That concludes our coverage of the Scottish Parliament on 4 November 2015.

Fergus Ewing says the Scottish government has looked at the procurement issues and a detailed report will be given to the taskforce a week tomorrow. 

The business minister says there are opportunities and there is work being done, with a huge amount of effort by all off the officials and it is being dealt with at the most senior level possible.  

The minister says there is hope and the government is pursuing a new buyer with hope and confidence.

Business Minister Fergus Ewing says the Scottish government will try "every conceivable way" to help the Steel industry continue in Scotland.

Mr Ewing says the government is seeking a private operator to take over the steel plants. 

He says the management of TATA have been fully cooperative. 

Business Minister Fergus Ewing says there is a unity of purpose in the chamber to do everything that can be done to save the Scottish steel industry.

Mr Ewing says the industry has been "part of the warp and weft of Scotland" and is truly part our heritage and part of our culture. 

The SNP MSP everything in our power to ensure the future of this key sector against the significant challenges it faces.

Labour MSP Margaret McCulloch says she welcomes the focus of the Scottish government to find new owners for the steel plants. 

Ms McCulloch also says the EU must act against the dumping of steel by China.

Independent MSP John Wilson says we must ensure the Scottish steel industry remains and grows stronger.

SNP MSP Chic Brodie says there is every reason for TATA to come to the table and be constructive in any dialogue looking at solutions.

Mr Brodie says the Scottish government and Scottish enterprise must work with the workers and TATA to consider a workers' buyout.

Labour MSP Michael McMahon says he was a welder and would like to send a message of solidarity to the workers.

Mr McMahon says finding a solution will not be easy and he has seen this before in his constituency with steel jobs in Mossend being lost.   

Dozens of workers from the steel plant at the centre of job loss announcements have travelled to the Scottish Parliament to attend this debate on the future of the industry. 

Steel firm Tata announced the mothballing of its operations at Lanarkshire sites Dalzell in Motherwell and Clydebridge in Cambuslang last month with the loss of 270 jobs. 

Image source, bbc

The first minister promised to do everything in her power to secure the future of the industry and set up a taskforce with the priority of finding a new commercial operator for the two plants and support workers facing redundancy. 

The group, which has already met, is comprised of representatives from Tata, South and North Lanarkshire councils, trade unions, Scottish Enterprise, elected representatives and industry bodies. 

Workers from the Dalzell site unveiled a Save Our Steel banner outside the plant today as they prepared to board a bus for Holyrood to hear MSPs discuss the industry in Scotland. 

Conservative MSP Margaret Mitchell says it is worth looking at new areas where contracts could be won, like flood defences. 

Ms Mitchell says Scottish steel is recognised internationally as quality steel and there could be increased and better marketing of it.  

Labour James Kelly welcomes the steelworkers from Clydebridge and Dalzell to the public gallery and says it is their livelihoods that are at stake. 

The Glasgow Rutherglen MSP says the loss of the steel works in Clydebridge, which is in his constituency, would be a devastating blow to the area.

Mr Kelly says there is a good business case for keeping the steel industry going in Scotland. 

He says the Scottish government should be doing all it can to explore the procurement options and retain the real assets of the skiills of the workforce. 

SNP MSP Clare Adamson says he father worked in the steel industry and the closure of Ravenscraig brought her into politics.

Ms Adamson says it is now about the future and that the steel industry is vitally important to Scotland's economy.

Mr Pentland says failure to act may mean in a month Scotland will have no steel industry. 

The Labour MSP says the workers of Dalzell and Clydebridge are looking to action from the Scottish government.

Scottish Labour MSP John Pentland voices his concerns over the announcement of job losses at the Dalzell and Clydebridge steel plants and the detrimental impact that this would have on the workforce, their families, their communities and the local economies 

The Motherwell and Wishaw representative says that any curtailment or closure of the plants will have a significant and long-term negative impact on the Scottish economy. 

Mr Pentland welcomes the creation of the Scottish Steel Task Force, and says that all avenues should be explored to prevent the closure of the plants, including UK and Scottish government intervention to protect jobs and ensure the long-term viability of the Scottish steel industry.   

A task force set up to discuss the planned mothballing of two Tata Steel plants in Scotland has agreed to work "urgently" to find a buyer for the businesses. 

The announcement came after the group held its first meeting. 

It was chaired by Scotland's business minister Fergus Ewing and included representatives from trade unions and Tata, as well as councils. 

Tata last week announced plans to close plants in Motherwell and Cambuslang. 

A total of 225 jobs are threatened at the Dalzell plate rolling works in Motherwell, along with 45 posts at the Clydebridge plant in Cambuslang.

The Labour MSP begins by welcoming members of the Scottish Steel Taskforce and workers from Dayell to the gallery.

Mr Pentland says he was formerly a redundant steel worker. 

Scottish Labour MSP John Pentland now leads a member's debate on the future of the Scottish Steel Industry.

MSPs back the SNP amendment and then the amended Labour motion from the Tax Credits debate.

The SNP amendment from Social Justice  Alex Neil was passed with 62 MSPs backing it and 42 against.

This caused the amendment from Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie to fall. 

The amendment from the Conservative MSP was resoundingly defeated, with 12 MSPs backing it and 102 against.

Finally the Scottish Labour amendment, amended by the SNP, was passed with 62 MSPs backing it and with 42 against.