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Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour says every political party in Scotland wanted to see change to the welfare system.

Mr Balfour says the staff in the job centres are helping people to fill out Universal Credit forms.

He says the principle is right, to help people into employment.

Mr Balfour accepts the emergency payment is a loan and he says when he started work he got a loan from his parents to tide him over.

He says if someone goes in they will get money on the day.

SNP MSP Stuart McMillan says people are not starting a job but are trying to get something to eat and feed their family.

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Social Security Committee convener Sandra White says: "Universal Credit has been a shambles since its inception."

Ms White says what kind of a country gives a loan to someone in desperate need.

She says the DWP want to have a totally digital service, but only a quarter of people surveyed would be confident in using this.

Mr Cole-Hamilton says splitting payments across households is essential in welfare reform.

The Lib Dem MSP says there is an opportunity to block coercive control by splitting payments.

He says the introduction of UC should be halted until the problems have been fixed.

Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton says his party supports calls to halt this rollout.

Mr Cole-Hamilton says welfare reform has been a necessary response to the shifting nature of challenges.

The Lib Dem MSP says he is not wholly proud of everything that was done during coalition.

He says there has been misery with the rollout of Universal Credit.

Ms Johnston says when UC was launched the white paper said no-one will receive a reduction in benefit.

The Green MSP says there have been "huge cuts" and there has also been changes to tax credits and the "abhorrent" rape clause.

She says research shows that UC will take £3.1bn out of the pockets by the poorest families by 2020.

Ms Johnston says the white paper promised 900,000 people will be lifted out of poverty and charities say it will have the opposite affect.

She says the Greens will support the government motion at decision time.

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Green MSP Alison Johnstone says this is the second time in a month Universal Credit has been debated, reflecting the severe concern about its rollout.

Ms Johnstone says the number of cuts in the transition to UC is serious.

She highlights the report Universal Credit in East Lothian which showed the impact on people, particularly on disabled recipients who lost up to 20% of their income.

Mr Rowley questions why the UK government is pushing ahead with this "failed system".

The Scottish Labour interim leader says the evidence that this system is flawed in design is overwhelming.

He calls on the UK government to listen to this parliament today and urges the Tories to halt the rollout.

"Listen to the people," he says.

Mr Rowley says: "The Tories here in Scotland seem to want to bury there heads in the sand."

Tory MSP Maurice Golden asks if work is not the best way out of poverty and he says people on UC are 13% more likely to be in work than those on JSA.

Mr Rowley agrees skills and education are the best way out of poverty but says Mr Golden is putting forward another weak Tory argument.

Mr Rowley says the UK government are only introducing "sticking plaster solutions".

The Scottish Labour interim leader says there has been an increase in rent arrears and crisis loans.

He says there is a problem with the six week waiting period but, instead of halting the rollout, the UK government is carrying on regardless.

"Why would any government in a civilised society continue to rollout a policy that hurts tens of thousands of people," he says.

Mr Rowley says the government are carrying on regardless of who is being hurt in the process.

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A charity has called for a suspension in the expansion of a major benefit reform because it says families risk being pushed into a spiral of debt.

Citizens Advice said those under the Universal Credit system were more likely to struggle with priority debts.

But the government said the system offered extra support and that budgeting and financial help was available.

Universal Credit merges six existing benefits into one.

These include tax credits, housing benefit, income support, Jobseeker's Allowance, and employment and support allowance. By 2022, more than seven million households will receive Universal Credit - at least half of which will be in work.

A major rollout of the scheme begins soon, following a series of delays. The system was originally scheduled to be fully in place this year.

Read more here.

Labour MSP Alex Rowley says he is glad to move his party's amendment and support the government motion.

Mr Rowley says Universal Credit has had a negative impact on the health and well being on so many.

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The Scottish Labour interim leader praises CAS for its campaign, supported by 24 Scottish charities, to halt the rollout of UC.

Mr Rowley says: "It is fair to say the majority of Scotland is now calling on the UK government to stop the rollout of Universal Credit."

Mr Tomkins says it is more important that the DWP gets this right than halting it.

The Tory MSP says the DWP should not carry on regardless without addressing concerns but that they are addressing concerns and problems.

Labour MSP Iain Gray says the evidence of increased rent arrears is absolutely clear in East Lothian.

Mr Tomkins says there was a particular problem in East Lothian that has been addressed.

The Tory MSP says it is clear DWP officials are working hard to address problems with the UC rollout.

He says claimants will now not have to wait six weeks, they will get it in five days.

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Mr Tomkins says if claimants are in need they will get a payment on the same day.

Ms Freeman says the DWP's own information shows one in four claimants waits six weeks and one in ten turn to pay day loans.

Mr Tomkins says claimants in need are getting the money they need on the same day.

Mr Tomkins says the minister claims Universal Credit is driving people into poverty and this is the exact opposite of the desired effect of it.

The Tory MSP says three aspects of UC are said to be causing problems: monthly payments, payments to landlords and people having to wait six weeks for the initial payment.

He says the Scottish parliament can and have changed the first two aspects; monthly payments and payments to landlords.

Mr Tomkins says it is not clear from the evidence that rent arrears is being caused by UC because many people were already in rent arrears before UC was introduced.

Families could be left homeless and destitute if Theresa May insists on pressing ahead with Universal Credit, a former top adviser has warned.

Dame Louise Casey urged the prime minister to delay the rollout of the new benefit system so it can be fixed.

A dozen Tory MPs have been calling for it to be paused, the Daily Telegraph says., external

Official figures show, external 24% of new Universal Credit claimants wait longer than six weeks to be paid in full - causing many to fall behind on rent.

That could make a big difference to families who were "close to the edge," Dame Louise told the BBC. They "will end up in dire circumstances, more dire than I think we have seen in this country for years".

• Universal Credit 'a factor in rent arrears'

The government says the new system, which merges six existing benefits into one, offers extra support and that budgeting and financial help is available.

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Tory MSP Adam Tomkins says: "Universal Credit is the right thing to do."

Mr Tomkins says these were the words of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

He says: "Universal Credit is a reform to be welcomed."

The Tory MSP says more people are in work under UC.

He says there should be no going back, but he accepts there are problems.