Mr Leonard says the first minister said the independent sector would be used in a structured way but how can we do this without the input of clinicians?

He says the involvement of this sector in Scottish hospitals is a "direct result of failures in planning".

He asks how much of the £34m given to NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to tackling waiting times will be "hived off the private sector providers".

Ms Sturgeon says total spend on the use of the private sector is 0.6% of the total budget.

Less than half a percent of procedures are undertaken in the private sector, she says.

"I'm proud of that," she adds.

Image source, bbc

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard says that yesterday the public health minister told MSPs the Scottish government was absolutely committed to a publicly-owned and run NHS In Scotland.

Does the first minister agree with her minister?, Mr Leonard asks.

The uncomfortable truth is that private firms are being brought in to carry out operations, says Mr Leonard, arguing that there is anger among NHS clinicians and staff about this

We act upon the concerns of any clinician, replies the first minister.

Ms Sturgeon insists that there is just a 0.6% of spend on private firms within the health budget in Scotland, but in England it is 7.3%.

She thinks it was higher than now during the last Labour administration in Scotland.

The Scottish Tory interim leader says this is increasingly about trust, adding: "This SNP government is leaking trust by the minute."

He says last night, the parent of a child receiving treatment at the hospital said she had no trust in the health board, in information coming from the hospital or that the health secretary was listening.

The first minister insists the health secretary is determined that concerned parents get the answers they deserve and have asked for.

She points to the appointment of Professor Craig White in light of the lack of trust in the health board.

Mr Carlaw says the specific question was "did you also know about the death of this three-year-old and the investigation?"

The Scottish Conservative interim leader asks what action the health secretary took on learning last year of the tragic death of that young boy.

He also questions whether Jeane Freeman should have demanded a report by the end of the week on learning of the death.

The health secretary took proper investigation and discussion with the health board, Ms Sturgeon says and she points to a range of remedial actions taken at the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

“Actions have been taken to ensure that these issues have been addressed.”

She points to the independent review and public inquiry, pledging full transparency and interrogation of the issues.

Mr Carlaw says many will find it extraordinary that the first minister is endeavouring to back up the current version of events.

On BBC Good Morning Scotland yesterday, the health secretary seemed to suggest she did not know about the child's death, he says.

Ms Sturgeon says we have all been in circumstances in interviews where we have answered a different question to one we thought we were being asked by accident.

The important matter here is that the cabinet secretary has acted to make sure the right actions are being taken in terms of ensuring the hospital is safe and the issues are investigated, she adds.

The first minister says: "We are determined that all answers to these questions are addressed."

There is a strong case for escalation and the Scottish government's health and care board will meet tomorrow to consider that matter, she states.

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland's health secretary has apologised to the parents of two patients who died in the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow.

Jeane Freeman expressed her "deepest sympathies" to the families of Milly Main, 10, and a three-year-old boy.

The two children died three weeks apart in August 2017 at the hospital, which is part of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus.

• The five-step process to keep NHS boards in line
• Timeline: The trials of Scotland's super hospital
• Look back at Jeane Freeman's statement with Holyrood Live
• Read more here

Image source, bbc

Scottish Conservative interim leader Jackson Carlaw says this last weekend we learned about the tragic death of a three-year-old boy at the QEUH campus in Glasgow, following the death of 10-year-old Milly Main.

Mr Carlaw says the health secretary was asked on BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme on Monday if she knew about the boy's death. She replied no but yesterday in parliament she said she did, he says.

The first minister expresses her deepest condolences to the families of the children.

Nicola Sturgeon reiterated the apology to the families that they did not get the answers from the health board they were seeking.

She says on the radio Jeane Freeman was referring to the internal investigation but she had previously been in touch with the family.

Image source, bbc/PA/Getty Images/Scottish Parliament

Click here for a full list of the questions., external

Tory MSP Annie Wells asks about the best and worst aspects of the action plan.

So little of the plan is actually focused on race, replies Kaliani Lyle, calling for this to be clearer.

There is an urgency here that is not being looked at the the way that it should, she adds.

Jatin Haria says the Gypsy/Traveller section of the plan is the best and suggests we should look at this and compare it to the other sections.

A 17-year-old pupil in Edinburgh says she was called the "N" word and told to hang herself by fellow students.

Britney was verbally and physically attacked - but after reporting the incident to teachers, she claims she was the one who was threatened with suspension.

Her school says she was not punished and the incident was dealt with by police.

Now the teenager is calling on the local council to do more to tackle the problem and provide more help for victims.

Read more.

Jatin Haria says we've known what the issues are for 30 years, so if anything community engagement should not focus on this but rather how to tackle them.

Kaliani Lyle adds that there might be some work to do on finding voices that are not often heard.

Kaliani Lyle calls improvements in the governance of the race equality action plan.

"It's the first three years, now is the time to take stock."

Ms Lyle calls for strong impactable actions which make a difference to people on the ground.

Image source, Getty Images

The sister of Sheku Bayoh has said she believes that Police Scotland is institutionally racist.

Kadi Johnson was speaking after it was announced that a public inquiry will be held into her brother's death.

Mr Bayoh, 31, died after being restrained by police officers in Kirkcaldy, Fife, in May 2015.

Police Scotland said it would "engage fully" with the inquiry and was committed to providing a service based on "integrity, fairness and respect".

Read more.

Jatin Haria says the framework and commitments within it seem to have been forgotten about.

At the moment CRER is actively engaging with the government's racial equality unit and supporting the refresh of the action plan, he says.

But there is no guarantee this will come within the next weeks or years and there is a concern that we are not changing people's experiences soon enough, Mr Haria adds.

Image source, Getty Images

Racial harassment is a "common experience" for staff and students at Scottish universities, according to a new report.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission says some institutions are "oblivious" to how big the problem is.

The commission warns that harassment can take many forms and can have a serious effect on its victims.

Scottish universities have described the findings as "stark and challenging".

Read more.

Parveen Khan agrees with her fellow witnesses saying there is a definite need for more accountability and transparency.

There is definitely a role for more robust data to be available, Ms Khan adds.

John Wilkes agrees data is critical because it provides the evidence on which to base solutions.

Jatin Haria says we should not just learn from what works, but what does not work.

Several measures have not worked in tackling race equality but we do not understand why they have not worked, he adds.

Kaliani Lyle agrees equality impact assessments are not done well.

There can often be an appearance that things are happening but it is not having a difference on the ground, on people's lives, and we should look at this gap she says.