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Mr Matheson says he has already set out the reasons why there is no need for an inquiry into undercover policing in Scotland.

He says the concerns relate to English and Welsh forces.

Labour MSP Neil Findlay says Scottish victims are being refused access to justice.

He urges the justice secretary to establish an inquiry, saying "the police inspecting the police in this whitewash simply will not do".

Labour MSP Elaine Smith raises a point of order, asking why Mr Matheson's response to Daniel Johnstone did not include an answer on Phil Gormley.

She asks the presiding officer to allow the cabinet secretary to return to the chamber at a later date.

Presiding officer says this is a matter for business managers and the parliamentary bureau.

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Tory MSP Margaret Mitchell says the cabinet secretary's intervention into the SPA's decision to return Mr Gormley to active duty has been handled appallingly.

Mr Matheson says his accountabiliy is to the parliament and he says the SPA decision caused him serious concern.

He says his actions in questioning the SPA were entirely appropriate.

Michael Matheson says it would have appeared strange if he had not referred to the chief constable's decision, arguing he was not conflating two issues.

He accepts the public concerns around undercover policing but reiterates that an inquiry would only duplicate work being down in England and Wales, stating there was a lack of evidence and limited scale of such activity in Scotland.

If information becomes available during the inquiry that does relate to Scotland, he will reconsider whether further measures are necessary.

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Labour MSP Daniel Johnson says it is disappointing the minister has put two important issues into a single statement.

Mr Johnson welcomes the review into undercover policing, but asks why the justice secretary will not commit to an independent inquiry.

The Labour MSP cites the shambles around Police Scotland and asks if the justice secretary is concerned he may have prejudiced the chief constable's return.

On the latter point, Michael Matheson says he will leave the "amateur politics" to Mr Kerr, suggesting he is being misleading.

Police Scotland is pursuing the matter with relevant bodies in the rest of the UK to ensure a proper mechanism is in place for cross border operations, he confirms.

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Tory MSP Liam Kerr says the review into undercover policing is important and asks about cross border operations and cooperation.

He asks if the justice secretary will do the decent thing and follow the chief constable out of the door.

Michael Matheson has written to Home Secretary Amber Rudd to ask her to reconsider the terms of reference for the undercover policing inquiry.

He confirms any recommendations arising from the inquiry will be considered and, where appropriate, implemented in Scotland.

Mr Mathesons says he is not satisfied that establishing a seperate inquiry in Scotland is necessary or in the public interest.

He says it is not necessary or justified, due to the lack of evidence of any systemic failings in undercover policing in Scotland.

Michael Matheson notes a number of G8 authorisations were dual authorised, subject to oversight by the Office of Surveillance Commissioners.

The activity of England and Welsh undercover officers in Scotland was authorised as part of an operation that began or mainly took place south of the border, confirms Mr Matheson.

Outwith G8, Scottish police forces did not take part in undercover operations in Scotland, he says.

The justice secretary says there is no evidence of similar issues in Scotland which led to the establishment of the inquiry in England and Wales.

An independent review of undercover policing in Scotland provides reassurance to the public around the scale and extent of the use of undercover police officers since 2000.

The independent HM Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland (HMICS) report ‘A Strategic Review of Undercover Policing in Scotland’ identifies room for improvement and makes 19 recommendations that Police Scotland have committed to implement in full.

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Justice Secretary Michael Matheson welcomed the report and confirmed that setting up a separate Scottish inquiry would not be in the public interest.

Mr Matheson has also written to the Home Secretary asking her to reconsider the terms of reference of the Undercover Policing Inquiry’s remit to include the activity of English and Welsh police units in Scotland.

Mr Matheson says the terms of reference of the UK undercover policing inquiry do not extend to Scotland, despite the evidence showing they were operating here.

He says he has written to Theresa May to complain about this.

Mr Matheson says the report makes clear that since 2000 the use of undercover policing has not been widespread in Scotland.

Rather HMICS believes undercover online work has been under-utilised, he says.

Turning to the undercover policing inquiry taking places in England and Wales, the justice secretary says the decision to begin this in 2014 followed a series of concerns, including the infiltration of protect groups and the police having "routinely adopted a tactic of promiscuity".

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There is no evidence that undercover Police Scotland officers have infiltrated social justice campaigns, a report has concluded.

Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary (HMICS) said undercover officers had been used effectively to tackle serious crime in Scotland.

And it said the use of undercover policing was not widespread.

The report was commissioned amid concern about the activities of undercover officers in England.

There has been pressure for a Scottish inquiry into covert policing after the UK government refused to allow its own public inquiry to include Scotland.

• Read the full report, external
• 'Police wanted me to spy on campaigners'
• Secret PC 'used dead child's name'
• The undercover cop, his lover, and their son

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From 27 July 2017- Police Scotland's Chief Constable Phil Gormley confirms he is under investigation for misconduct...............

.........to 7 February 2018- Mr Gormley resigns from the post of chief constable with immediate effect, saying that the "events since November 2017" make it "impossible for me to resume my duties in a meaningful way".

Click here for a detailed timeline into the Phil Gormley inquiry.

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Mr Matheson says he has spoken with Susan Deacon who is the chair of the Scottish Police Authority which will undertake the appointment of a new chief constable.

The justice secretary says he is encouraged by Ms Deacon's commitment.

He moves on to the HMICS report into undercover officers.

The minister says Police Scotland will underake all 19 recommendations.

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The chief constable of Police Scotland has resigned with immediate effect.

Phil Gormley had been on special leave since September amid a series of investigations into claims of gross misconduct.

The Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (Pirc) had been investigating five complaints, while a further two were being assessed internally.

Mr Gormley has always denied any wrongdoing.

But in a statement, he said he had come to the conclusion since "events" in November that it would be impossible to resume his duties in any meaningful way ahead of his contract expiring at the end of this year, regardless of the outcome of the investigations.

• Timeline: The Phil Gormley inquiry
• Police chief facing seventh complaint

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson confirms Phil Gormley will leave Police Scotland with immediate effect, which he hopes will allow policing in Scotland to move forward.

He pays tributes to police officers who have continued to serve Scotland despite scrutiny of management over recent months.