Labour MSP Anne McTaggart intervenes asking about the 70 more organ donations that could result from her bill

Ms Watt says she acknowledges there could be an increase  in the number of organ donations, but law change is not enough.

The minister says the government consultation will work towards a "safe, effective and workable system for Scotland. 

The minister says the provisions on proxies have raised concerns.

Ms Watt says significant consultation would be required to make the proxies work.

The SNP MSP says whilst not supporting the bill, a soft opt-out system should be developed.

She confirms the government is starting preparation for a detailed consultation on increasing organ donation, including looking at soft opt-out. 

The Scottish government intends to take forward a consultation on further methods to increase organ donation and transplantation, including developing a workable soft opt-out system, Public Health Minister Maureen Watt said last night. 

In an amendment laid ahead of the Stage 1 debate on the Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc.)(Scotland) Bill, the government said it would take forward a consultation with a view to considering legislating itself. 

The minister will ask Parliament to reject the Member's Bill on the basis that there are serious concerns about the practical impact of this particular bill, and instead agree to ask the government to start developing a workable soft opt-out system for Scotland. 

"In our view the Member's Bill before the Scottish Parliament is seriously flawed and could actually harm organ donation." 

"The consultation will be an opportunity to seek the views of the public on a range of issues, including soft opt-out, and determine what action the Scottish Government should take next to increase the availability of organs." 

Public Health Minister Maureen Watt begins by praising Anne McTaggart for her efforts on her bill.

Ms Watt says it is vital we are sensitive to the pain and emotions of those who have lost loved ones as well as those waiting on an organ.

Ms Watt says the government cannot back the bill but does agree with the merits in creating a soft opt-out organ donation system.

She says doctors and nurses have highlighted serious concerns about elements of the bill.

Ms McTaggart says she greatly regrets the decision of the majority of the Health Committee to kill of this bill.

The Labour MSP says the majority of the committee is asking MSPs to vote this bill down before any amendments have been brought to bear to improve it.

She says there is no reason why people in Scotland should have to wait for this legislation.

Ms McTaggart again stresses that MSPs will only vote on the general principles of the soft-opt out proposal at decision time, nothing else. 

'We have the opportunity to save more lives today, please take it.

"Vote with your conscience and vote yes at decision time tonight."

Ms McTaggart says: "There is a price to pay for delaying this decision."

The Labour MSP says NHS BT told her 70 more transplants could result from this bill.

She says this bill creates the opportunity to agree on a workable soft "opt-out" system.

Ms McTaggart says the proxies proposals in the bill keep Scotland in line with the UK and the measures can be amended.

She says with every reduction in organ donations a life is lost and the trend is downwards for the last two years.

The Labour MSP says people want the Parliament to act on organ donation now.

Our European neighbours have higher rates of deceased organ donation she says.

Ms McTaggart says some of the people that began the journey to get this bill passed are no longer with us.

The Labour MSP says the mechanics of how to implement the soft opt-out system can be worked out later.

Her bill can be amended at later stages, she says.

Ms McTaggart says people in Scotland die every year while waiting for an organ transplant.

Speaking ahead of the debate, Scottish Labour MSP Anne McTaggart urged MSP's to 'Opt for Hope, Opt for Life' 

 Ms McTaggart says hundreds of people across Scotland in need of an organ transplant will be given hope if they vote in favour of her proposals to introduce a 'soft opt-out' system of organ donation. 

Scottish Labour MSP Anne McTaggart said: 

"For the first time, MSP's will have the opportunity to vote in favour of introducing opt-out.

"This move could lead to an extra 70 donors per year, a figure which NHS Blood and Transplant have described as 'transformative'. 

Ms McTaggart goes on to say last year deceased donor rates fell by almost 8% and deceased donor transplants by 13%. 

This year's data looks just as worrying, with an expected 16% reduction in deceased donor rates and an 8% reduction in transplants. 

Labour MSP Anne McTaggart calls on the Parliament to agree the general principles to her Transplantation Bill.

Ms McTaggart says the ultimate purpose of the bill is about introducing the soft opt-out organ donation system.

She says if MSPs are in favour of this option they should vote for the general principles of this bill at decision time.

"Time is a luxury that those who are waiting for an organ transplant do not have."

The Scottish government has said it will consider bringing forward new legislation on an "opt-out" system for organ donation in Scotland.  

The announcement came ahead of a debate on a members' bill on the same issue.

Anne McTaggart's Transplantation Bill, external would make organs automatically available for transplant unless a person objected during their lifetime.

Holyrood's health committee backed the aim, but not the detail of the bill.

Ahead of a stage one debate on the Labour MSP's bill, Public Health Minister Maureen Watt said she would ask parliament to reject the bill on the basis that there were "serious concerns about the practical impact".

Labour MSP Anne McTaggart leads the first debate on her Transplantation (Authorisation of Removal of Organs etc.) (Scotland) Bill, external

The legislation intends to introduce a soft "opt-out" organ donation system. 

Anyone who wants to donate their organs after death currently has to "opt-in" through the donor card scheme.

Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor

There's a second wind to Britain's oil and gas industry. And it's been in the pipeline for years. 

Getting to "first gas" from the Laggan field has taken a long time. 

The Laggan field was discovered 30 years ago. Nearby Tormore, scheduled to come on stream later this year, was found nine years ago. 

WillTotal make a return on its investment at current gas prices? 

"We can, but it requires extremely good performance in production, and to be extremely strict on cost," says the company's UK managing director, Elisabeth Proust. 

Those high costs are a big issue for investing in British waters, but she says this remains an attractive country because it has established working practices and a reliable, skilled supply chain. 

Plus, she says, "there is still prospectivity". 

Indeed, there could still be very large oil and gas fields. But very low exploration activity recently, and even more its low success rate, mean that depleting reserves in old fields are nowhere close to being replaced. 

The weather is blustery and unpredictable in these northern waters, but this second wind may be short lived.

Finance Secretary John Swinney says the Scottish government welcomes the news from Total.

The fields have a lifespan of twenty years, he says.

Production began yesterday at a new gas plant that will bring the vast reserves west of Shetland to the mainland. 

The Shetland Gas Plant is said by operator Total to be capable of supplying energy to two million homes. 

A flare was lit at the moment gas started flowing to the plant, which will serve the Laggan and Tormore fields. 

The two gas fields lie about 125km (77 miles) to the north west of the Shetland Islands.   

Image source, Total

The plant is said to have been the biggest construction project in the UK since the London Olympics.   

Almost one fifth of the UK's remaining oil and gas reserves are thought to lie in the area to the west of Shetland. 

Total said the Laggan and Tormore fields will produce 90,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. 

The gas will be piped to the plant, which lies just to the east of the existing Sullom Voe Terminal, before a pipeline takes it to the UK mainland and into the national gas grid. 

SNP MSP Mike MacKenzie asks whether the Scottish government will provide an update on the productivity of the Laggan and Tormore fields west of Shetland. 

Housing and Welfare Minister Margaret Burgess says the Scottish government is committed to ending fuel poverty spending over £0.5bn since 2009 to help people heat their homes.

The increase in fuel poverty is entirely down to above inflation energy price increases, says Ms Burgess.

She warns the UK government's welfare cuts will make the situation much worse.

The very purpose of the Scottish Welfare Fund was to help those struggling with fuel bills, she says.

There has been 50% rise in the number of Scots applying for emergency financial assistance to pay their heating bills. 

The Scottish Government has published data on applications for Community Care Grants and Crisis Grants to pay for fuel and heating bills, following a freedom of information request from the Liberal Democrats. 

It shows 64,380 Scots received £1.3 million in financial aid in 2014-15 - a 50% rise on the previous year. 

Scottish Liberal Democrat housing spokesman Jim Hume MSP said ministers should not rely on emergency grants to counteract the "lack of action on reducing fuel poverty levels in Scotland". 

 He said: "No-one in Scotland should have to choose between eating and heating, but that's the situation many people are currently faced with." 

Lib Dem MSP Jim Hume asks the Scottish government what its position is on reports of a 50% increase in households requesting financial assistance to pay fuel and heating bills. 

The Very Reverend Monsignor Allan T. Chambers, St David’s Catholic Church, Dalkeith delivers today's time for reflection.