Thank you. That concludes general questions. The next item of Businesses First Minister's

questions. And at question number one, I call Douglas Ross.

Thank you very much, Mr President. And can I remind the Chamber that my wife is a serving

police officer in Police Scotland. And let me be clear, the vast majority of Scotland's

frontline police officers do a fantastic job under incredible pressures.

But a new report to the Scottish Police Authority raises a number of serious concerns about

systemic issues throughout Police Scotland. The independent review found, and I quote,

first-hand instances of racism, sexism and homophobia. In response,

the Chief Constable of Police Scotland, Sir Ian Livingston has said this today. It is right for

me as Chief Constable to clearly state that institutional racism, sexism, misogyny and discrimination exist.

He continued, Police Scotland is institutionally discriminatory and racist.

Can I ask the First Minister for his response to the Chief Principal's statement?

First Minister, I thank Douglas Ross for raising this issue.

I commend Sir Ian Livingstone, the Chief Constable of Police Scotland,

for acknowledging institutional racism and misogyny and other discriminatory behaviours within Police Scotland.

That is the first step that is required in order to then dismantle other discriminatory behaviours within Police Scotland.

That is the first step that is required in order to then dismantle those institutional and structural

barriers that exist.

Douglas Ross was right to put the emphasis on the fact that, of course, this is not an inference

on individual police officers who we know put themselves in harm's way to protect

us day in and day out. But there is no doubt that institutional racism exists in our society.

And I want to take a moment just to say that as a person of colour, the statement from the chief

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