MSPs scrutinise the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002
Opposition party leaders and MSPs quiz Nicola Sturgeon during first minister's questions
The member's debate marks Down’s Syndrome Awareness Week
Minister delivers statement on major infrastructure projects
The Scottish government leads a debate entitled 'Building Greater Fairness in the Workplace'
Image source, PAThat's all from Holyrood Live on Thursday 22 March 2018.
In first minister's questions Nicola Sturgeon insists she will speak up for human rights on her forthcoming trip to China.
Ms Sturgeon was responding to concerns about human rights abuses raised by Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie.
Have a lovely weekend.
Image source, bbcMSPs back the Scottish government's motion from the fair work debate.
The Tory and Labour amendments were not agreed to.
Image source, bbcEconomy Secretary Keith Brown
Economy Secretary Keith Brown says one of the points of this debate was to seek consensus on fair work, which was blown out of the water by the Labour Party's 'overblown' amendment.
Mr Brown stresses the need to close the gender pay gap.
The cabinet secretary calls for employment law to be brought to this parliament.
He says all groups of workers deserve respect, including all the workers from the EU who must be valued.
The economy secretary says he hopes for conensus on fair work in the future.
Tory MSP Jamie Halcro Johnson says the expansion of the gig economy and casual work in recent years has made fair working practices more challenging.
We must not lose sight of the often hard-won rights of workers in the face of many of the positives of the modern economy, he says.
Since the recession a decade ago there has been a rise in employment but wage growth remains a problem across the UK, the Tory MSP states.
Mr Halcro Johnston emphasises the UK government's commitment to retain workers' rights currently legislated for in Brussels, noting the UK offers more than the minimum set by the EU in many areas.
Efforts have been made to promote fair work but "there remains a great deal to be done", the MSP concludes.
Scottish government warns employers over snow days pay docking
Scottish ministers are considering action against employers for docking the wages of staff who could not make it to work because of the bad weather.
The public was advised not to travel during the worst of the snow last week.
Scottish Transport Minister Humza Yousaf said he had been contacted by people who were facing disciplinary action or potential docking of wages.
He told the BBC that was not acceptable and he would look at the legal position.
Image source, bbcLabour MSP Pauline McNeill says the imbalance in power between employers and employees has to be ironed out.
Ms McNeill says precarious employment contracts must be brought to a halt.
She says government contracts should make it clear agencies should not be used unless there is a clear case to do so.
The Labour MSP insists government contracts should demand the living wage, trade union representation and good terms and conditions.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe scale of maternity discrimination is being hidden because of the use of gagging orders when women who have lost their jobs settle out of court, experts have told the Victoria Derbyshire programme.
"My boss said if I'm not going back to work, then I'd have to pay back all the maternity payment."
"Emma" - not her real name - was working as a beautician when she became pregnant.
She did not realise at the time that her boss's request was against the law.
Around one in nine of more than 3,000 mothers questioned said they had been dismissed, made compulsorily redundant, or treated so badly they felt they had to leave their job,according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission in 2015., external
This is despite the Employment Rights Act and Equality Act protecting women from unfair dismissal because they are pregnant or on maternity leave.
Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour has dedicated his speak to barriers to employment for disabled people.
Image source, Getty ImagesTwenty years of progress towards real equality for disabled people in Scotland could be at risk, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has said.
The commission warned that a "concentrated effort" needed to be made around housing, hate crime, mental health, employment and education.
But the Scottish government said the report failed to acknowledge its disability delivery plan, external.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said it had highlighted several "significant inequalities" in Scotland as part of a UK-wide report into disabled life.
They included:
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Image source, PAThe Scottish Labour leader has said women in Glasgow City Council are owed an apology for "too much resistance" to their equal pay claims when the local authority was under Labour control.
Richard Leonard said Labour settled many equal pay claims but there was "too much legal obstruction".
The party was in power in the city for decades before being ousted by the SNP last May.
He was speaking to the party's Women's Conference in Glasgow.
The council dropped its legal challenge in January with cross-party agreement.
MSPs debated the Trade Union Bill despite it being a Westminster reserved matter
Back in January 2016, MSPs voiced dissent against the UK government's Trade Union Bill.
The matter was debated by the full parliament after a report condemning the Westminster bill was put together by the then devolution committee.
The SNP and Scottish Labour were both strongly opposed to the bill, and made efforts to have it blocked north of the border.
Members lined up to speak out against the legislation, which sought to tighten regulations on trade unions and make it more difficult to call strikes.
A number of speakers in this debate have mentioned the recent bid by SNP MP Stewart McDonald to legislate against unpaid trial shifts.
Image source, Getty ImagesA bid to ban unpaid trial shifts has failed despite concern that it hits the "lowest paid and lowest skilled" people.
SNP MP Stewart McDonald said it was often people who "don't know their rights and can't stand up for them" who are exploited.
The UK government talked out his members bill in the Commons, meaning it has no chance of becoming law.
The government said it did not think more regulations were needed.
But business minister Andrew Griffiths said he was "very keen" to work with Mr McDonald to address the issues.
Image source, Getty ImagesPlans to make Scotland a "living wage nation" over the next three years have been put forward by the Scottish government.
Measures include a regionally focused accreditation scheme for employers to create the UK's "first living wage towns, cities and regions".
It is hoped at least 25,000 more people will benefit from the move.
There will also be a drive to persuade more organisations in low-paid sectors to join the scheme.
The Scottish government backs the "real living wage" of £8.75 an hour, as promoted by the Living Wage Foundation campaign group.
Glasgow City Council says "negotiation not litigation" will solve the dispute over equal pay for some women workers.
The council has agreed not to appeal against a court decision last year over the grading system and will now discuss a settlement with the unions.
The dispute centres on the way some jobs were graded several years ago.
It meant workers such as cleaners and care assistants may have been earning less than men in jobs deemed to be of equal value.
Unions welcomed the decision while the council leader said it drew a line under the actions of the previous administration.
Image source, Scottish governmentCommitments in the labour market strategy include:
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Image source, bbcAmazon has been accused of 'intolerable' working conditions at its largest UK distribution centre in Dunfermline
In 2016 we reported Scotland's economy secretary held "productive" talks with Amazon after claims of unacceptable working conditions at its Fife depot.
Keith Brown said the firm agreed to "consider" his request to pay a"living wage" of £8.45 an hour.
He said they would have another meeting in two or three months' time.
The minister had previously said he was concerned by reportsthat staff at the Dunfermline site could be sacked for being off sick., external
Image source, bbcLib Dem MSP Willie Rennie
Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie says he is pleased that hundreds have signed up the Scottish Business Pledge.
However he says we don't know what changes the businesses have made.
Mr Rennie says Amazon would not be allowed to sign the pledge and says it would be good to know if they were going to change their practices to meet the fair work agenda.
Mr Rennie agrees with SNP MSP Tom Arthur that it was disgraceful for the private member's bill outlawing 'trial shifts' to be talked out at Westminster.
The proposed law from SNP MP Stewart Macdonald would end the practice of people being asked to work without pay and with no guarantee of a job.
Despite wide cross-party support for the bill and a public petition with over 140,000 signatures, it won’t be going ahead.