That ends our coverage of the Scottish Parliament for Tuesday 27 June 2017.

We'll be back tomorrow morning with live coverage of the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee as it takes evidence from Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing on CAP payments from 9am.

We'll see you then. Have a good night.

Nicola Sturgeon has put her independence referendum plans temporarily on hold after announcing a "reset" of her proposed timetable.

The first minister had called for an independence referendum to be held in the autumn of 2018 or spring of 2019.

But Ms Sturgeon told Holyrood she would now delay her plans to introduce legislation for a referendum.

However, she later said it was still "likely" a referendum would be held by 2021.

Ms Sturgeon has been considering her options since the SNP lost 21 seats in the election earlier this month.

She said the Scottish government would delay its proposed referendum legislation until at least the autumn of next year - although it would still need the permission of the UK government for a legally binding vote to be held.

• Read more here
• Read Ms Sturgeon's statement in full, external

Image source, PA

Mr McDonald says the government has published its first Exploitation and Human Trafficking Strategy.

The childcare and early years minister says the government has provided funding to Stop It Now Scoltand and SACRO.

He says the government will continue to engage with stakeholders on deterrents for those who look at these images online.

The minister says: "We have to do everything that we can to restrict the demand for these images."

He says the Scottish government stands ready to do all it can.

Image source, bbc

Childcare and Early Years Minister Mark McDonald says no one should be apologetic for finding this subject difficult to talk about and says it is important to do so.

Mr McDonald says the internet has a dark side and makes it easier for those with bad intentions.

The childcare and early years minister says this it is not a crime without evidence and following the money can often be a way to catch those responsible.

He says there are children in Scotland being abused over the internet and that abuse must be tackled.

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson says this is a subject that will properly motivate people to do their very best to tackle it.

Mr Stevenson says he, until very recently, had a sex-offenders prison in his constituency and that these people are often social and able to "suck in other people".

The SNP MSP says the unfortunate truth is that the content coming through cannot be encrypted of banned because it cannot always be seen as it is coming through.

He says it may be time to go back to the "Al Capone approach" and "follow the money" to get to the root of the problem.

Image source, Thinkstock

The numbers of people viewing online child sex abuse images in the UK amount to a "social emergency", says the NSPCC.

A report by the charity suggests the number of individuals looking at such images could exceed half a million.

It is calling for a "robust action plan" to cut off the supply of content.

The Home Office says it is working with law enforcers, companies and voluntary organisations to stamp out online child exploitation.

In the past five years the number of offences recorded by police of viewing child sexual abuse images under the Obscene Publications Act has more than doubled across the UK, reaching a total of 8,745 in 2015.

But the NSPCC believes the true scale of offending in the UK to be far greater.

Read more here.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Finlay Carson says boys and girls, some under the age of two, are being abused in front of a webcam and that the more serious the abuse, the more will be paid.

Mr Carson says it is more important than ever to have governments who have safeguards in place to protect children online.

The Tory MSP says "we have the tools" to take down the images and websites and that it is important to make sure that our police are doing so.

He says IJM highlights crimes inflicted on children and that "we must not shy away from it."

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Rona Mackay says this is truly the darker side of the internet and of human nature.

Ms Mackay says that the victims are normally the poorest and most vulnerable.

The SNP MSP says 30m indecent images of children in Scotland were identified during a recent operation.

"It is here on our doorsteps," she says, adding that perpetrators do not have "I'm an abuser" tattooed on their foreheads and it could be anyone.

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Rhoda Grant says sexual exploitation in any guise is simply wrong and that this exploitation is now happening live over the internet rather than by the sharing of images.

The Labour MSP says children's lives are being damaged by this abuse and it is also damaging that the pictures of that abuse are still being circulated on the internet.

She says images must be tracked and removed and those viewing them must be published.

Ms Grant says that many of the images originate in Amsterdam where prostitution is legal and that this is sexual exploitation.

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Ash Denham says sexual violence fuels human trafficking and many of the children have no one else to fight for them.

The SNP MSP says she has also read The Locust Effect and that she would recommend it.

She says some of the poorest men, women and children are abused in front of the authorities.

Ms Denham says many perpetrators commit their crimes safe in the knowledge that they will never be brought to justice.

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Kate Forbes says across the world today there are children who are at the hands of "merciless abusers".

Ms Forbes says perpetrators of the abuse are not people that stand out when you walk past them on the street.

The SNP MSP says 54% of the victims rescued by IJM were between one and 12-years-old.

She says right now there are children at the mercy of a western market.

Tory MSP Gordon Lindhurst says the IJM protects the vulnerable and brings perpetrators to justice.

Mr Lindhurst says the internet brings benefits but also has "a terrible darkside" that spans borders.

The Tory MSP says this requires co-operation across borders to pursue justice.

He says Stop it Now Scotland, external can help people to identify concerning behaviour with those they may know.