Image source, bbc

Click here for The Social's take on the Shetland in a box issue., external

Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott says this amendment would stop the "intensely annoying" habit of placement Shetland in a box off the coast.

"We will no longer accept the lazy interpretation of maps which we have put up with for so long."

SNP MSP John Mason expresses concern that the scale of all maps of Scotland will have to be reduced.

"That is the cartographer argument," Mr Scott responds says, adding: "And I just don't buy it!"

Image source, Scottish parliament

After this short comfort break, MSPs will turn to Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott's amendment on Shetland mapping requirements.

Image source, Scottish government

An MSP has launched a bid to ban public authorities from putting Shetland in a box on maps of Scotland.

Tavish Scott, the Lib Dem MSP for the islands, said there was an "important principle" in having accurate maps.

He is attempting to amend the government's Islands Bill, external to include a "Shetland mapping requirement", ensuring that the islands are depicted "accurately and proportionately".

The government has said future maps would "portray our islands accurately".

Read more here.

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Labour MSP Colin Smyth explains his amendment, the first in group 6, and the one from Liam McArthur require ministers to create a scheme where island authorities can call for the devolution of powers.

Mr Smyth argues these amendments would protect against centralisation.

Mr McArthur, the Orkney MSP, tells the chamber he and Mr Smyth have their tanks figuratively parked on the same lawn.

The Greens and the Tories are going to back these amendments.

Islands Minister Humza Yousaf argues that this is not the right place for this power and would have unitnended consequences and impact on island communities.

However, Mr Smyth's amendment 27 is agreed to, with 62 MSPs backing it and 60 against.

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur's amendment on local authorities being able to request retrospective island communities impact assessments, debated earlier, has been agreed unanimously.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth's amendment, which would allow local authorities to request legislation be improved or mitigated it had a detrimental impact on island communities, is defeated (56 for and 66 against).

The Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee considered Stage 2 amendments during March.

According to a SPICe briefing, external, the key changes were:

• The inclusion of uninhabited islands in the definition of an 'island community'
• The inclusion of an explicit definition of what is meant by an 'island authority'
• The inclusion of a high-level objective for a National Islands Plan
• The inclusion of a clause that means a National Islands Plan must list those public authorities which will have duties under the new legislation
• Ministers must set out the steps that will be taken when an identified outcome from a National Islands Plan has not improved within the reporting year
• The inclusion of a three month time frame for the laying of annual reports on the National Islands Plan

• The addition of the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland, all NHS boards, and integration joint boards to the list of public bodies with duties under the Act
• The inclusion of the requirement for public bodies to explain their reasoning in the event of an island communities impact assessment not being carried out
• The inclusion of the requirement that Ministers preparing an island communities impact assessment in respect of legislation should set out the financial implications of steps taken to mitigate outcomes of the relevant legislation
• A revision meaning that an electoral ward which may be eligible to become a one or two member ward could be formed 'wholly or partly' of one or more inhabited islands
• Revisions to the definition of dredging activity
• The removal of the requirement for an island to fall wholly within a marine licensing area

Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott speaks to his amendment 4 relating to the requirement for island communities to have impact assessments on waste legislation and strategies.

Mr Scott wants wast legislation and strategies to understand the dynamic of what happens in islands.

The amendment is withdrawn after some discussion.

Tory MSP Peter Chapman says his party will only support the minister's amendment if it is successfully altered by Mr Smyth's amendment.

The Scottish Conservatives will also support Mr Scott's amendment on consulting island communities about changes to policy, strategy or services.

Voting time..................

Mr Smyth successfully amends Mr Yousaf's amendment after a vote. The amended amendment is the unanimously agreed.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth speaks to his amendments in group 4 relating to legal duties in respect of island communities.

Islands Minister Humza Yousaf backs Mr Smyth's amendment 26 which will provide clarification where local authorities do not have to publish reasons for the lack of an impact assessment where one is not applicable.

However amendment 9a from Colin Smyth does not receive backing for the minister.

The minister goes on to say he cannot support Tavish Scott's amendment in this group.

The Shetland MSP graciously declines to move amendment 2, but moves his amendment 5 on the duty consult island communities, relating it to HIAL parking charges.

Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (Hial) is to introduce parking charges this summer at Sumburgh, Kirkwall and Stornoway airports.

Amendment 5 will be voted on later.

Turning to group 4, 'Legal duties in respect of island communities'.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth says his amendment requires authorities to publish an explanation for why an island impact assessment has not been undertaken.

He welcomes the minister's amendment on 'reviews of decisions relating to island communities impact assessments' but highlights his amendment to this to make it a requirement.

So buckle up:

Amendment 24 from Tory MSP Peter Chapman is defeated and as a result he does not move amendment 25.

We'll bring you the crucial vote on the Labour and Lib Dem amendments from this group later as it happens.

Green MSP John Finnie says the use of the phrase 'island proofing' has led to high expectations, particularly when it comes to retrospection.

He backs Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur's amendment.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth says his amendment would require ministers to establish a scheme for local authorities to request legislation be improved or mitigated.

Councils would be required to make the case for assessments under his and Mr McArthur's amendments, and therefore would not create additional burden if requests were groundless, Mr Smyth adds.

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur says the centre piece of this Bill is the so-called "island proofing" of legislation and policies.

Mr McArthur argues the Bill must give an opportunity to right at least some of the wrongs of the past.

Image source, bbc

Islands Minister Humza Yousaf says he cannot support Peter Chapman's amendment which would require all the relevant authorities to review all policies that might have had an impact on the island communities.

Mr Yousaf ask: "Would it have to go back years, would it have to go back decades?"

Authorities may have to review all of its policies which is not practical, he argues.

The islands minister insists there is adequate provision in the Bill already to achieve the goal of Mr Chapman's amendment.

The third grouping is 'retrospective reviews and impact assessments'.

Tory MSP Peter Chapman says his amendment seeks to introduce the concept of retrospective assessments of policies into the Bill.

It would require bodies to undertake a review of policies which is believed to have had an significantly different (and negative) impact on the islands compared to the mainland, he explains.

Mr Chapman argues this would operate in the same way as future impact assessments and insists it would not become a bureaucratic task.

A similar amendment at stage 2 was defeated due to concerns that it would spark assessments into every piece of legislation without limit.

The Tory MSP also offers support to Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur's and Labour MSP Colin Smyth's amendments in this group, which Mr Chapman says will add to scrutiny processes.

Image source, PA

Nicola Sturgeon has defended the SNP's Growth Commission report amid heavy criticism from opposition parties and some independence supporters.

In a series of twitter posts, external, the first minister insisted the commission had set out an alternative to Westminster's "austerity" and "Brexit spiral".

The commission's long-awaited report was published on Friday.

Among its recommendations were for an independent Scotland to keep the pound, but without a formal currency union.

The move would see the Bank of England continue to set interest rates and other monetary policy in the years after independence.

Read more here.