Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins says he will reflect on the minister's comments.

Mr Tomkins says he will continue conversations with UK ministers, Scottish ministers and anybody else to broker a deal and withdraws amendment 120 and does not move his other probing amendments.

Brexit Minister Michael Russell says "it's difficult to follow" Mr Harvie's comments on Jamie Greene's amendments.

He says the amendments would require the Scottish government to "sit on its hands" as it binds it to UK government policy and the changing negotiations.

"This is frankly, and with the greatest respect convener, nonsense."

Turning to Mr Tomkins' amendments, the Brexit minister says the key issue it that the UK government could "fill the bucket" with all the powers of the Scottish parliament and Scotland would get no say.

The UK government's proposed amendment is "not based on agreement, it is based on imposition", he adds.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Jamie Greene says nothing in this Bill should undermine the structures of the UK or the structures of the UK internal market.

Mr Greene says section 13 of the EU Continuity Bill allows Scottish ministers to cherry pick EU directives and regulations it wants to have practical implication in Scotland.

He says section 13 would allows Scottish ministers to inhibit future trade deals and moves amendment 148 and 154.

Image source, SP

Image source, SP

Green MSP Patrick Harvie sarcastically commends Jamie Greene on his creativity with these amendments.

Mr Harvie says in just three lines Mr Greene has achieved a work of "perverse art".

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins says his amendments are simply probing and he does not intend to press them.

They belong the grouping titled "exercise of powers under sections 11 and 13: integration with UK Government policy".

Mr Tomkins says negotiations around clause 11 of the EU Withdrawal Bill are progressing and the UK government has tabled an amendment which goes "some distance" towards satisfying the requirements of the Scottish and Welsh governments.

"It doesn't go all the way, the deal is not yet done," but we are getting there he adds.

The Tory MSP welcomes the Scottish government's recognition of the need for common frameworks and he feels the EU Withdrawal Bill should specify the areas where such frameworks are required.

"This is what my amendments in this group seek to do."

Whitehall analysis has identified 153 areas where policy in devolved areas is currently decided in Brussels.

The UK government's Brexit bill had initially proposed returning all of these to Westminster immediately after Brexit.

But it has recently put forward changes that would see the "vast majority" of those EU powers instead returning directly from Brussels to Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast.

Image source, PA/Getty Images/BBC

This would include in areas such as carbon capture, water quality and energy efficiency.

But it has named 24 devolved policy areas where it wants to retain power temporarily in the wake of Britain's exit from the bloc, including in areas such as agriculture, fisheries, food labelling and public procurement.

The UK government says this is necessary to avoid different parts of the UK having different food hygiene or safety regulations.

But the Scottish and Welsh governments have repeatedly accused the UK government of a "power grab", and have introduced their own Brexit legislation in their respective parliaments.

Theresa May will hold meetings with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her Welsh counterpart Carwyn Jones at Downing Street later..... so watch this space!

Image source, SP

The Tory amendments in this group are not agreed to, neither are the Labour amendents.

Five MSPs voted for them all but six voted against, unlike last night when the majority were rejected eight to three, with Labour joining the Tories.

Tory MSP Dean Lockhart says the amendments in this grouping were largely suggested by the Law Society of Scotland on legal certainty and tests on ministerial power.

He says the minister not accepting these raises "real concerns" about how the powers will work in practice.

Many of the amendments seek to address how special powers can be exercised by ministers, states the Tory MSP.

It is "disappointing" that the minister is sticking to the subjective test of "appropriate" rather than "necessary", Mr Lockhart adds.

Image source, PA

The Scottish government's stop-gap Brexit legislation passed its first vote at Holyrood on 7 March 2018.

Ministers have put forward their own EU Continuity Bill amid a row with the UK government over the Westminster EU Withdrawal Bill and post-Brexit powers.

Scottish Brexit minister Mike Russell said he was "regretful" that the bill had to go ahead, but said it was "a job that has to be done".

MSPs passed the continuity bill at stage one by 94 votes to 30.

The Scottish and Welsh governments are both pushing ahead with their own Brexit legislation, as a row with UK ministers over post-Brexit powers rumbles on.

Representatives will meet in London on Thursday for the latest joint ministerial council, with both sides insisting they are still working hard to come to an agreement over how to set up UK-wide frameworks of devolved powers currently exercised from Brussels.

Ministers from the devolved administrations say they will not put forward the EU Withdrawal Bill for consent votes in Edinburgh or Cardiff until changes are agreed on this front, and are working on their own stop-gap legislation in the meantime.

• What is the continuity bill?
• Look back on the Brexit debate on Holyrood Live
• Read more here

Mr Russell says he will accept some amendments, not on the basis of favouritism but on practicality.

The minister says he will support Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott's amendments 10 and 16 providing ministe

Image source, SP

Image source, SP

Mr Russell says he will accept further amendments on scrutiny and powers.

Brexit Minister Michael Russell says how minister can exercise their powers is crucial but says the "job of work to be done" cannot be done by the tools available at the moment.

However, the minister accepts that any new powers must be scrutinsed.

He confirms the government will accept a "range of amendments that do just that", though he will not accept "every singe proposal, some of which are inoperable or would be difficult to operate".

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Willie Coffey says it is better to allow some flexibility to apply here and says these amendments could weaken the Bill at best.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Liam Kerr speaks to his amendments in this group and then his colleague Adam Tomkins speaks.

Mr Tomkins says the minister is fond of reminding MSPs about the importance of language yet constantly uses the unnecessary hyperbolic term "power grab" in reference to the UK government.

"There is a power grab here from parliament to executive," insists the Tory MSP.

Green MSP Patrick Harvie says he is uncomfortable to have reached the same conclusion as Mr Tomkins.

Mr Harvie says there is a good case for replacing the word "appropriate" with "necessary" in this part of the Bill.

Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott says his amendments will seek to tougher rules around ministerial action and restrict when ministers can use powers.

He wants a test of necessary placed on all powers in section 11.

Tory MSP Jamie Greene says his amendment is similar in nature to Neil Bibby's in relation to section 12, which relates to ministers ensuring compliance with international obligations, but suggests his go further.

It is not for the Scottish government to decide if the UK government is complying to international treaties he argues, adding that giving the power to the government could undermine the judicial system.

Mr Greene says his amendment would see this power given to courts rather than conferred to ministers.

Image source, Getty Images

The prime minister has said she is determined to end the deadlock with the devolved governments over Brexit.

Theresa May will hold meetings with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her Welsh counterpart Carwyn Jones at Downing Street later.

The three have been at loggerheads over what happens to powers in devolved areas when they return from Brussels after Brexit.

Ms Sturgeon said she did not expect a deal to be reached at the meeting.

The UK government recently proposed the "vast majority" of powers returned from the EU would go straight to Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast rather than Westminster.

But it would retain control in 24 areas, at least in the short term.

• UK ministers want 'temporary control' of devolved areas
• What is the EU Continuity Bill?
• Read more here