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Press and Journal politics morning briefing: Everything you need to know for June 17

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Welcome to The Press and Journal’s morning politics briefing — everything you need to know about politics in your region and across the country, before you start your day.

Top Stories

Life-saving PPE supplies came within hours of running out in Scotland when the pandemic hit last year, a watchdog investigation has found.

The amount of alcohol sold per person in Scotland fell to the lowest level for 26 years last year – but was still higher than it was in England and Wales.

Work to establish low-emission zones in Scottish cities is to restart, after being paused during the coronavirus pandemic.

What’s on today

Nicola Sturgeon will face opposition MSPs during a session of first minister’s questions at Holyrood. Business support during the pandemic and malicious prosecutions concerning Rangers FC are expected to be among the questions.

Portfolio questions today will cover the justice brief, with Western Isles MSP expected to ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve support for victims of crime and North East MSP Liam Kerr to ask about delays to criminal trials.

There will be a Scottish Government debate on the appointment of Dorothy Bain QC as lord advocate and and Ruth Charteris QC as solicitor general for Scotland.

MSPs will also debate a motion on the “national mission” to tackle drug deaths. Amendments put forward include enshrining in law the right to recovery and condemning the UK Government’s refusal to consider safe consumption rooms.

In case you missed it

A formal apology should be issued to 60,000 mothers who were victims of forced adoption in Scotland over the span of three decades to help them heal from the “cruel injustice”, Scottish Labour has said.

Scotland’s new children’s minister will meet with campaigners calling for the Government to apologise to women forced to give up their babies for adoption.

Exclusive: Former SNP minister Mark McDonald reveals his ‘next step’ after leaving Holyrood.

A lawyer who secured serial killer Peter Tobin’s first murder conviction has been named Nicola Sturgeon’s choice to become Scotland’s top law officer.

Significant progress has been made in setting up a scheme to provide financial compensation to the survivors of historic in-care abuse, John Swinney has said.

What are the latest allegations in Dominic Cummings’ spat with Boris Johnson?

Boris Johnson’s decision to refuse a second Scottish independence referendum is “not sustainable in the long term”, a former top UK Government mandarin has claimed.