As another day of covering the election campaign around Scotland draws to a close, here are the key lines that emerged from the trail on 23 April.

• All of the leaders from Scotland's six larger parties appeared on BBC Breakfast this morning
• Reform UK Scotland's Thomas Kerr called for net zero to be scrapped on a trip to Glasgow
• Russell Findlay, the Scottish Tory leader, was in Inverurie visiting an energy company
• SNP leader John Swinney was in Tranent promoting plans for a Youth Culture pass
• Portobello Beach welcomed Scottish Lib Dem activists and party leader Alex Cole-Hamilton as he highlighted his proposal for a clean water act to deal with sewage dumping
• Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar visited a rose garden in Kirkcaldy and said his party would create 9,000 new apprenticeships
• The Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay was in Aberdeen focusing on equalities across the board
• The leaders of five of Scotland's six larger parties are in Aberdeen ahead of Question Time, they are joined by the SNP's Housing Secretary Mairi McAllan

That's all from us today. Catherine Lyst was editor and Craig Hutchison was the writer. Join us tomorrow for the next chapter in the Scottish Parliament election campaign.

Just time for a reminder that you can watch tonight's Question Timein Aberdeen live from 19:00.

The programme will be streamed live online on Youtube, TikTok and iPlayer from 19:00. It will also be live on the BBC News Channel.

On the panel are:Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay, the SNP's Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Reform UK's Scottish leader Malcolm Offord, Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay and Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton.

The recorded version of Question Time will be on iPlayer from 21:00 and BBC One in the usual slot at 22:40.

Gillian Mackay is asked about John Swinney's willingness to work with Sinn Féin and Plaid Cymru after the election to achieve Scottish independence.

The Scottish Greens co-leader replies: "We need Scottish independence."

She says we've been shackled to Westminster too long and we've had "Boris, Brexit and now the potential of a Nigel Farage government down south".

Mackay adds that she would fully support other nations seeking independence too.

The Scottish Greens are in Aberdeen this afternoon focusing on equalities.

Co-leader Gillian Mackay explains that her party is standing up for equalities, whether that be LGBT equality, which has seen a lot of politicians come out, or bringing forward a stand-alone misogyny bill.

She wants to "ultimately make Scotland a fairer place" and also called for a "water-tight ban" on conversion therapies.

When will Scotland ban phones in schools?published at 16:34 BST 23 April

16:34 BST 23 April

You have been getting in touch with questions on the issues that are important to you ahead of the Scottish Parliament election. Our team of experts are providing the answers.

When is Scotland going to ban mobile phones in schools now that England has woken up to the problem? Roger Gann, Glasgow

Lucy Adams, BBC Scotland education correspondent says:

Currently, there is no national policy banning phones in schools in Scotland but headteachers can forbid them if they choose to.

This position follows the SNP government’s review of mobiles in schools which concluded in 2024 that "used responsibly", phones and tablets can enhance learning.

At the time, Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth said she would support any school wanting to outlaw phones but would not "dictate" what headteachers do.

It means the position in schools across the country is patchy at best.

However, Gilruth says she has since spoken to parents and teachers and now feels a ban would now be the best way forward.

Image source, Getty Images

The Scottish Greens' manifesto does not mention phones in school but all the other major parties – including the SNP, Scottish Conservatives, Lib Dems, Labour and Reform - have said they would legislate to ensure classrooms are phone free.

It means a ban on phones in classrooms in Scotland looks likely after the May election. It won’t be instant though as the parties say new legislation will be required.

It is important to remember that those schools that have already banned phones say the reality can be more complicated.

There is a cost to the pouches used in some Edinburgh schools, for example, to store phones during the day.

And teachers have pointed out that it can be hard to police an outright ban because of the time taken to remove phones, with some pupils refusing to hand them over and some parents insisting their children need phones at certain times of day.

David Wallace Lockhart
Political correspondent

Reform UK have called for net zero to be scrapped so that Scotland can “unleash the potential of the North Sea”.

Councillor Thomas Kerr insisted this would bring down bills and said that sufficient green jobs did not yet exist.

He accepted that there was a need to tackle climate change but said the move towards renewables had to happen at a more “acceptable” pace.

Cost of living a priority issue in Aberdeenshirepublished at 16:11 BST 23 April

16:11 BST 23 April

Glenn Campbell
BBC Scotland Political Editor

The rising cost of living is routinely identified as a priority issue for voters across Scotland and that certainly seems to be the case in Aberdeenshire.

Bills have continued to go up during the Holyrood election campaign - driven by the Iran war and its effect on fuel prices.

At the filling station in Dunecht, customers told me how they are adjusting behaviour - reducing road miles for example - to offset the impact.

The station shop manager Gosia Kubiak explained that they cannot cut prices because they are paying higher rates to their supplier.

Near Fettercairn, Alyson Tulloch was shocked when she realised her heating oil bill was doubling to £700 for three months' supply and that her household would not qualify for government help.

Farmers like Ian Campbell at Kirkton have already been hit by diesel price rises but he is most worried about the future cost of fertiliser which is a major import.

Perhaps these challenges are felt most keenly in north east Scotland because it remains an oil-producing region.

In the election campaign, Holyrood politicians are promising some help to ease cost pressures but the economy is a shared responsibility with Westminster which has far greater financial clout.

Anas Sarwar says the SNP and Reform are resorting to personal attacks against him because he's their biggest threat.

The Scottish Labour leader adds that after the election he'll be making "no alliances, no coalitions, no deals".

He says John Swinney's discussions with Plaid and Sinn Fein demonstrate that the first minister is "interested in the bits of the job that are about protest rather than delivery."

Russell Findlay says John Swinney's willingness to work with Sinn Féin after the election is a "wake up call" to people who are trying to say the threat of independence is somehow off the table.

"That is the only thing that John Swinney cares about," adds the Scottish Tory leader.

"He’ll work with anyone including Sinn Féin to achieve the break-up of the United Kingdom.”

This morning in Tranent John Swinney said Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill was a highly regarded first minister and it was incumbent upon him as FM to work with the other leaders of devolved nations.

However, he added that if the leaders of all three devolved nations were from independence-supporting parties then that fundamentally changed the dynamics of the UK.

All 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament are up for grabs when Scotland goes to the polls on 7 May - have you decided which party will get your vote?

If not, click here for a guide that offers a simple summary of where the main parties stand on the issues most important to voters, based on the promises they have made during the campaign.

Select an issue from the options and choose the parties that interest you to see their policies.

This interactive has been put together by the BBC's Visual Journalism team and BBC journalists in Glasgow. Its aim is to summarise where the parties stand on key topics to help voters make informed decisions at the ballot box.

The policies have been selected and summarised in an editorial process overseen by BBC journalists. All parties included in the guide have been contacted by the BBC and given the opportunity to identify their key policies in each area.

Produced by Chris Clayton, Claire Diamond, Beta Yee, Zoe Bartholomew, Grace Richardson, Ryan Smith, Preeti Vaghela and Mike Hills.

Image source, PA

Back to the rose garden and Anas Sarwar says he'll make life better for young people in Scotland.

The Scottish Labour leader says at the moment too few are getting the support they need when it comes to jobs and the NHS.

He says statistics show youngsters with mental health issues either face long waiting lists or having their referrals rejected completely.

Scottish Labour is pledging to fix the system and also create 9,000 new apprenticeships to give the next generation the chance to succeed.

Alex Cole-Hamilton was asked about the prospect of John Swinney working with Sinn Féin and Plaid Cymru after the election to achieve Scottish independence.

"The only person who'd be delighted by that reality is Vladimir Putin," the Scottish Lib Dem leader replied.

"It's about destabilising the United Kingdom.

"The last thing we need is more division that nationalism brings."

Joanne MacAulay
BBC Scotland news

Back to the campaign trail and Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole Hamilton was clearing up litter on Portobello Beach in Edinburgh this morning to outline what his party would do to clean up the seas.

The Scottish Lib Dem leader said his party would tackle illegal sewage dumping in Scotland by introducing a clean water act which would reduce the levels of dry water dumping - illegal discharge of raw, untreated sewage into rivers and coastal waters by water companies during dry weather,

He added that they would increase monitoring of the waterways and create a target for upgrading the Victorian sewage infrastructure.

Kirsten Campbell
BBC Scotland political correspondent

With politicians out on the campaign trail, the Scottish Parliament is having a glow-up.

The boundary fences are getting a lick of paint and repairs are being carried out around the building.

The debating chamber has been closed to visitors while stairs are replaced with ramps. Workmen have been busy changing light bulbs.

Some artworks which were on loan have been returned to their owners and new pieces have gone on display.

Meanwhile, preparations are under way for the new intake, with a staff buddy system being put in place to support newly elected MSPs.

They'll help guide the politicians in the early days of the new parliamentary session, as they have their photos taken for their Holyrood passes, complete their register of interests and learn how the voting system works.

Candidates face questions at Inverness hustingspublished at 14:05 BST 23 April

14:05 BST 23 April

Chris MacLennan
BBC Scotland

With just two weeks to go until polling day, debate is continuing across the country. BBC Scotland has held its hustings for the Inverness and Nairn constituency, with all seven candidates invited to the BBC studios in Inverness.

Questions were taken from members of the public and put to those standing for election, leading to some heated debate at times.

Big issues to voters in these parts centre around road infrastructure improvements, particularly relating to the dualling of the A96 and a bypass for Nairn, the rise in green energy projects and retention of young people in the area.

Despite candidates clashing on some topics, there was some consensus in the studio, with a black labrador chosen the most popular dog among the panel.

You can hear the full debate on BBC Sounds now, and on FM on BBC Radio Scotland in the Highlands at 17:00 tonight.

See a full list of candidates standing in Inverness and Nairn here.

What are the parties' plans for improving bus travel?published at 13:50 BST 23 April

13:50 BST 23 April

You have been getting in touch with questions on the issues that are important to you ahead of the Scottish Parliament election. Our team of experts are providing the answers.

What will the government do to tackle the problems surrounding bus travel in major cities? Max McGibbon, Glasgow

David Henderson, BBC Scotland News correspondent, says:

Three quarters of all public transport journeys made in Scotland are by bus yet buses get a fraction of the political attention and capital investment that rail receives.

But at this election, bus travel is high on the agenda because of widespread concern about the rising price of tickets, fragmented bus networks, and reduced services.

Some parties blame the deregulated bus network - brought in by Margaret Thatcher in the '80s.

They pledge to turn that around, through a franchising system, as used in London or Manchester.

Image source, SNS

Labour, the SNP and Lib Dems all promise this type of change, to help under-served areas.

Both the SNP and Scottish Greens promise a £2 nationwide bus fare cap, to help passengers with the cost of living.

The Greens are committed to free bus travel for all. They also want a publicly-owned bus network, a bit like Lothian buses - the UK's largest municipal service.

The Tories don't propose franchising or fare caps - but pledge extra funds for councils, to keep bus routes open and restore services where they've been lost.

Reform and the Greens pledge to back and invest in bus corridors in Scotland's major cities - which would give buses priority over other vehicles.

Integrated ticketing - to allow easier travel across bus, train, tram and subway - also features in the Conservative, Green, Labour and Lib Dem manifestoes.

So it’s clear there's a growing mood for change to this key form of transport.

UK Reform councillor Thomas Kerr accused the SNP leader of seeking a “co-operation agreement” with a “terrorist sympathising” party who were “apologists” for murderers.

He said it was at best “clumsy language” from the first minister.

Kerr added that Reform UK would have a relationship with the elected Sinn Fein first minister of Northern Ireland, but insisted this was different from working with the party.

Image source, REUTERS/CLODAGH KILCOYNE

John Swinney has dismissed criticism over his willingness to work with Sinn Féin after the election.

The Conservatives and Reform UK took aim at the first minister after he said he would "enjoy the co-operation" of Plaid Cymru in Wales and Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland.

Reiterating his remarks, Swinney told BBC Scotland News that the political dynamics of the UK would be fundamentally changed if the leaders of all three devolved nations were from independence-supporting parties.

He added that it was incumbent on him to work with the other leaders of devolved nations, including Sinn Féin's Michelle O'Neill, who is Stormont's first nationalist first minister.

The SNP have long had links to nationalist movements in other countries, including Sinn Féin, Plaid Cymru and supporters of Catalan independence.

Both of Swinney's predecessors, Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf, had talks with O'Neill in Bute House, the first minister's official residence in Edinburgh.

Image source, Mentorn Media

Question Time's Fiona Bruce presents an hour of debate this evening from Aberdeen, with the election looming large in exactly two weeks.

On the panel are:Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay, the SNP's Housing Secretary Màiri McAllan, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, Reform UK's Scottish leader Malcolm Offord, Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay and Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton.

The programme will be streamed live online on Youtube, TikTok and iPlayer from 19:00. It will also be live on the BBC News Channel.

The recorded version will be on iPlayer from 21:00 and BBC One in the usual slot at 22:40.