Here is the government motion.

Image source, Scottish Parliament

The Scottish government will now lead a debate on the Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE).

Reevel Alderson
BBC Scotland Home Affairs correspondent

The chairman of the Scottish Police Authority, Andrew Flanagan has said he won't step down following a row over his dealings with the only ethnic minority member of the board, who resigned.

He told Holyrood's Justice sub-committee on policing he had the unanimous backing of the current board.

Mr. Flanagan said policing was entering a time of challenge, and it was not the time for a change of leadership.

He told MSPs he had written to the member who resigned, Moi Ali, to apologise for his treatment of her -- although he denied this had amounted to bullying.

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Mr Flanagan said he had sent a letter to her on Christmas Eve after Ms Ali had objected to his moves to hold some of the SPA's meetings in private.

He said the SPA would appoint a deputy chairman, and he pledged that committee papers would be published well in advance of meetings to allow members full time to consider them.

The SNP's Stewart Stevenson, who resigned as transport minister after concerns over the government's handling of a winter roads crisis asked whether Mr. Flanagan considered there was a danger of the mistakes he'd made contaminating and lying over the future position of the board.

Mr. Flanagan said the changes facing Police Scotland over the next three years meant a change of board leadership would be a distraction from that.

Image source, Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament

Health secretary Shona Robison has announced a review of the review into the safety of mesh implants, following complaints that the final report was watered down.

Many women have questioned the safety of the implants, which are used to treat incontinence, after suffering debilitating side effects.

Two patient representatives on the original review group quit in protest at what they say was a whitewash.

Now Alison Britten, a professor of healthcare and medical law at Glasgow Caledonian university has been appointed as an independent expert to examine the process.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham says the snaring review was carried out by the parameters laid down by the 2011 legislation.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth intervenes to say the SNH report ignored a lot of the evidence and that the report should be reviewed.

Ms Cunningham says SNH will continue to consider points around this.

The environment secretary says compliance with the law appears to be high.

"Banning snaring will not stop those who operate outside the law continuing to do so," she says.

The ends the debate on snaring. We'll be back at 2:30pm with a government led debate on PACE.

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Environment and Land Reform Secretary Roseanna Cunningham says snaring has always been a difficult and harrowing issue.

Ms Cunningham says she believes it remains a necessary part of the land managers' toolbox.

The cabinet secretary says the low losses of livestock to fox must be seen in the context of fox control.

She says the annual cost to of damage by rabbits in Scotland is £59m.

Tory MSP Jamie Greene says it is important that any action on snaring is well considered and looks at all opinions.

Mr Greene say no one can deny that there is a need for fox and rabbit control in Scotland.

The Tory MSP says that crops being destroyed and livestock being lost comes at a considerable cost.

He says "an outright ban on snaring could be damaging to Scotland's economy," He says he does not support illegal snaring and that there should be serious consequences of this.

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SNP MSP Ruth Maguire says there is no way to reconcile animal welfare and snaring.

Ms Maguire highlights the suffering of wildlife and family pets that snaring causes.

The SNP MSP says: "Snares are indiscriminate and cruel."

She says there is no way to use snare and avoid unacceptable and intolerable agony and suffering fo animals.

Greens MSP Alison Johnstone commends the League Against Cruel Sports and OneKind for their opposition to snaring.

Ms Johnstone says snaring is "cruel and indiscriminate" and that she supports a "complete ban".

The Greens MSP says there has been a complete ban in Switzerland.

She says snares and sink pits are often found in close proximity and that it is a cruel disregard to animal welfare.

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Labour MSP James Kelly says snaring is a barbaric practice and one that he thinks should not be allowed to continue.

Mr Kelly calls for more evidence to the debate so the Scottish Parliament can look again at an all out ban on snaring.

Image source, Getty Images

Licences for snaring mountain hares are unlikely to be issued in the future, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has said.

The public body has carried out a review of wild animal snaring for the Scottish government.

SNH said it could not be ruled out that snaring caused unnecessary suffering to hares.

Animal welfare charity OneKind has welcomed the review and the SNH's position on snaring of hares.

The animals can still be shot in culls held at certain times of the year.

Tory MSP Finlay Carson says the vast majority of snaring results in live catching not suffering and that they are designed to catch animals without injury.

Mr Carson says, when it comes to domestic pets, the guidelines state that traps should not be set near homes.

The Tory MSP says "anyone wishing to operate snares in Scotland must be properly trained to do so."

"I condemn wildlife crime of any kind," but would not welcome an outright ban on snaring, he says.

SNP MSP Christine Grahame says she is strongly opposed to snaring and has a long standing opposition to it.

Ms Grahame says a member of the public coming across an animal that has been caught in a snare would not know whether a snare is legal or not.

The SNP MSP says "lets start with a ban on snares then we can continue with a ban on sink pits."

Mr Smyth says the review group did not have access to certain information on snares.

The Labour MSP says it is astonishing that the devices are still allowed in Scotland today.

He says in June last year a cat was returned to her family with "horrific injuries" caused by being caught, and having to chew herself free from a snare.

Mr Smyth says gives other examples of where snares have caused suffering to animals.

"Despite legislation around snaring, non-target catch continues to be an issue," he says.

He says the Scottish Parliament must be "bold" and "courageous" and do what is right for animals in Scotland.

Mr Smyth highlights the October 2016 report, Cruel and Indiscriminate: Why Scotland must become snare-free, external, commissioned jointly by the League Against Cruel Sports and OneKind.

The Labour MSP says that this paper cited instances of evisceration, strangulation and agonising deaths experienced by the animals.

He says that this includes non-target animals such as Scottish wildcats, mountain hares, badgers, hedgehogs, deer, otters, and even family pets.

Mr Smyth acknowledges calls for the Scottish government to consult on an outright ban on snaring across the country.

Image source, LEAGUE AGAINST CRUEL SPORTS

Labour MSP Colin Smyth uses his motion to highlight the recent Scottish National Heritage, external report, Review of Snaring for the Scottish Government., external

Mr Smyth says that this report offers only a limited number of recommendations to strengthen the legislation on snaring.

The Labour MSP says that the League Against Cruel Sports, external considers the review to be a “wasted opportunity” given its limited scope.

He also says that OneKind, external has said that the report was “destined to fail’ as it excluded consideration of whether snares should be used at all.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth says he is a member of the League against Cruel Sports.

Mr Smyth says snares are thin wire nooses designed to catch animals around the neck and are designed to keep the animal alive until the person who sets the snare arrives.

The Labour MSP says snares are indiscriminate and cause suffering to animals including those they are not intended for.

He asks if there is any place for snares in Scotland in 2017.