Image source, bbc

Ms Constance says the government will try toreduce poverty and inequalities and to achieve a fairer Scotland.

She says the Fairer Scotland Action Plan contains 50 fairness actions for the current parliamentary session including:

• tackling the attainment gap
• improving mental health care 
• ensuring that housing is affordable and warm

Equalities Secretary Angela Constance says around one in six people in Scotland are living in poverty and in work poverty is increasing.

Ms Constance says she is pleased the Fairer Scotland Action Plan has been widely welcomed. 

Image source, Scottish government

On Wednesday 5 October 2016 Communities, Social Security and Equalities Secretary Angela Constance launched the Fairer Scotland Action Plan , externalat the Princes Trust in Glasgow.

The plan is a commitment to the people of Scotland that the government are taking long term action to change Scotland's society and make it a fairer and more equal place to live.

Image source, Scottish Government

The Scottish government will now lead a debate entitled 'Building a Fairer Scotland – It takes all of us'.

Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles raises a point of order saying that the Scottish government published its draft bill on a second independence referendum during the Autumn recess.

Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh says if a bill is outwith competence it can still be introduced.

Mr Macintosh says he will not express a view on any bill before it is introduced.

Conservative MSP Douglas Ross says there is cross party support for what is being proposed across the UK and here in Holyrood.

Mr Ross says the blanket ban poses problems as was seen down south.

Mr Matheson says he regrets the approach of the UK government to talk out the private member's bill at Westminster.

Scottish Green Party co-convener Patrick Harvie reinforces the importance of an apology.

Mr Harvie says a pardon can mean to some that they are being forgiven and it is the state that acted wrongly.

Mr Matheson says the state was responsible for creating the situation and an apology will be considered alongside the legislation.

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale asks if legislation is required for these pardons.

Ms Dugdale asks the Scottish government to issue a formal apology to those convicted of same sex sexual activity.

Mr Matheson says there will be an automatic pardon for those convicted of crimes that are now lawful, which will require legislation.

He says this legislation will be brought forward in this parliamentary term.

The justice secretary says the issue of an apology must be considered by the government.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson says Scotland has only relatively recently ended discrimination against same sex sexual activity, in 1980.

Mr Matheson says thankfully these laws no longer operate and such laws have no place in a modern inclusive Scotland.

He says the government will introduce an automatic pardon for those convicted of same sex sexual activity.

The minister says his officials are working with Police Scotland to have the convictions disregarded.

He says people will be treated as if they had never been convicted.

A bill that would have wiped clean the criminal records of thousands of gay men has fallen at its first parliamentary hurdle.

The private member's bill would have pardoned all men living with UK convictions for same-sex offences committed before the law was changed.

There were emotional scenes with one MP fighting back tears during his speech.

Image source, Getty Images

The government, which has its own plans for posthumous pardons, "talked out" the bill, which will not now go ahead. It follows the pardoning of World War Two code-breaker Alan Turing for gross indecency in 2013.

Image source, bbc

SNP MP John Nicolson said he had secured government support for his bill, which was withdrawn when the Ministry of Justice published its own commitment to a "Turing's law" on Thursday.  

The government said it would not support Mr Nicolson's Sexual Offences (Pardons) Bill - which proposes a blanket pardon for the living - because it could lead to some people being cleared of offences that are still crimes.  

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale asks the Scottish government whether it will quash the convictions and cautions issued to people for now-abolished gay sexual offences and issue pardons.

Health Secretary Shona Robison says the government wants to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol as soon as possible and says it is a life-saving policy. 

Plans to set a minimum price for alcohol in Scotland have been backed by the Scottish courts.

The Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled against a challenge by the Scotch whisky industry, who claimed the plans were a breach of European Law.

The ruling now paves the way for the Scottish government to implement its policy, passed by MSPs in 2012.

Image source, PA

The wider drinks industry must now respect the democratic will of the Scottish ParliamentAileen Campbell, Minister for Public Health

However, the judgement could be appealed by the drinks industry at the UK Supreme Court in London.

 Under the plans, a price of 50p per unit of alcohol would be set, taking a bottle of spirits to at least £14.  

SNP MSP James Dornan how the government will take forward plans for the minimum pricing of alcohol following the decision by the Court of Session    

Mr Mackay says it is clear the Scottish government has a mandate to consider another independence referendum.

The finance minister says Scotland is a nation and every part of it voted to remain in Europe.

He says the ball is in the court of the UK government.

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay says the government is considering all possible options.

Mr Mundell asks if Mr Mackay agrees with him that pushing ahead with the bill before the consultation is flawed.

Mr Mackay says the government is listening, engaging, consulting and acting in Scotland's interests.

He says 51% of people in Scotland would support the SNP in parliamentary constituency election.

The Scottish government published its draft bill on a second independence referendum, external on 20 October 2016.

The move does not mean another referendum will definitely be held.

But First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said Scotland should be ready to hold a vote before the UK leaves the EU if it is felt necessary to protect Scottish interests.

Image source, PA

UK Prime Minister Theresa May has said she does not believe there is a mandate for another referendum on independence.

If Scottish Ministers decide a referendum is necessary it would then be for the Scottish Parliament - where the SNP and Scottish Greens form a small pro-independence majority - to consider the bill and decide whether a vote should be held.

The UK government would then be asked to grant a Section 30 order to make the referendum legally binding.

Image source, bbc

On the 2nd anniversary of the independence referendum, Professor John Curtice wrote the following on the What Scotland Thinks blog, external:

"The Sunday Times, external and Heart FM, external have marked the second anniversary today of the independence referendum with a new poll from Panelbase, external. Like last week’s polls, external from TNS and Ipsos MORI the headline finding is that the UK-wide vote in favour of Brexit has made little difference to the balance of opinion , externalon independence.

"Nevertheless, today’s poll suggests that the Brexit vote may in fact have made a difference to the views of some voters. Some do indeed appear to have switched in favour of Yes since June 23rd. However, at the same time, others have apparently moved back in the opposite direction. 

"And the fact that they have done so suggests that the SNP could be making a mistake if it ties the case for a second independence referendum too closely to the debate about Brexit."

Conservative MSP Oliver Mundell asks the Scottish government what analysis it made of the reported level of support for independence ahead of the decision to bring forward the draft Referendum Bill before Article 50 has been invoked.