Summary

  • Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra accuses the Scottish government of giving "no real clarity" on public service reform, including reducing the number of local authorities and merging health boards. "This is a gathering mess," he says

  • John Swinney insists he is committed to finding agreement saying that if he had come to parliament with a definitive plan then Marra would accuse him of not engaging in dialogue

  • For the second week in a row the FM is quizzed on Scotland's drug problem. Reform UK Scotland leader Malcolm Offord accuses the government of not taking the issue seriously

  • The first minister defends his approach and adds that he has actioned a review of official strategy in light of the availability of lethal synthetic drugs

Live Reporting

Edited by Paul McLaren, with reporting by Megan Bonar and Claire Thomson

  1. What's been happening in Scottish politics this week?

    John Swinney in the BBC Scotland radio studio

    John Swinney took part in a special programme on BBC Radio Scotland

    As ever, anything could crop up in FMQs, but here's what our politics team has been reporting on this week:

    • Thousands of Glasgow City Council workers still do not know what their wages will be under a controversial new pay structure being implemented by the local authority. The council announced last week it intended to fire and re-hire all its non-teaching staff after talks with unions over new pay grades fell apart, only to pause the plan the following day.
    • A report has found a flagship SNP policy - championed by Nicola Sturgeon - is running out of time to improve the care system. The Scottish government signed up to The Promise in 2020 to make the lives of care-experienced children and young people better by 2030. An update on its progress revealed too much of the pledge made to Scotland's children, families and care-experienced adults remained on paper, not in people's lives.
    • John Swinney called the rates of violence against women and girls in Scotland a "national emergency" as Police Scotland rolled out its new "That Guy" campaign to tackle misogyny. He later joined the families of victims on a special edition of BBC Radio Scotland's Mornings programme - a culmination of two months of focus on the issue he has promised to address.

  2. Welcome

    Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of Thursday's session of First Minister's Questions.

    John Swinney will face questions from opposition party leaders.

    We have lined up full coverage, reaction and expert analysis throughout.

    And you can follow events in the Holyrood chamber by clicking on the Watch live icon at the top of this page from just before 14:00