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Justice Secretary Michael Matheson says he is conscious of the issues raised by the sub-committee on justice.

Mr Matheson says he will consider its report and the other evidence from the Public Audit Committee.

He says the government will consider the findings of the reports into the SPA "very carefully".

Labour MSP Mary Fee says the position of Andrew Flanagan is untenable and he has lost the confidence of MSPs of all parties.

Ms Fee asks what will it take for the government to take action.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson says he has regular meetings with the chair and meets the board once a year.

Ms Fee says the Justice Sub-Committee published its report saying it does not see Andrew Flanagan as a suitable chair.

The Labour MSP says Mr Flanagan was appointed chair to improve transparency and he has failed.

She says his position is unattainable and he should go.

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MSPs "do not have confidence" in the leadership of Scottish Police Authority chairman Andrew Flanagan.

The SPA chief has come under fire at a series of Holyrood inquiries about governance and transparency.

The justice sub-committee on policing has now penned a letter calling Mr Flanagan's evidence "inadequate" and said issues remain "unresolved".

Mr Flanagan said he would consider the report "very carefully", having previously refused to quit.

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The SPA board also met on Thursday, and agreed to appoint a new deputy chair and to hold meetings in public "wherever possible".

Holyrood's public audit committee and police watchdog Derek Penman have both been conducting inquiries into transparency at the SPA, which is the public body holding Police Scotland to account.

This follows a row over board meetings being held behind closed doors, which led to board member Moi Ali quitting amid claims of "bullying" and concerns over Mr Flanagan's failure to circulate a critical letter about this from Mr Penman around the board.

Read more here.

Labour MSP Mary Fee asks the Scottish government when the justice secretary last met the Scottish Police Authority and what issues were discussed.

We now move to topical questions on the Scottish Police Authority and improvement work to the M8/M73/M74.

Reverend Carol Anne Parker B.Ed B.D from Alloa Ludgate Church will deliver today's time for reflection.

This afternoon begins with topical questions on the Scottish Police Authority and M8/M73/M74 improvemnt projects.

The Scottish government will give a ministerial statement on social security benefits.

Higher Education Minister Shirley-Anne Somerville will then give a ministerial statement on widening access to higher education.

The Equalities and Human Rights Committee will then lead a debate entitled ‘Hidden Lives - New Beginnings: Destitution, asylum and insecure immigration status in Scotland’

The member’s debate will be led by Labour MSP Jackie Baillie and will focus on the Vale of Leven Hospital’s GP Out-of hours services.

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Dr Tim Parkin from the University of Glasgow's School of Veterinary Medicine says given the limitations imposed by the Scottish government he says the two studies are the best evidence available.

Dr Parkin says the evidence stands up to scrutiny and the legislation will provide a better situation than south of the border.

That ends the committee evidence session.

Alan Marshall from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation says the draft legislation reads "quite sensibly".

"I would be tail shortening young pups rather than watching an adult dog suffering chronic pain," he says.

He says gun dogs are essential to hunting for the welfare of the animal being hunted.

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Runa Hanaghan from the Dogs Trust says she would reject the review of the regulations.

Ms Hanaghan says there is not enough narrowing and the regulations are based research that does not stand up in terms of animal welfare

"We have huge reservations."

She says far more animals would need to be docked than are injured in later life.

Melissa Donald from the British Veterinary Association says there is more that can be done with prevention and that re-introducing tail docking would be a "disproportionate response."

Ms Donald says the vet's oath is to protect animals.

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SNP MSP Kate Forbes asks if the regulations are a proportionate response.

Jim Dukes says this legislation is really, really important and will cange a lot of working dogs' lives.

He says he would be happy to see the change.

Alan Marshall from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation says vets will know what the legislation is and will refuse to do the procedure if the dog is unlikely to be used for working.

Mr Marshall says the British Association for Shooting and Conservation are trying to "narrow this down" to a specific dog to be tail docked.

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Committee convener Graeme Dey says the number of dog tail injuries treated by the owner is not known.

Dr Tim Parkin from the University of Glasgow's School of Veterinary Medicine says cross border traffic in docked puppies has increased due to the ban on docking.

Tory MSP Peter Chapman asks if witnesses are content with the definition of the breeds and combination of the breeds in the regulations.

Runa Hanaghan from the Dogs Trust says this is a loophole in the regulations and she has concerns about the legislation.

Ms Hanaghan says: "I am not up to this exemption at all, I think we should reject it."

Tory MSP Finlay Carson asks if it reasonable to suggest that the number of dogs presenting with injuries may be lower because of the number of dogs being tail docked south of the border.

Runa Hanaghan from the Dogs Trust says she is not sure if that can be evaluated without knowing the number of working dogs there are in Scotland.

Ms Hanaghan says that there are also no figures on how many hunting dogs have been docked in down south.

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Runa Hanaghan from the Dogs Trust says tail amputation and tail docking are actually the same thing.

Ms Hanaghan says it has been shown for many species neo-natal animals feel more pain than adults.

Melissa Donald from the British Veterinary Association says there is long term pain relief for adult dogs pre and post-surgery.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell says he has heard no evidence what the total population of the two breeds are in Scotland.

The committee convener says the committee will try to ascertain the number of spaniels and hunt point retrievers.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell asks if it is an acceptable trade off to shorten the entire population of spaniels in order for 48 not to have to get their tails amputated in later life.

Alan Marshall from the British Association for Shooting and Conservation says the bone, vascular and nerve structure is not the same in a puppy because it is developing.

Mr Marshall says he does not recognise the figures quoted by Mr Ruskell of adult dogs having to be amputated.

Jim Dukes says you cannot provide pain relief for adult dogs for two months while it has an injured tail and in the months it takes to recover from an operation.

Mr Dukes says people want to dock the puppy's tail to prevent seeing it in pain as an adult.

Runa Hanaghan from the Dogs Trust says there is a large proportion of puppies will require docking to prevent injury if this is introduced.

Ms Hanaghan says a lot of the figures are owner-led and the vet-led figures are probably more robust.

Committee convener Graeme Dey says an animal welfare charity must see the damage that can be done to dog's tails and asks what the alternative to docking is.

Ms Hanaghan says that cutting the tail hairs or using Vaseline may help but as she is not a "hunting person" she may not be best placed to answer.

Jim Dukes from Dukes Vet Practice says that a wrapping would not stay on if the ground is muddy and wet.