Humza Yousaf's debut at First Minister's Questions marred by protesters

Climate activists disrupted Humza Yousaf’s First Minister’s Questions debut in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday.

The Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament ordered the public gallery to be cleared following five interruptions by protesters.

Protests have interrupted the session at Holyrood repeatedly in recent months, causing consternation among elected members and prompting parliamentary officials to begin seizing mobile phones of the public in attendance.

The interruptions came before the end of Douglas Ross's questioning of the new SNP leader, stunting proceedings.

After the fifth interruption, the public gallery was cleared, with only school pupils on a visit to Holyrood allowed to stay.

Addressing MSPs, the Presiding Officer said: “I don't think I can adequately express my deep regret that such action is required in our national parliament. I'm extremely sorry for the overwhelming majority of those who have travelled to the parliament today to watch their elected representatives at work.”

SNP MSP Stuart McMillan, in a point of order, asked that another school from his constituency which had been removed from the gallery be returned, prompting a further suspension of business.

Protesters disrupt Humza Yousaf's opening First Minister's Questions - in pictures

During the session, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar accused the First Minister of "failing" a family whose son has waited years for mental health treatment, asking "how will First Minister Humza Yousaf be any different?"

Mr Sarwar raised the newly-minted SNP leader's record while in charge of the NHS, claiming 11,000 children had waited longer than the 18-week target time between referral and access to mental health treatment and 14,000 had their referrals rejected during Mr Yousaf's tenure.

Mr Sarwar, who asked the First Minister to apologise to the families of those children, raised the specific case of 10-year-old Alan Galbraith from Dumbarton, who had been waiting for treatment throughout the entirety of Mr Yousaf's time as health secretary.

According to Mr Sarwar, Alan's father Robert said: "He is really up and down, he will have days where you won't get a word out of him, we don't know what's happened unless something goes wrong.

"I feel like he's just been left, it doesn't matter what happens with him, there's been an array of cancelled appointments - we expect them to give Alan a diagnosis, maybe start treatment, something to help, but there's been nothing."

Mr Sarwar said: "Health secretary Humza Yousaf failed this family. Why will First Minister Humza Yousaf be any different?"

Responding, the First Minister said he would be happy to "review the details" of Alan's case to see "if there is any way that we can assist".

He added: "I am the first, and have been when I was health secretary, to acknowledge that of course there are challenges, and there were challenges pre the pandemic.

"Anybody... will acknowledge that the impact of the global pandemic has been felt, of course, in our health service here in Scotland and in health services right across the UK, and I would say right across the world."

Mr Yousaf also came under fire for appointing the Scottish Government's first minister for independence.

Jamie Hepburn was announced on Wednesday in the government reshuffle, bagging a £98,000-a-year salary from public funds.

Several peers raised their objection to the role, arguing that constitutional change was a reserved matter, not a devolved one.

Scottish Labour peer Lord Foulkes of Cumnock said: "In Scotland, we've had a minister for tourism since 1999, but they haven't made such an appointment in the current government of Scotland.

"But instead they've appointed a minister for independence - a minister for independence, when the Prime Minister has ruled out a referendum, quite rightly."

Mr Yousaf was sworn in to his new role on Wednesday after winning the SNP leadership on Monday and being voted First Minister on Tuesday by fellow MSPs in Holyrood.

A Glasgow-born son of immigrants from Pakistan and Kenya, Mr Yousaf is the first person from a minority ethnic background to become the First Minister of Scotland.

Mr Yousaf, the youngest person to hold the post, told The National last week that if he won: “I think people of colour and Muslims across Scotland will take something of an inspiration.”

His decision to run to become SNP leader and First Minister came after “careful consideration” of the effect it would have on his wife, his three year-old daughter and step daughter, a fear that was borne out after two people were charged in relation to abuse that he and his family had suffered.