Mr Carlaw says Scottish Ministers should "reinvigorate" relationships between Scottish Enterprise, Creative Scotland and the Scottish Government.

He says this will be important to promote opportunities for the creative arts sector and independent production companies in particular.

The Tory MSP says new studio capacity should be urgently identified and developed in Scotland. 

Tory MSP Jackson Carlaw welcomes the announcement to maintain a national UK news bulletin at 6pm on BBC One.

The Scottish Conservative culture spokesman also supports the announcement of a new daily BBC Scotland digital channel from Autumn 2018.

He says this demonstrates the willingness and ability of the BBC to both respond positively and adapt to the broadcasting needs of a devolved Scotland within the UK.

Mr Carlaw uses his motion to say that the schedule will include an international news hour at its core, together with three hours of comedy, drama and documentary programming.

The Tory MSP says that 60% of the schedule will be new commissioning and calls on the BBC to ensure that the new channel is adequately resourced.

He says it is important that it reflects the traditions and culture of all regions in Scotland.

The Scottish Conservatives will now lead a debate on the new BBC Scotland digital channel. 

Here is the motion.

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Tory MSP Donald Cameron says anyone who cares about the working of democracy should care about this. 

Mr Cameron says scrutiny of government is a normal part of the political process.

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Mr Swinney intervenes to say it is also about responsibility and says the government must take forward policies that it believes will make improvements. 

Mr Cameron says there is a "contradiction at the heart of this" and that the government must either support autonomy or centralisation. 

The Tory MSP says it is a giant leap to go from joined up working to an overarching board. 

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Conservative MSP Donald Cameron says the "tentacles of this centralising government once more reach out" to bring a body under its control.

Mr Cameron says the language of the Crerar report suggests he would prefer a miniserially led approach.

He says: "This is centralisation repackaged."

Mr Cameron says the Tories are sceptical about the Crerar report, notwithstanding the recommendation to retain the boards.

Tory MSP Liz Smith intervenes to say the point is where the evidence is to abolish the boards.

Mr Swinney says the agencies have been involved in the dialogue. 

The education secretary says everyone has talked about greater coherance but that makes no appearance in the motion.

He says what we have here is the opposition picking one point they do not like in proposals and not coming forward with an alternative. 

Education Secretary John Swinney says the government has considered the need to improve economic performance in Scotland and to recognise it is not what it should be.

Mr Swinney says the government had to ask why that was the case and the answer was the cluttered landscape and a need for more compatibility within the enterprise and skills agencies.

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The education secretary says the need for greater coherence and alignment led the government to conclude it should go for a superboard.

Labour MSP Iain Gray says the creation of a superboard with the retention of other structures would lead to more clutter.

Mr Swinney says the superboard would address overlap, duplication and clutter.

Labour MSP Iain Gray says the Crerar Report is a good report in the sense that it recommends keeping the boards.

Mr Gray says the Crerar Report leaves Labour with concerns that overs ONS classification and autonomy of universities. 

The Scottish Labour education spokesman says hard allignment cannot mean anything except control by the overarching board.

He says "this is a fundamentally flawed proposal and the government should think again".

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Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott says the Crerar report does need some careful examination.

Mr Scott says the minister said the government was now reflecting on the Crerar report and that means it could go back to its original position of abolishing all four boards.

The Lib Dem MSP says if you implement Crerar then the SFC and HIE boards will not be worth having.

Greens MSP Ross Greer says the government still hasn't ruled out a minister being chair of a super board despite it being a matter of concern.

Mr Greer asks why the government cannot at least rule out this board having a government chair.

The Greens MSP says it is of vital importance that universities are no reclassified as public bodies.   

He says the proposals threaten the funding and status of universities. 

"The Greens are not prepared at this point to support this," he says. 

Labour MSP Johann Lamont says to the convener of the Education Committee, James Dornan, that while it is not the committee's job to go after the government, it is "equally not the job of government backbenchers to protect it no matter what it does."

Ms Lamont says parliament should not be divided about trying to improve the Scottish economy but it is divided on how the government is going about it.

The Labour MSP says the government has given no clarity as to what will happen to the Scottish Funding Council.

She says all the evidence tells us that you need to have decisions made as locally as possible. 

"The Scottish government started from the end," she says, "it wanted and overarching board and now is shifting the argument." 

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SNP MSP James Dornan says the role of the SFC was explored in the Education Committee last year.

The Education Committee convener says the committee wrote to the cabinet secretary asking for clarity over the creation of an overarching board.

He says a number of organisations called said the current system was complex and needed simplification.

Mr Dornan says all agencies must work together 

Tory MSP Liz Smith asked for the evidence for the abolition of the boards

Mr Dornan says a number of organisations clearly asked for an overarching joined up way of thinking.

"This should not be about defeating the government."

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Conservative MSP Liam Kerr says there was no evidence to support the abolishing of the SFC board and creation of a superboard.

Mr Kerr says the SFC could become another arm of this evermore centralised state.

He speaks against the creation of an overarching board. 

Labour MSP Daniel Johnson says there is a very real risk of damage being done which cannot be reversed.

Education secretary John Swinney says the objective of the government's review is to create more alignment. 

Mr Johnson says the Crerar Report seems to contradict the deputy first minister and it is difficult to see how this new body will streamline processes.

He says "Parliament and the public must be able to scrutinize where public money is being spent."

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Labour MSP Daniel Johnson says the plans of the Scottish government to create a superboard caused concern and threatened the autonomy of universities.

Mr Johnson says this overarching board would have a huge budget.

He asks can a single board truly provide governance to such a diverse range of activities.

Ms Somerville says her focus for the future will be to continue to work with the Funding Council which is very much getting on with the day job.

The further education minister says the government is continuing its review and the board will continue to be independent of the government. 

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Further and Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville says this is very much a process for the stakeholders and the agencies to take part in.

Ms Somervile says Prof. Crerar's report is welcome and has been welcomed by many stakeholders.

She says: "We will be going forward in a listening mode until the cabinet secretary makes his statement."

Tory MSP Liz Smith asks if the minister was surprised that Prof Crerar assumed the boards of the agencies would exist when the government had said they would not.

That is up to him to answer for but we are very grateful fro the work he has done, says the minister.

Ms Somerville says the review is a real opportunity for the SFC.

Further Education Minister Shirley Anne-Somerville says there is concern and misunderstanding on the government's position so she welcomes this opportunity to clarify points.

Ms Somerville says the government is continuing to review the recent report and will continue to listen to members.

She says the government's aim is to ensure all agencies are working together. 

The further education minister thanks organisations who have contributed to the review at phase one. 

Here is the Scottish government amendment.

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