Summary

  • The first minister rejects Labour leader Anas Sarwar's call for a parliamentary inquiry following the conviction of former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell for embezzlement

  • John Swinney says that "one man, and one man alone" was responsible and an inquiry would not add anything to the five-year criminal investigation

  • Conservative leader Russell Findlay also raises the case of Murrell - who admitted embezzling £400,000 from his party - saying that Swinney was trying to "shut down scrutiny"

  • The first ever questions from leader of Reform UK Scotland, Malcolm Offord, focus on North Sea oil and the constitution

  • Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay urges Swinney to support a four-day working week for public sector staff. He says he will consider such a suggestion, but it is too early to discuss that now.

  • It is the first session since the Scottish Parliament elections at the beginning of the month

  • New presiding officer Kenneth Gibson announced FMQs would move from once to twice a week, starting next week

  1. FMQs: The headlinespublished at 13:24 BST

    That brings to a close our live coverage of the first FMQs since the election in what has been an extraordinary week in Scottish politics. Here are the key lines that emerged this lunchtime:

    That's all from the live page team today. The editor was Catherine Lyst. The writers were Craig Hutchison and Rachel Grant. Thank you for joining us.

  2. FMQs overhaul begins next weekpublished at 13:04 BST

    Just a reminder that next week FMQs returns with a new two-session format.

    There will be two separate sessions, one for backbenchers on a Tuesday and another for party leaders on a Thursday.

    It is part of a shake-up by the new presiding officer Kenneth Gibson, who previously said "status quo is not an option" as he pledged to transform how the parliament works.

    The leaders of Labour, Reform and the Greens will get three questions, while the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats will get two each.

    With Labour and Reform tied for second place on the same number of seats, they'll take it in turns to go first, although Gibson warned he might sometimes start with the Liberal democrats "for devilment and to freshen things up".

    As part of his overhaul, questions to the first minister will no longer be published ahead of time.

    Opposition MSPs previously complained that giving advance notice decreased accountability and led to scripted answers.

  3. Analysis

    Back to the sticky topic of ferriespublished at 12:54 BST

    Lynsey Bews
    BBC Scotland political correspondent

    Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton raises the ferries, calling for assurances the fleet will be summer-ready.

    It's often been a sticky topic for ministers.

    Today, John Swinney can't help but take the opportunity to highlight the SNP's surprise win in Shetland - taking the long-held Lib Dem seat.

    Swinney has been keen to highlight his party's election promise throughout today's session.

    It is, of course, impossible to know what impact the Murrell case could have had on the campaign, had it come before polling day.

    But it's worth underlining that even with that case hanging over the party for several years, it's managed to secure a fifth term in office.

  4. 'There's an important message that our islands are open for business' - FMpublished at 12:53 BST

    Alex Cole-Hamilton says: "No wonder the people of the Western Isles sent the first minister and his party packing."

    The Scottish Lib Dem leader points out that the ferry fleet is not resilient and asks if the FM has been trying to find extra vessels.

    Swinney replies that, of course, his government has done that and he details current vessels and forthcoming vessels.

    "There's an important message that our islands are open for business," he adds.

    The first minister hits back at Alex Cole-Hamilton by saying the people of Shetland sent an SNP MSP to Holyrood.

  5. FM confirms fund for those impacted by ferry chaospublished at 12:51 BST

    Alex Cole-Hamilton

    Finally we get to Alex Cole-Hamilton, the Scottish Lib Dems leader, who turns his focus on to Scotland's ferries.

    He points out that during the Easter Holidays eight ferries were out of action at the same time and adds that islanders and businesses are due compensation.

    He asks: "Is Scotland's ferry fleet ready for the summer?"

    "I acknowledge that there have been acute challenges in the ferry network over the last few weeks and months," replies Swinney.

    He says his government will put in place money to pay damages to communities hit by the ferry crisis.

    The FM says on most routes the ferry service is operating appropriately this morning and he jokes that the ferries better be ready as he will be using one for his summer holidays.

  6. Analysis

    Uncomfortable territory when politics and justice system collidepublished at 12:50 BST

    Lynsey Bews
    BBC Scotland political correspondent

    Russell Findlay turns the questioning back to the Murrell case, this time calling for the Lord Advocate to publish all information relating to the case.

    John Swinney responds by telling Findlay that if he had a "shred of decency" he'd respect the justice system, and the high standard of work by both police and prosecutors.

    It can be uncomfortable territory when politics and the justice system collide - and it's clear Swinney is unimpressed by Findlay's attempt to link the two.

    This isn't the first time questions have been asked about the role the Crown when it comes to the Murrell case.

    Before the election, the Lord Advocate's decision to send memos to Swinney containing information about the case was heavily criticised by the opposition.

  7. Findlay: Will proceeds of crime laws be used to recover goods?published at 12:49 BST

    Findlay points out that while Swinney says the SNP is the victim in this case, there are also claims that taxpayers' money for the SNP was embezzled.

    He asks if the SNP has exercised the right to seek a review of the Crown Office prosecution decision, and if Swinney is taking legal action to force Murrell to pay compensation.

    Or, he says, has the SNP asked the Crown Office to use the proceeds of crime laws to recover luxury goods from Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon?

    Swinney says this is the desperation of man who has led the Conservative Party into oblivion.

    He adds that there has been a motion under the Proceeds of Crime Act, and this will be a decision of the courts.

    Swinney says the embezzled money was only supporters' money, as all public money from the Electoral Commission was accounted for.

  8. Analysis

    Shopping list of Green prioritiespublished at 12:44 BST

    Lynsey Bews
    BBC Scotland political correspondent

    If Offord is on predictable territory, then so is Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay.

    Her questions read like a shopping list of Green priorities - including taxing the rich, a four-day working week for the public sector and council tax reform.

    Expect the Greens to focus on these issues and more when it comes to striking any deals with the SNP administration during this parliament.

    John Swinney may not be making any commitments today, but his promise to be bold will be music to Green ears.

  9. Findlay calls for Murrell case disclosurepublished at 12:42 BST

    Russell Findlay

    Russell Findlay, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, returns to the Peter Murrell case, saying the SNP didn't stop Murrell, they enabled him, and "Swinney assured everyone that the SNP finances were sound".

    "People want to know why Nicola Sturgeon wasn't in the dock beside her husband," he adds.

    He asks Swinney to back calls for the Lord Advocate to publish all information relating to this case.

    The first minister says the Crown does not disclose the rationale for their decisions not related to prosecutions they pursue.

    He pays tribute to the Crown Office and police for their successful prosecution of Murrell.

    He adds that Finlay should leave the professionals to do their jobs.

  10. Greens also call for a four-day week in the public sectorpublished at 12:35 BST

    Gillian Mackay calls for a four day week in the public sector.

    The FM replies he is very happy to consider these issues. Swinney says public expenditure must be utilised to the maximum.

    The Scottish Greens co-leader goes on to call for the council tax to be scrapped in this parliament.

    The FM replies that he wants this to be a "bold parliament".

  11. 'We've also got to be open to new ways of delivering public services' - Swinneypublished at 12:33 BST

    The first minister says any budget proposition is a combination of tax and spending decisions.

    Swinney goes on to add there will have to be very open discussions about how to secure greater impact from public expenditure.

    "We've also got to be open to new ways of delivering public services," he says.

    That will be at the heart of what Public Service Reform Secretary Ivan McKee will be looking at, he adds.

  12. Greens call for taxing of the super-richpublished at 12:33 BST

    Gillian Mackay

    It is now the turn of Gillian Mackay, the Scottish Greens co-leader, who says Scotland should use its full tax powers to raise more money, particularly from the wealth of the super-rich.

    She asks: "Does the first minister agree with the Scottish Greens and Tax Justice Scotland that we should explore all actions for taxing wealth before cutting public sector jobs?"

  13. Analysis

    Offord's first outing on predictable territorypublished at 12:31 BST

    Lynsey Bews
    BBC Scotland political correspondent

    It's Malcolm Offord's first outing at FMQs, and the first opportunity to gauge how he might approach the weekly political knockabout.

    Offord starts on predictable territory, with questions on energy, specifically oil and gas.

    I suspect it's a subject he will return to with a high degree of frequency - especially with a Westminster by-election in Aberdeen on the horizon.

    Reform UK has carved out a pro-drilling position in Scotland, one which it believes plays particularly well with voters in the north east of the country.

  14. Swinney: The people have given us an 'independence majority'published at 12:30 BST

    Offord goes on to ask Swinney what his promised "cunning plan" was to secure a referendum after his Section 30 notice for independence was rejected on Wednesday.

    Swinney says: "The people of Scotland have decided, this parliament has got an independence majority and I'm going to use that independence majority to deliver independence for our country."

  15. Swinney will 'secure future' of oil and gas workers in downturnpublished at 12:26 BST

    Offord describes Swinney's reply as "mealy-mouthed", with a policy that will become tied up in court action while a thousand jobs are month are lost. He asks for unequivocal support for new drilling from the Scottish government, which is in control of licensing and planning.

    The first minister says there is a legal requirement for climate compatibility.

    "It's not something we can wish away," he adds.

    But he says he does recognise that circumstances have changed.

    He points out that jet fuel, which has supply issues since the conflict in Iran, was once manufactured at Grangemouth until it closed down last year, putting the blame for that on the UK government.

    His government will do all it can to "secure the future" of individuals affected by the downturn in oil and gas, he says.

  16. Offord: Importing Norwegian North Sea gas is 'daft'published at 12:24 BST

    Malcolm Offord

    Malcolm Offord, leader of the Reform party in Scotland, stands for his first FMQs, having been recently elected to Holyrood as an MSP for the West region.

    He begins with a question on energy, saying that even the Norwegian energy minister thinks it is "daft" that 70% of UK gas is imported from his country's North Sea gas fields, while those on the UK side are closed down.

    He asks if Swinney will support the licensing of Scotland's own gas extraction.

    Swinney says the government needs to be sure the extraction is "compatible with our journey to net zero".

    He says energy security also has to be taken into account, in relation to recent events in the Middle East.

  17. Analysis

    FM comes out fighting in heated exchangespublished at 12:21 BST

    Lynsey Bews
    BBC Scotland political correspondent

    Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar attempts to link the Murrell case to what he says is a wider problem with culture in the SNP and the Scottish government.

    We've heard this line of argument from him before - from the handling of complaints against the former first minister Alex Salmond, to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital campus, and more recently, during the Holyrood election campaign, the handling of the Jordan Linden case.

    Labour believes this paints a picture of "secrecy and cover-up" under John Swinney's watch.

    The first minister comes out fighting, and in increasingly heated exchanges, points out that Labour pushed this argument during the election, finishing a distant second behind the SNP.

  18. 'Anas Sarwar doesn't have a leg to stand on'published at 12:19 BST

    The FM says that was an astonishing attempt at "victim blaming" and Sarwar should be ashamed of himself.

    There is only one person responsible for the embezzlement and that is Peter Murrell, insists Swinney.

    He goes on to insists he has a united his party and adds that "people in glass houses should not throw stones, because he know the Labour Party is up to its neck in difficulty, whether it's about live criminal cases that involve former members of this parliament or whether it's Peter Mandelson".

    "Anas Sarwar doesn't have a leg to stand on," he says.

  19. 'A culture that puts victims last as if they're a threat to the cause'published at 12:15 BST

    The Scottish Labour leader explains his call for an inquiry is into the culture of the SNP's leadership.

    Sarwar says victims who reported the abuse by Patrick Brady were threatened with legal and disciplinary action.

    He says SNP officials were bullied and forced out for trying to reveal Murrell's crimes.

    Sarwar also says female MSPs were bugged by SNP staff and seven North Lanarkshire councillors forced out for raising concerns about paedophile Jordan Linden.

    "A culture that puts victims last as if they're a threat to the cause," he says.

  20. Swinney says there is nothing a parliamentary inquiry could addpublished at 12:12 BST

    "No I won't back a parliamentary inquiry," retorts the first minister.

    Swinney points out that the police investigation went on for five years and the criminality has now been remedied in the courts.

    He says there is nothing a parliamentary inquiry can add to the police investigation.