms of oversight of the criminal justice system.

Ms Hamilton says ministers will not create a new public body unless there is an absolute need for it and no other body could take it on.