Scotland's Lord Advocate has defended the "continuity bill" brought forward by ministers as part of an ongoing row over post-Brexit powers.

Holyrood's presiding officer has said the bill falls outwith the Scottish Parliament's remit.

But top lawyer James Wolffe said the bill was "carefully framed" to be in line with UK and EU law.

Image source, PA/Scottish Parliament/ AFP

The government intends to press ahead with the legislation even without the backing of the presiding officer.

MSPs will discuss proceeding with the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill as an Emergency Bill on Thursday.

This is an unprecedented move - a government bill has never before gone forward without the support of the presiding officer, and a bill has never received Royal Assent under these circumstances.

• What is the continuity bill?
• Look back on the Lord Advocate's statement on Holyrood Live
• Read more here

The Tory MSP says the continuity bill is "unwelcome, it is unnessary and it is dangerous".

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins says the core problem with the motion is that there is no emergency.

Mr Tomkins says there is a year and a month to legislate according to the Lord Advocate, whereas the Brexit minister says there is just three weeks.

He says emergency legislation must avoided wherever possible.

"The SNP are treating this pariament with disdain."

Mr Russell says it is quite obvious that emergency legisaltion is required.

"I'm confident this parliament can give the bill the scrutiny it needs."

The Brexit minister says he will ensure the briefing material required for this legisaltion will be available.

He says the government stands ready to help the parliament with the scrutiny of this bill.

The Brexit Minister calls for the continuity bill to be treated as an emergency bill.

Image source, PA

Scottish ministers have published a "continuity bill" as the latest feature of their ongoing row with the UK government over post-Brexit powers. What is the continuity bill, how would it work, and what might happen next?

Image source, AFP

• What is the background to this row?
• Where does the continuity bill come in?
• How would it work?
• Is this legal?
• What is the procedure from here?
• How could this end?

All these questions are answered here by our esteemed colleague Philip Sim.

Mr Russell says an emergency timetable is necessary and he says the Welsh and Scottish government's both saught to avoid having to introduce continuity bills.

The Brexit minister says the timetable for the continuity bills is being driven by Westminster.

He says without the continuity bill the Scottish government would be defenceless and without options.

The Brexit minister calls for a united Scottish voice.

Scottish ministers have tabled their own alternative to the EU Withdrawal Bill at Holyrood.

The Scottish and UK governments are locked in a dispute over sections of the Westminster bill relating to devolved powers.

A continuity bill has been introduced at Holyrood, externalas a stop-gap solution if MSPs do not consent to the UK bill.

However, the presiding officer has not backed the move, saying it is not for Holyrood to legislate on.

Image source, BBC/PA

Scottish ministers "respectfully disagree", and are to press ahead with the legislation anyway.

The UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill has now been formally introduced at Holyrood.

It is an alternative to the EU Withdrawal Bill, focused on devolved matters, to be used in the event that MSPs do not give their consent to the Westminster legislation.

The Scottish government says there was still scope for a deal to be agreed with Westminster, but has rejected the current offer from UK ministers.

• What is the Brexit continuity bill?
• Brian Taylor on law, politics and the continuity bill
• Look back on the statement on Holyrood Live
• Read more here

Brexit Minister Mike Russell says parliament is rightly sparing in giving its approval to emergency legislation.

Mr Russell says he is keen to see maximum scrutiny of the continuity bill.

Image source, Scottish government/twitter

Brexit Minister Mike Russell will now lead a debate calling on the parliament to agree the UK Withdrawawl from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill, external be treated as an emergency bill.

Image source, bbc

Image source, Google

Six 13-year-olds from Ayrshire have been treated in hospital overnight after a suspected drug incident.

The children were all reported to be unwell at about 18:25 on Saturday. They were taken to Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock and kept in overnight.

Police have said the children knew each other and may have taken a form of the drug MDMA.

Officers have urged anyone else who becomes unwell after taking similar substances to seek medical help.

Read more.

The first minister says wishes all the children a speedy recovery and says anyone feeling similar symptoms should seek medical help urgently.

SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson says the MDMA pills were red, green or brown bearing an owl logo.

The first minister says Poilce Scotland are encouraging parents to talk to their children about the danger of drugs and she points to the Know the Score website, external.

SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson asks about the dangers of teenagers in Ayrshire ingesting substances purporting to be the drug, MDMA.

Labour MSP Anas Sarwar says it was Nicola Sturgeon who cut the number of training places for nurses and says nursing vacancies are at record levels.

Mr Sarwar says the NHS workforce is overworked, undervalued and under resourced.

He calls for the first minister to apologise for cutting nursing training places.

The first minister says there has been an increase in the NHS workforce of 10% since the SNP came to power.

SNP MSP Clare Haughey, a nurse herself, asks how we can retain EU nurses after Brexit.

Ms Sturgeon says to EU nationals that they are welcome an Scotland wants them to stay.

She calls for control of migration policy to be delivered to Holyrood.

Image source, Ge

The Scottish government is is to fund about 360 extra training places for nurses and midwives in the next year.

The health secretary said nurses are at the core of new health care models and the Scottish government is doing all it can to boost recruitment.

Shona Robison said the 10.8% increase would take the number entering the profession from 3,360 to 3,724.

Ministers havepreviously committed to 2,600 new training places during the current parliament.

The new intake would boost student numbers to a record high of more than 12,000, Ms Robison said.

Read more here.

The first minister says the government has committed to training an additional 2,600 nurses by the end of this parliament.

Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton pays tribute to the frontline staff who have battled through the weather to keep the NHS running.

Ms Hamilton says nursing vacancies have increased and calls for adequate workforce planning to address this.

The first miniser say there is no doubt staffing challenges have been exacerbated by Brexit.

She says staffing is at a record high in Scotland and criticises a 23% reduction in applications to nursing course in England.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton seeks information on action to train and recruit more nurses.

Ms Sturgeon says yesterday's announcement brought the establishment of a Scottish national investment bank one step closer.

The first minister says the recommendatons are the investment bank will be publically owned.

Image source, bbc