Mr Dey, the wooly willow champion, says there are many species on the endangered list and that's why MSPs are needed as champions.

According to the Scottish Environment Link, external at the relaunch of Species Champions in 2016, Craig Macadam, Director of Buglife Scotland, said, 

“When did you last look for creepy-crawlies under a stone?

 "How many of Scotland’s 93,000 species could you name?"

Image source, Andy Nayler

MSPs will learn about how they can contribute to the conservation of their species in parliament and by supporting practical action in the community.”

Graeme Dey said “I would encourage all of my MSP colleagues, the relatively new and longer serving ones, to get involved in this programme. 

"Not only is it highlighting a hugely important subject matter. It is also good fun!’’

Image source, Jane Cogan

SNP MSP Graeme Dey says it is great saying MSPs diving into their new roles as species champions.

Ms Dey says top Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott that being filmed holding a toy replica of an Orca whale.

SNP MSP Graeme Dey says there are now 57 MSPs who have taken on the role of species champions.

Mr Dey says that figure falls short of the number achieved in the last parliament, but given that we are only six weeks in, he hopes to surpass the previous figure.

Scottish Environment Link, external Wildlife Subgroup Leader Deborah Long says

“Scotland’s biodiversity is under more pressure than ever before, from human activities including climate change, over-exploitation of the sea, intensive agriculture and development. 

"1 in 11 Scottish species is at risk of extinction."

Image source, Scottish Environment Link

"Action has never been more important if we are to preserve our life-giving natural environment for future generations. 

"Building on the success of the Species Champions initiative in the previous parliament, we are calling on all MSPs to become Species Champions, work with conservation organisations and across parties to deliver policies that will help deliver for Scotland’s biodiversity.”

SNP MSP Graeme Dey will now lead a member's debate on the relaunch of the Species Champions Initiative

The government motion as amended by Labour is agreed to, with 87 MSPs backing it and 28 against.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

Image source, Scottish Parliament

The Conservative amendment from this afternoon's debate is rejected, with 28 MSPs for and 87 against.

The Labour amendment from the NHS Brexit debate is agreed to with 86 MSPs backing it and 29 against.

Mr Russell says not a single penny of the Brexiteer pledge of £350m that was supposed to come to the NHS post-Brexit will be seen as it was a lie.

The Brexit Minister concludes saying Tory MSP Miles Briggs called him a grinch, but he says he is delighted to dampen the pleasures of those born again Brexiteers on the Tory benches.

He says he relishes the chance of spoiling the pleasure of any member who thinks the role of EU citizens in the NHS is meaningless.

Brexit Minister Mike Russell says it is astonishing that the Tories are still resistant to debating Brexit.

Mr Russell says the Tories wish to sweep the concerns of thousands under the carpet.

He says the Tories threatened European citizens if they voted no during the independence referendum and he says that is why no-one will believe them.

The Brexit Minister says no-one will trust a Tory who says it is meaningless to talk about the NHS workforce.

Scottish Conservative MSP Liam Kerr says it is beginning to feel a bit like "groundhog day". He says this is the same debate as the ones that have went before.

Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell intervenes to say they can stop having debates if he can tell them what Brexit means. 

Mr Kerr says the UK government are speaking to the Scottish government and telling them what Brexit means.

The Conservative MSP says the SNP have accused Tories of being xenophobic despite Conservatives being very positive about EU staff during this debate.

"This rhetoric is very dangerous indeed," he says. 

Mr Kerr says Nicola Sturgeon threatened the place of EU nationals in Scotland if the country was not let into the EU in the event of independence. 

Labour MSP Colin Smyth says his party will be unflinching in defending the NHS across the country.

Mr Smyth says the Brexiteers and their big red bus lied as there is no £350m extra a week with Brexit.

He says the financial challenges facing the NHS is already unprecedented. 

Mr Smyth says the living wage needs to be extended to all care workers and the government must build on this achievement by offering better training.

SNP MSP Emma Harper, who is a trained nurse, says she has friends and colleagues from across Europe and further afield.

Ms Harper says Scotland has an international workforce in our NHS.

She says multiculturalism leads to better patient care.

The SNP MSP says reassurance is necessary now for our friends and colleagues in the NHS from other countries.

Scottish Conservative MSP Rachael Hamilton says a wait and see approach is not enough when it comes to the NHS. 

Ms Hamilton says it is important buildings meet requirements and their are enough staff to provide services. 

The Tory MSP says action needs to be taken to regain control of staffing because an agency staff member costs double that of a permanent one. 

She says the number of medical students applying to university has dropped and that the SNP "are using Brexit as an excuse" for the staffing shortage. 

Ms Hamilton says there are serious issues in the NHS that existed before Brexit and the government must take action.

SNP MSP Clare Haughey says the cruelest thing to happen since the Brexit vote has been the upsurge of attacks on our European brothers and sisters, thankfully less so in Scotland than the rest of the UK.

Ms Haughey says the UK government is using EU citizens as "bargaining chips in a game of brinkmanship".

The mental health nurse says the current uncertainty around the status of EU citizens in the UK post Brexit is not helping Scotland address retention and recruitment in the NHS and social care workforce.

She says many EU citizens and their families are embedded in Scottish communities and now they are having to contemplate leaving the country.

Scottish Labour MSP James Kelly says he is disappointed that SNP MSP Alex Neil is not contributing to today's debate because he is a former health secretary and someone who voted for Brexit.

Mr Kelly says, although he does not agree with Mr Neil's vote in the EU referendum, it would have been interesting to hear from him today because he, along with others in Scotland, voted to leave.

The Labour MSP says the Scottish government sometimes downplays their responsibility relating to Brexit. 

Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton says the "political vandalism" of the Brexit vote has seen interest of EU citizens coming to work in Scotland fall off a cliff.

Mr Cole-Hamilton says Scotland is facing a "perfect storm" in our workforce for the NHS and social care.

The Lib Dem MSP says: "It is clear according to the excoriating Audit Scotland report that the Scottish government is unprepared."

SNP MSP Emma Harper says there is no mention of the word crisis in the report.

Mr Cole-Hamilton says it is time to stop arguing about terminology and look for action.

He says " We are facing a workforce crisis" and European citizens must be part of the solution. 

Scottish Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw says it should be the objective and policy of this parliament that EU workers can remian here and continue their work in health.

Mr Carlaw says he has stood against many health secretaries during his time in politics and SNP MSP Alex Neil was one of the best.

Mr Carlaw says Brexit Minister Mike Russell would now label him as a "born-again Brexiteer".

The Conservative MSP says none of the other EU countries have given Scots working there any guarantees and it is important that this is resolved for everyone.

Mr Carlaw says the number of people aged 65-and-over will double in the next 25 years and this is why we need so many staff in our NHS. 

To the people working here from other countries Mr Carlaw says "we want you to stay and we hope you will."