Scottish Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone says he and Jackson Carlaw were referred to as Attilla the Hun and Ghengis Khan by Neil Findlay.

Mr Johnstone says too much of the debate has focussed on dogma not the detail of the Trade Union Bill.

The Conservative MSP says the UK government's measures are being misinterpreted for political effect.

Mr Johnstone says failure to deliver the bill would be a missed opportunity. 

Mr Kelly says the Welsh Assembly debated an LCM on the Trade Union Bill as it has the standing orders that allowed it to do so.

The Labour MSP says it is important to explore how to oppose this bill.

Mr Kelly points to the proposal from Mary Fee MSP to amend the Standing Orders to allow a similar process to take place here as in Wales. 

He says ECHR is another basis for the Scottish government to oppose this bill. 

Labour MSP James Kelly takes to his feet, but will he complete his speech?

Mr Kelly was ejected from the Holyrood chamber last year, while trying to complain about the ruling the presiding officer made on the Trade Union Bill.

MSPs were debating the Westminster bill during topical questions, after Tricia Marwick rejected a bid by government ministers to block it.

After James Kelly refused orders to sit down, the presiding officer had him escorted from the chamber.

A number of other Labour MSPs raised points of order to protest.

Independent MSP John Wilson say the bill represents nothing more than an attack on trade unions.

Mr WIlson says we have a duty to listen to unions that represent Scottish work forces.

The Independent MSP says the right to strike has been a long and proud tradition in Scotland and those who decide to go on strike do not do so lightly.

He says the right to stand up to employers and businesses is fundamental to society.

Mr Wilson says the Tory government would not be elected if it required 40% of the country to support them.  

SNP MSP Mark McDonald says he has concerns that union voices will be lost if changes to facility time is introduced.

The Aberdeen Donside member says we shall see whether Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn will keep to his word and fight this bill.

Ms McDonald said Labour did not join the fight to devolve employment law.

The SNP MSP says this is not an example of better together it's "suffer together". 

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur says: "This bill has no place in Scotland, frankly presiding officer it has no place anywhere in the UK."

Mr McArthur says there is nothing that suggests that the measures in the bill are proportionate.

The Lib Dem MSP says it is no coincidence that this bill has emerged now, as the measures were blocked by his colleague Vince Cable during the coalition government.

He says the bill is attempting to solve a problem that does not exist. 

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson raises a point of order calling for assurance that, if the Labour amendment is passed, the committee would be able to consider a wide range of standing order amendments, not just the one from Mary Fee.

Deputy Presiding Officer John Scott says the committee cannot be compelled as to which amendments it considers.  

The Stirling MSP says the bill seeks to limit the time union officials spend working for members.

Mr Crawford says the total cost of facility time across the entire public sector £5.8m 2014-15.

This was an investment in effective work place management, he says.

The SNP MSP says the check off provisions in the bill raised a number of concerns.

He says the UK government should refrain from passing this unnecessary bill.

If the UK government rejects this, then the bill should not apply in Scotland.

It all else fails the committee recommended that the regulatory powers on facility time and check off should be conferred on Scottish ministers.

The Devolution (Further Powers) Committee convener Bruce Crawford says Alex Johnstone

Mr Crawford says industrial disputes have hugely decreased in recent years.

The Trade Union Bill "seeks to solve a problem that does not exist", he says.

The SNP MSP says there has been a lack of consultation on this bill.

Mr Johnstone says the UK government has set out its arguments saying an LCM is not required as unemployment law and trade union laws are expressly reserved.

The Conservative MSP says he dissented from both connclusions of the Devolution (Further Powers) Committee report.

The bill is reasonable he concludes.

Glenn Campbell
BBC Scotland Political Correspondent

Trade union law is not a devolved matter (except in Northern Ireland).

It is for the UK government and parliament to decide. 

Nicola Sturgeon's request for power in this area to be transferred to Holyrood will not be granted. 

The UK government is also determined that turnout thresholds for strike ballots should apply across Britain. 

This was a Conservative manifesto commitment. However, as I understand it, consideration is being given to Scottish opposition to other parts of the trade union bill. 

In theory, it's possible for the sections abolishing check-off and regulating facility time not to be applied in Scotland (Under check-off employers collect union subscriptions at source. 

Facility time is paid time off for workers to carry out union duties). That does not mean this will happen. It may not. But it has yet to be formally ruled out by UK ministers.

Mr Johnstone says the bill does not propose to stop facility time, he insists.

The Conservative MSP says it will ensure greater transparency.

He says the practice of check off is outdated as it is equally as easy to set up a direct debit.

These are not unreasonable measures, says Mr Johnstone. 

Conservative MSP Alex Johnstone says the Trade Union Bill fulfills manifesto committments made by the Tories.

Mr Johnstone says people have real concerns about the balance between the right to strike and the misery these strikes can cause.

He says it is not right that strikes can be caused on the basis of one in ten members of a union.

Mr Johnstone says he will not take any interventions in this debate. 

MSPs have made a series of attempts to block the bill north of the border.

SNP minister Roseanna Cunningham failed in a bid to lodge a special motion on the matter and Labour's James Kelly ejected from the chamber while protesting against the presiding officer rejecting that motion. 

The Scottish Conservatives say the bill was "clearly" a matter reserved to Westminster, and Tory MSP Alex Johnstone dissented from the committee's conclusions and recommendations.   

Mr Findlay says much of the bill impinges on the executive competence of Scottish ministers.

Despite all of that the LCM approach was rejected by the presiding officer he says.

The Lothian MSP says where there is disagreement between the two parliaments over the right to have an LCM laid, then that should be voted on by MSP at Holyrood. 

Mr Findlay says this would allow debate and rejection of the Trade Union Bill before the Holyrood election.

The Welsh government is debating an LCM on this bill today, he says.

Scotland should be exempted from the scope of Westminster's Trade Union Bill, MSPs on Holyrood's Devolution Committee have ruled. 

The committee said there was "widespread opposition" to the bill and called on the UK government to exclude Scotland from its reach. 

SNP and Labour members have voiced strong concerns about the bill and made efforts to have it blocked. 

A UK government spokesman said the bill was "clearly a reserved matter". 

Labour MSP Neil Findlay begins by detailing his union credentials.

Mr Findlay says "only the nasty party" backed this legislation at Holyrood, the party with a pathological hatred of trade unions he says.

The Labour MSP points to "Attila and Genghis" sent out on the front bench to put forward the Scottish Conservative argument.

Mr Findlay says it is entirely right the parliament has the right to vote against this bill. 

Scotland should be exempted from the scope of Westminster's Trade Union Bill, MSPs on Holyrood's Devolution Committee have ruled. 

The committee said there was "widespread opposition" to the bill and called on the UK government to exclude Scotland from its reach. 

SNP and Labour members have voiced strong concerns about the bill and made efforts to have it blocked. 

A UK government spokesman said the bill was "clearly a reserved matter". 

Scottish Labour MSP Neil Findlay uses his amendment to make the point that the National Assembly for Wales will debate a legislative consent motion on this Bill and its impact on Wales and Welsh devolved public services on 26 January 2016. 

Mr Findlay calls on all parties represented in the Scottish Parliament to support the proposal from Mary Fee MSP to amend the Standing Orders to allow a similar process to take place here. 

Ms Cunningham says the devolved public sector views in Scotland should have been taken into account by the UK government, but they were not.

Image source, EPA

She says the UK government wants to:

• limit facility time, a vital part of our partnership working which can help avoid strike action.
• end check off facilities, to discourage union membership
• deliver most of its bill via regulations, to avoid scrutiny