Summary

  • Nicola Sturgeon is quizzed by party leaders and backbench MSPs

  • Carlaw raises yesterday's education vote and the FM confirms steps to respond will be set out shortly

  • Leonard and Sturgeon discuss confidence in and changes to the justice system following deaths

  • Johnstone and FM agree on the negative impact of Brexit

  • Erasmus, salmon stocks and police compensation payments are raised

  1. Background: MSPs vote to reject UK Brexit legislationpublished at 12:38 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    HolyroodImage source, PA

    MSPs have voted to say Holyrood "does not consent" to UK Brexit legislation.

    The Withdrawal Agreement Bill - which will take the UK out of the EU - is currently passing through Westminster.

    The UK government wanted MSPs to give their formal consent to the bill, but all parties bar the Conservatives ultimately spoke out against it.

    Scottish Brexit secretary Mike Russell said voters north of the border had repeatedly said "very clearly" that "they do not want to leave the EU".

    Read more

  2. Consensus over Brexit between FM and Greenspublished at 12:34 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    Alison Johnstone

    Scottish Green parliamentary co-leader Alison Johnstone says we are a fortnight away from losing our rights as EU citizens.

    She says the people of Scotland deserve "so much better" and asks what the Scottish government will do to "stand against this assault on our rights".

    Yes, I agree Scotland deserves so much better than a Conservative government ripping us out of the EU against our will, replies the first minister.

    The Scottish government will do all it can to mitigate the impacts of Brexit, she adds.

    But Scotland deserves the right to decide its own future, she insists.

    Ms Johnstone says Brexit is being used to roll back workers rights and environmental standards.

    The first minister says the government will take steps to ensure environmental rights are not diminished.

    But the best way for Scotland to protect itself is to have the right to choose a better future, she argues.

  3. More constituency questionspublished at 12:30 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    Tory MSP Alexander Stewart points to the number of care complaints upheld by the Care Inspectorate. The vast majority of elderly people in our care homes get excellent care, replies the first minister. She agrees anyone who does not receive that is being let down and she says the role of the Care Inspectorate is to highlight such cases.

    Labour MSP David Stewart expresses concern about a shortfall in the welfare fund in Moray. The first minister says the Scottish government will do what it can to mitigate austerity but it cannot resolve the source of the problem.

    Tory MSP Tom Mason says waiting times for chronic pain treatment in NHS Grampian are too long. Ms Sturgeon says the health secretary is due to meet the cross party group on such issues, before pointing to efforts to reduce waiting times across the NHS.

  4. Questions from backbench MSPspublished at 12:28 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson says trans women being placed in women's prisons can have an impact on vulnerable female prisoners. Ms Sturgeon says it is important to protect women's rights, but we must also respect and protect trans rights. There is not an inevitable conflict between the two, she adds.

    Tory MSP Oliver Mundell raises Penman Engineering going into administration. The first minister says the government will do all it can to support affected employees.

    Labour MSP Anas Sarwar calls for a specific inquiry into the death of Milly Main - who died after contracting an infection while recovering from leukaemia treatment at Glasgow's children's hospital. Ms Sturgeon says what Milly's family has gone through is completely unacceptable, before pointing out decisions on fatal accident inquiries are for the lord advocate.

    Anas Sarwar
  5. Background: Law change targets electronic tag breachespublished at 12:21 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    James Wright (left) murdered Craig McClelland in an attack in PaisleyImage source, Facebook/Police Scotland

    Police could be given new powers to enforce curfews for offenders who are electronically monitored.

    Ministers also plan tougher sanctions for prisoners who breach the terms of their release under the tagging scheme.

    It follows the case of Craig McClelland who was murdered by an offender who had cut off his electronic tag.

    The change, if passed, would give police new powers of search and entry to apprehend offenders who breach a home detention curfew (HDC).

    Read more

  6. Lessons learned from 'dreadful and tragic' death insists FMpublished at 12:20 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    FMQs

    Mr Leonard pivots to the case of Craig McLelland, who was murdered after his attacker removed his tag and breached home curfew.

    The family's request for a fatal accident inquiry was denied before Christmas, he says, and asks why.

    The first minister says this case is "dreadful and tragic," but a number of lessons have been learned from it.

    The reasons to not undertake an inquiry has been set out and it is a decision for the Lord Advocate, she says.

    The Scottish Labour leader says the McLelland family has no confidence lessons have been learned.

    It is your duty to ensure families have confidence in the justice system, he argues.

    Ms Sturgeon says the justice secretary has set out the changes to be made as a result of this and other cases.

  7. Background: CCTV of prisoner dragged from shower made publicpublished at 12:15 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    Allan MarshallImage source, Marshall Family

    Inmate Allan Marshall was restrained by guards at HMP Edinburgh and suffered a cardiac arrest during a lengthy struggle with prison staff. He later died in hospital.

    A sheriff ruled that his death in March 2015 was "entirely preventable", saying there were "instances when better training of Scottish Prison Service staff could have made the difference".

    When CCTV of the incident emerged and the media wanted to use it the prison service took the matter to court.

    The action was later dropped and the video has since been published by media organisations, including the BBC.

    Read more

  8. Leonard raises death in custodypublished at 12:13 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    Richard Leonard

    Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard says the death of Allan Marshall in custody was "entirely preventable".

    The Marshall family now plans to launch legal action he highlights, adding justice still has to be delivered.

    Ms Sturgeon says she understands the pain and hurt felt by the Marshall family.

    She says it is not appropriate to go into further detail about legal action.

  9. FM points to progress in pupils leaving school with qualificationspublished at 12:10 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    Nicola Sturgeon

    The Scottish Tory interim leader points to the worst Higher results in a number of years and issues with multi-level teaching.

    He says the scope of the forthcoming inquiry must accept such problems.

    Ms Sturgeon says it is important to allow a review to do its work.

    She points to increases in the number of pupils leaving school with qualifications since the SNP took office.

    Mr Carlaw responds, saying issues in education must be dealt with seriously and he says the government is refusing to engage with them.

    There is a suspicion the review could be a whitewash as a result, he argues.

    The first minister says both the 2015 review and the investigation in Higher performance will be undertaken by the OECD.

  10. Background: Pisa: Mixed report for Scottish education in world rankingspublished at 12:06 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    Mixed reportImage source, Getty Images

    Scotland has been given a mixed report in an important piece of international research on education.

    The Pisa report , externalmeasures the performance of 600,000 15-year-olds worldwide.

    Since the last report, Scotland's performance in reading has improved but it declined in maths and science.

    Education Secretary John Swinney welcomed the improvement in reading but said there were still challenges in science and maths.

    Read more

  11. Carlaw begins on secondary educationpublished at 12:05 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    Jackson Carlaw

    A slightly croaky Scottish Tory interim leader Jackson Carlaw says last week the first minister was "in denial" about the state of Scottish education.

    He seeks a response to yesterday's vote backing a review of secondary education.

    First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the education secretary will set out in due course his plans to abide by the decision of parliament.

    However, she highlights an OECD report in 2015 covered broad general education.

    Mr Carlaw says a majority of MSPs have demanded an inquiry and he welcomes the government's acceptance of this.

    He questions claims that Scotland's schools are producing a strong set of results.

    Ms Sturgeon accepts improvements do need to happen and points to steps being taken.

    She goes on to highlight evidence on performance showing improvements.

  12. First minister's questions begins shortlypublished at 11:54 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    Party leadersImage source, BBC/PA Media
  13. Government considering mesh injury support ahead of budgetpublished at 11:51 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    Jeane Freeman

    Health Secretary Jeane Freeman says the government wants to ensure all available care and treatment options are open.

    We will consider the range of services and support available, and I am exploring what more support could be offered as part of the next budget, she adds.

  14. Background: No mesh implants carried out in Scotland since halt calledpublished at 11:49 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    The mesh implants are used to ease incontinence and to support organsImage source, bbc
    Image caption,

    The mesh implants are used to ease incontinence and to support organs

    No vaginal mesh implants were carried out in Scotland after the chief medical officer announced a halt in October 2018, according to figures published last Autumn.

    The government had asked health boards in June 2014 to consider suspending the use of mesh products but they had continued to be offered to women.

    It followed controversy about the procedure which was often used to treat incontinence in women after childbirth.

    The number of alternative procedures has slowly risen since 2014.

    Hundreds of women say mesh implants, which are used to repair damaged or weakened tissue, have ruined their lives.

  15. Will there be a mesh-injured women's fund?published at 11:47 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    Labour MSP Neil Findlay asks whether the government will establish a mesh-injured women’s fund.

  16. General questions is next...published at 11:39 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    General questions collageImage source, PA/Getty Images
  17. Coming up...published at 10:57 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    Party leadersImage source, PA Media/BBC

    First minister's questions will begin at noon after general questions.

    Then Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald will lead a member's debate on sustainable development goals.

    After lunch, justice ministers will be quizzed at question time.

    Then MSPs debate the Disclosure Bill for the first time.

  18. Has the public inquiry started yet?published at 10:53 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    Has the public inquiry actually started yet, asks Alex Neil.

    The auditor general says we only know that the health secretary has had a meeting with Lord Brodie, who's leading it, to discuss timescales, but we know no more than that.

    The convener ends the public part of the committee.

  19. Is the contract itself to blame asks SNP MSPpublished at 10:50 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    SNP MSP Alex Neil

    SNP MSP Alex Neil suggests it should be clear who is responsible for what in contracts.

    Is there not a clear lesson here the contract itself was to blame, he asks.

    Ms Gardner agrees contracts should be as clear and enforceable as possible.

    These are big and complex projects, she says, adding the public inquiry will have to answer whether there were failings in the contract specifically.

    Chris Brown suggests a key issue is a change to the funding model from capital funding to NPD, as this is partly why the health board provided information that it would not normally have done.

  20. Action plans now in placepublished at 10:47 Greenwich Mean Time 16 January 2020

    NHS Lothian action plans are now in place, says the auditor general, and she is satisfied that they are detailed and thorough.

    The SNP's Willie Coffey asks again about air change rates within the ventilation system.

    The standards could be clearer, says Ms Gardner.