Good morning, everyone. Before we begin, I remind members that social distancing measures are in place in the chamber and across the Holyrood campus. Please take care to observe those measures...

The next item of business is a statement by Jeane Freeman on an update on Covid vaccine and testing programmes. The cabinet secretary will take questions at the end of her statement, so there...

Before we turn to First Minister’s questions, I ask the First Minister whether she would like to update the Parliament on Covid-19.

1. From midnight on Saturday, all Scotland’s non-essential businesses will be closed for a minimum of three weeks. Most people understand why, but the news is still devastating. Today, we...

2. Back in July, the Scottish Human Rights Commission questioned whether what had happened in our care homes was a violation of the human rights of their residents: of the right to be free from...

3. We are dealing with the extremely dangerous new strain of a deadly virus at the same time as Boris Johnson still seems determined to drive us off the Brexit cliff. The first of those crises is...

4. I thank everyone for their work over the past year. In particular, I thank key workers—nurses, doctors, train and bus drivers, teachers, supermarket workers, cleaners and others. From...

5. To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government is doing to tackle loneliness and isolation over the festive period. (S5F-04690)

6. To ask the First Minister what reassurances the Scottish Government can give to communities in the Borders regarding exemptions to travel restrictions between Scotland and the rest of the...

7. To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government’s new clinical guidelines and definition will support people with long Covid. (S5F-04692)

The winter often brings pressures on our health service, which we are used to and which are well understood, but this year those pressures are compounded by the Covid outbreak. Will the First...

Will the First Minister join me in congratulating all those who have been involved in the hard and successful work to persuade Her Majesty the Queen and the commissioners for the safeguarding of...

I thank the First Minister for making it clear that, for people who live in the eastern Borders, travel to Berwick—to Morrisons for groceries, for example—can be essential. Given that...

Last week, we had an excellent briefing from NHS Lothian. Delivery of all three waves of the vaccination programme will take a long time and full roll-out will take six to eight months. Although...

The First Minister might be aware of warnings from Professor Lindsay Paterson that plans for blended learning might only exacerbate the attainment gap that we are all trying to close. He is not...

Yesterday, care homes were advised that, under new level 4 restrictions, only essential outdoor visits—in Scotland in December—can take place and that only one visitor is allowed for...

What is the Scottish Government doing to support people with dementia and their carers during the pandemic?

My constituents in Balloch were, frankly, gutted to discover yesterday that the Scottish Government’s enterprise agency has extended the exclusivity agreement given to Flamingo Land Ltd for...

What measures are in place to ensure that our nursery-age children can continue to enjoy learning and having fun outdoors in the winter months in the light of the current pandemic? I would like...

Presiding Officer, I have some good news for you. Yesterday, a new mental health support service was officially launched at the Vale of Leven hospital in my West Scotland region as a result of my...

Any member who wants to ask a supplementary question should press their request-to-speak button or, if they are participating remotely, indicate that in the chat box.

1. To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on closing the attainment gap between pupils from the most and least deprived backgrounds. (S5O-04873)

3. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support schools in safely facilitating instrumental music tuition during the Covid-19 pandemic. (S5O-04875)

6. To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported decreasing trend in specialist support staff in schools. (S5O-04878)

7. To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that school pupils in areas of social deprivation will not be unfairly affected by the cancellation of exams. (S5O-04879)

8. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Covid-19 testing measures in primary and secondary schools. (S5O-04880)

1. Presiding Officer, I think that we are all in shock that you are giving us more time, but the season of good will seems to have reached the Parliament.

2. To ask the Scottish Government when cancer services will be fully restored. (S5O-04882)

3. To ask the Scottish Government what additional support the NHS will require over the first quarter of 2021. (S5O-04883)

4. I would not dare do anything else, Presiding Officer. To ask the Scottish Government what issues will be covered in its upcoming review of the patient travelling expenses scheme. (S5O-04884)

5. To ask the Scottish Government how important it considers grass-roots level sport is to the health and wellbeing of communities. (S5O-04885)

6. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce coronary heart disease mortality rates across all national health service boards. (S5O-04886)

7. To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with the roll-out of the Covid-19 vaccine across the country. (S5O-04887)

8. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that care home residents who are unable to go outside can still meet friends and family. (S5O-04888)

1. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in the Banffshire and Buchan Coast constituency to help take families out of poverty. (S5O-04889)

2. To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to preserving community organisations and activities during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond. (S5O-04890)

3. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve housing outcomes for women experiencing domestic abuse. (S5O-04891)

4. To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on giving financial recognition to people working in local government during the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, as agreed at the...

5. To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to the calls for young people living on Scotland’s islands to be given first refusal for available housing in order to...

6. To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of South Ayrshire Council and what was discussed. (S5O-04894)

7. To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with third sector organisations in Dundee working in the field of drug addiction. (S5O-04895)

8. To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities regarding their duty to consult before important changes to services are made. (S5O-04896)

I remind members—those who are leaving and those who are coming into the chamber—that social distancing measures are in place and that they should take care. The next item of business...

Our next item of business is stage 3 proceedings on the Scottish General Election (Coronavirus) Bill. In dealing with the amendments—of which there are only four—members should have...

The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-23768, in the name of Graeme Dey, on the Scottish General Election (Coronavirus) Bill.

The next item of business is consideration of motion S5M-23771, in the name of Roseanna Cunningham, on environmental standards Scotland. I invite Roseanna Cunningham to move the motion. Motion...

The next item of business is consideration of business motion S5M-23787, in the name of Graeme Dey, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme. I invite Graeme Dey to...

The next item of business is consideration of four Parliamentary Bureau motions. I ask Graeme Dey, on behalf of the bureau, to move and speak to motions S5M-23791, S5M-23792, S5M-23793 and...

The Presiding Officer: The next item of business is decision time. The first question is, that motion S5M-23768, in the name of Graeme Dey, on the Scottish General Election (Coronavirus) Bill,...