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Tory MSP Annie Wells says it is in the interests of the million plus disabled people in Scotland that we deliver consensus on this issue.

Ms Wells says the SNP rhetoric, slamming Westminster, is becoming redundant as the new social security powers are coming.

The Conservative MSP says the UK government's response to the UN report must be highlighted.

She says the UK government spends £50bn a year on benefits for those who are disabled or ill.

Scottish Labour MSP Pauline McNeill says cuts to benefits creates a great deal of anxiety and stress.

Ms McNeill says there is a job to do to fundamentally change attitudes towards people with disabilities.

The Labour MSP says young people with disabilities have the same aspirations as their peers at age 16 but they are four times more likely to be unemployed at the age of 26. 

She says she wholeheartedly supports the minister's campaign to change attitudes. 

"We must end the stigma," those with disabilities face, she says. 

UK welfare reforms have led to "grave and systematic violations" of disabled people's rights, a UN inquiry has said, external.

Changes to benefits "disproportionately affected" disabled people, the UN Committee on the Rights of Disabled Persons (CRPD) found.

The UK was the first to be investigated under a UN convention it has been signed up to since 2007.

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But the government said, external it "strongly refuted" the committee's findings and its "offensive" view of disability.

The committee launched an investigation in 2012 after receiving evidence from disability organisations about an "alleged adverse impact" of government reforms on disabled people.

Two UN committee members visited London, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast in October 2015 to identify any gaps in human rights protection for disabled people.

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Labour MSP Pauline McNeill says one million people in Scotland live with a disability.

Ms McNeill says it is time to make serious inroads into creating equality for that group of one million.

She says the UK welfare reforms have not helped that agenda.

The Labour MSP highlights the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities report on the UK.

She says the UK government policy changes have restricted the freedom and choice of the disabled.

The Labour MSP says if you cut 20% of welfare expenditure you must have some idea of the impact it will have

SNP MSP Joan McAlpine says the Tories can learn a little by talking to other MSPs about constituents who are struggling because of cuts and benefit sanctions. 

Ms McAlpine says SNP MSP Alex Neil asked for PIP not to be rolled out during the Smith Commission.

The SNP MSP says there is clearly a problem at local authority level with the way some disability services are delivered. 

She says cuts are coming from the UK government and local authorities are experiencing the same cuts as the Scottish government. 

Scotland's transport minister has been caught driving a friend's car without the proper insurance.

Humza Yousaf was stopped by police as he drove on the A835 between Inverness and Ullapool on Friday evening.

The officers carried out routine checks, which showed that Mr Yousaf was only insured to drive his own vehicle.

Mr Yousaf said a misunderstanding following his split from his wife had caused the "honest mistake" and that he would admit the offence.

Scottish Conservative MSP Miles Briggs says it is about removing barriers so that disabled people have the same opportunities as anyone else.

Mr Briggs says he has been working on access to Waverley station and disabled people in Edinburgh feel they were made "second class citizens", two years ago when they stopped allowing taxis into the station.

The Tory MSP says he will meet with Transport Minister Humza Yousaf in the New Year in a bid to make the station more accessible. 

He says, from what he reads in papers, Mr Yousaf will soon be using Waverley station too.

Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole Hamilton says he welcomes the publication of  A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People and its five recommendations.

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Mr Cole-Hamilton says he hopes the strategy will make a big difference, most of all on inclusion in work and in learning.

Scottish Greens MSP Alison Johnstone says the government's ambition to close the gap between disabled and non-disabled employment is welcome and urgently required. 

Ms Johnsotne says promoting healthy working and a reasonable work / life balance is also important.

The Scottish Greens MSP says we have an economy where there is a high level of low paid jobs.

"The quality of jobs must improve," she says. 

Image source, GDA

SNP MSP Sandra White praises the Purple Ponchos for their hard hitting performance at Holyrood.

History of the Purple Ponchos from the Glasgow Disability Alliance: 

In October 2011, Glasgow Disability Alliance, external & the STUC, external worked in partnership to support over 100 disabled people to participate in the STUC People First March and Rally defending public services.

GDA supplied purple (a GDA colour) rain ponchos to protect people from the heavy rain and help identify each other in the crowd. 

The solidarity of the experience inspired a group of GDA members to work together, supported by GDA- itself led by disabled people- to come up with ways of sharing messages about the real life experiences of disabled people. 

The idea was to persuade those in power to do things differently, to listen to disabled people’s voices and in turn to improve better policies and services. 

Thus the “Purple Poncho Players” were born. 

Social Security Committee convener Sandra White says the Scottish government has engaged with disabled people and taken their thoughts forward unlike the UK government.

The SNP MSP says reducing Employment and Support Allowance does not help people, nor does cutting the benefit from DLA to PIP.

Ms White says "it is about time everyone realised what the UK government are up to."

She says she wholeheartedly supports the commitment the Scottish government has to disabled people. 

The Scottish government has said it was "completely unacceptable" that it was not consulted on plans to close half of Glasgow's job centres.

On Wednesday, the Department of Work and Pensions announced the closures as part of a review of its estate.

Scottish government Employability Minister Jamie Hepburn has written to the department to ask for clarity.

The DWP said there would be public consultation on closures resulting in travel of more than three miles.

Denise Horsfall, DWP work services director for Scotland, told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that three of the proposed closures would result in travel increasing to up to four miles.

Image source, PA

SNP MSP Kate Forbes one of the most important lines in Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman is the one which commits to continue to engage with disabled people.

Ms Forbes says we are all dependent in some way but we must see people as people.

She says our national communities must remove barriers to independent living. 

The SNP MSP says social isolation and loneliness can effect those who need support to live independently.

Conservative MSP Jeremey Balfour apologises for being slightly late, which was nothing to do with disability but because he says he can't read a watch.

Mr Balfour says the priorities are to reduce the stigma around disabled people, end bullying and increase employment levels.

He says the rest of the UK is doing better at getting disabled people into work.

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The Tory MSP says mainstreaming does not mean inclusion and this must be ensured.

Mr Balfour says disabled people says only 3.9% of apprenticeships went to disabled people and that needs to get higher.

He says the disabled people he meets want to work but face barriers.

Mr Balfour says it is clear there is a long way to go in Scotland in all areas around disability.