MSPs back the general principles of the budget

Summary

The Europe Committee takes evidence on Brexit implications for Scotland
Nicola Sturgeon is quizzed by opposition MSPs during first minister's questions
Ministerial statement: Scotland's ferry services
MSPs back the general principles of the Budget Bill.

Live Reporting

Craig Hutchison, Colin Bell and Patrick Cowling

Council members agree on needd to 'limit the damage that Brexit will do to Scotland'published at 09:16 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017
Image source, bbc
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Professor Sir David Edward
Professor Sir David Edward, former Judge of the European Court of Justice and member of the Standing Council on Europe says the council has no political position.
Sir David says the views of the council naturally differ on some options in Scotland's Place in Europe.
He says the council members agree on the need to "limit the damage that Brexit will do to Scotland".
Standing Council on Europe chair Professor Anton Muscatelli says there is complete unanimity in the disappointment about the prime minister's announcement that she would take the UK out of the single market.
He says membership of the single market is key to the future of Scotland and the UK.
Background: "Scotland's Place in Europe"published at 09:13 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017
Image source, Scottish government
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Scotland's place in Europe
The Scottish government has published its proposals for Scotland's future relationship with the EU after Brexit.
Prime Minister Theresa May has said she is "willing to listen to options", but Chancellor Philip Hammond has suggested a special deal is "not realistic".
The Scottish government has been studying its options around Brexit, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon setting up a "standing council" of experts for advice.
The full paper, "Scotland's Place in Europe" can be found here, external.
Scotland's Place in Europe is very much a Scottish government paperpublished at 09:11 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017
Image source, bbc
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Standing Council on Europe chair Professor Anton Muscatelli
Standing Council on Europe chair Professor Anton Muscatelli says the council has met on a number of occasions.
Prof Muscatelli says one work stream in particular has been on the options that Scotland could scope out.
He says Scotland's Place in Europe is not a Standing Council on Europe paper, it is very much a Scottish government paper.
And we're offpublished at 09:08 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017
Committee convener Joan McAlpine gets us underway.
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Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee
The Europe Committee is about to beginpublished at 09:07 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017
The committee will begin by taking evidence on the implications of the EU referendum for Scotland.
During the first evidence session the committee will take evidence from:
- Professor Anton Muscatelli, Principal and Vice Chancellor, University of Glasgow and Chair of the Standing Council on Europe
- Professor Sir David Edward, former Judge of the European Court of Justice and member of the Standing Council on Europe
- Dame Mariot Leslie, former diplomat and member of the Standing Council on Europe
Brexit: MPs overwhelmingly back Article 50 billpublished at 09:04 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017
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Brexit: When MPs voted to back Article 50 bill
MPs have voted by a majority of 384 to allow Prime Minister Theresa May to get Brexit negotiations under way.
They backed the government's European Union Bill, supported by the Labour leadership, by 498 votes to 114.
But the SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats opposed the bill, while 47 Labour MPs and Tory ex-chancellor Ken Clarke rebelled.
The bill now faces further scrutiny in the Commons and the House of Lords before it can become law.
The prime minister has set a deadline of 31 March for invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, getting official talks with the EU started. The bill returns to the Commons next week.
Brexit: Who will be advising Sturgeon on the EU?published at 09:02 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017
Image source, AFP
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon sets up a council of experts to provide her with advice following the Brexit vote. So, who are these expert members?
- Professor Anton Muscatelli - principal and vice chancellor of the University of Glasgow will be chairman of the group
- Vasco Cal - former economic adviser at the European Commission
- Sir David Edward - European Court Judge
- Dame Anne Glover - former chief scientific adviser to President Barosso
- Charles Grant - Centre for European Reform, London
- John Kay - financial markets
- Lord Kerr - diplomat, deputy chair ScottishPower, Carnegie Trust
- Dame Mariot Leslie - diplomat
- David Martin - Labour MEP
- Amanda McMillan, CEO Glasgow Airport
- Professor Alan Mille -former chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission
- Anne Richards - M&G Investments & Edinburgh University Court
- Frances P. Ruane - Irish academic economist & former director of ESRI
- Alyn Smith - SNP MEP
- Grahame Smith -STUC, Scotland Europa
- Professor Andrew Scott - University of Edinburgh
- Fabian Zuleeg - European Policy Centre, Brussels
- Sir George Reid - Former Holyrood presiding officer
- Sir John Grant - Former British diplomat
Whisky, trade expert and former diplomat, David Frost, also joined the Standing Council on Europe when it was formed in June. However, he stepped down last month after taking on a special adviser role to UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.
Background: Sturgeon's Standing Council on Europe has held first meetingpublished at 08:59 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017
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FM's EU experts ready to advise on pre and post-Brexit talks
The group of experts set up to advise the Scottish government in the aftermath of the Brexit vote met for the first time in Edinburgh in July.
The Standing Council on Europe is made up of 18 legal, economic and diplomatic specialists.
It was established by Nicola Sturgeon after the UK opted to leave the EU despite 62% of Scots voting to remain.
Its chairman Professor Anton Muscatelli said it would look at how best to secure Scotland's place in the EU.
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The Standing Council on Europe
First up this morning we have the Europe Committeepublished at 08:59 Greenwich Mean Time 2 February 2017
The Europe Committee, external will consider implications of the EU referendum for Scotland taking evidence from:
- Standing Council on Europe chair Professor Anton Muscatelli
- Professor Sir David Edward, former Judge of the European Court of Justice and member of the Standing Council on Europe
- Dame Mariot Leslie, former diplomat, member of the Standing Council on Europe
Image source, bbc
Brexit Minister Michael Russell will then give evidence.
Coming up today on Holyrood Livepublished at 18:08 Greenwich Mean Time 30 January 2017
First up today we will bring you full coverage of the Europe Committee as it takes evidence on the implications of the EU referendum for Scotland.
Firstly the committee will hear from members of the Standing Council on Europe. This will be followed by an evidence session with Brexit Minister Mike Russell.
Image source, PA/ Scottish Parliament
After general questions, we will bring you extensive coverage of first minister’s questions, including all the social media reaction.
Image source, PA/Scottish Parliament
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We'll bring you extensive coverage of first minister's questions from 12pm.
Conservative MSP Liam Kerr will lead a member’s debate on the Awards for Valour (Protection) Bill.
Image source, Getty Images
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The debate on the budget begins at 2.30pm.
In the chamber this afternoon there will be a ministerial statement on Scotland's ferry services.
Then the Stage one debate on the budget will get underway followed by decision time.
Image source, bbc/Rex Features
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Bill Murray and Punxsutawney Phil.
Even Bill Murray and Punxsutawney Phil could not accuse this day at Holyrood of being like Groundhog Day. Except of course it is officially Groundhog Day. Go figure.