Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell says the Home Office must support all local authorities.

We need a long-term sustainable solution to ensure all authorities participating in asylum dispersal are funded properly, she says.

I am deeply disappointed that the Home Office has so far decided not to act on concerns raised about this, she says.

Scottish Green co-convener Patrick Harvie says there is no legal barrier to using public funds to provide accommodation to those who have no recourse to public funds.

Ms Campbell points to third sector organisations who are providing homes.

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More than £100,000 in emergency funding was announced in August, to help asylum seekers in Glasgow who are being threatened with eviction.

The Scottish government said the grant would provide support until all the legal options are exhausted.

Over the next six months it said the charities would be able to double their capacity to provide stable and safe accommodation for those affected.

In the beginning of August Serco threatened to evict some of the unsuccessful applicants.

• What is the Glasgow asylum row all about?
• Read more here

SNP MSP Sandra White asks when the Scottish government last met representatives from the Home Office to discuss the resources that Scotland's local authorities require to support asylum seekers.

MSPs will quiz ministers responsible for communities and local government.

A full list of questions to be asked is available here. , external

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After lunch, communities, local government and social security ministers are up at portfolio questions.

The Scottish Conservatives then lead two debates: one on ferry services, the other on early years.

SNP MSP Joan McAlpine ends the day with a member's debate on pinewood forest restoration.

Image source, TEVOR RICKARD/GEOGRAPH

Mr Chapman says the review can take into account the convergence money that has been spent and he hopes it does.

The Tory MSP argues the money coming to Scotland must not be part of the Barnett formula as that would be disastrous for Scottish farming.

The rural economy secretary says the convergence payments to Scotland are the lowest of every single EU state and less than half that pertaining to England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Scottish farmers and crofters get a raw deal, perpetuated by the UK government, he says.

The committee draws to a close.

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In May, BBC Scotland reported that a long-anticipated review into how EU farm subsidies are distributed between Scotland and the rest of the UK had been delayed.

EU Convergence Uplift payments of £190m were triggered because of the low rate paid to hill farmers in Scotland.

But the money was shared out by the Treasury across the UK farming sector.

The terms of a review of the payments had been agreed but UK Environment Secretary Michael Gove said it had been held up by the Treasury.

Read more.

Tory MSP Peter Chapman asks about the Scottish government's input into the fair funding review, looking at convergence payments.

Mr Ewing says UK Rural Secretary Michael Gove announced nearly a year ago that there would be a review and the terms of reference were agreed in February.

These terms of reference were "completely changed and diluted by the Treasury" in August without warning, he says.

The cabinet secretary says Mr Gove has apologised for the lack of recognition of Scotland in the most recent announcement.

We want the review to go ahead to "undo a manifest injustice", Mr Ewing says.

He says it is "deeply dispiriting" that the UK government "moved the goal posts", but the inquiry going forward will be independent and include representatives from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

I hope it will be a useful part of debate on the intra-UK allocation of funding both pre- and post-Brexit, he states.

Image source, bbc

The UK will get a "fairer share" of fishing stocks after Brexit, ministers have promised.

The government published its Fisheries Bill which will determine how its stocks are managed after the UK leaves the EU.

At the moment, quotas are assigned to each EU member state, with limits on species.

The UK says it gets a bad deal under these current arrangements, known as the Common Fisheries Policy.

• UK 'to keep more of its fish' after Brexit
• Could big-game fishing return to the UK?

Image source, bbc

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson asks about the engagement with the UK government over the Fisheries Bill, external, published last Thursday.

Mr Ewing replies there were meetings with UK government and fairly detailed discussions took place and it is fair to say Scottish government officials played a very constructive and positive role in that.

Through their efforts, original proposals saying quotas would be set by UK government were altered to ensure they would not interfere with devolved powers, he says.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth turns discussion to the commitment to becoming a good food nation.

Mr Ewing says a paper is being prepared which will form the basis of a discussion on whether legislation is required.

Will you be aiming to legislation for the right to food, an independent body to oversee implementation of the good food nation programme and will there be statutory targets, Mr Smyth asks.

He says the programme for government seemed to suggest it would just be a "farmer and food bill".

The cabinet secretary says there is not enough time to go into detail but the consultation will be issued this year with more information on options.

The Labour MSP argues a good food nation bill is needs to to tackle "the scandal of food poverty."

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Mr Ewing insists: "If it's necessary to have a Bill, we will have a Bill."

It won't be particularly complicated, it will amend CAP and there's nothing difficult or complicated about this, the rural economy secretary adds.

"Instead of arguing over, it almost seems to be dancing on the head of a pin, a sort of Medieval, metaphysical argument, borne of a desire to nitpick and trouble make, would it not be better to talk about things that matter to farmers and crofters?"

Tory MSP Jamie Greene asks which legal framework will be used to make payments beyond March 2019.

David Barnes says all options are being discussed with Defra.

The Agriculture Bill is still a possible route if obstacles could be dealt with, or the Scottish parliament could legislate he says.

Mr Greene asks whether a Scottish agriculture bill will be brought forward.

Mr Ewing insists he will continue to work with the UK government on the UK bill but, if that proves not possible, the Scottish parliament has the ability to do so.

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The UK Agriculture Bill is a "missed opportunity" which "rides roughshod over the devolved settlement" the Scottish government has said.

UK Environment Secretary Michael Gove said it would deliver a "green Brexit" and a "smooth and gradual transition".

But Scottish Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said the bill does not deliver on promises made to farmers.

And industry leaders called for more clarity about where funding decisions would be made.

Read more here.

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Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing insists agriculture is devolved and Scotland is perfectly capable of legislating for itself.

Mr Ewing insist farmers will not be prevented from doing anything by not agreeing to the UK Agriculture Bill.

There will be no deliterious impact on Scottish farmers by not agreeing to the legislation, he reiterates.

"It's a complete and utter red herring" and there has been some scaremongering by some MPs, he says.

The minister tells MSPs he is seeking a legal opinion setting out why there will be no impact on farmers.

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SNP MSP Gail Ross moves on to the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS).

Ms Ross points out the payments will go from £65m this year to possibly as low as £20m in 2020.

Mr Ewing agrees LFASS payments are particularly important in the north of Scotland.

The rural economy secretary says it is unacceptable if LFASS payments reduce to 20%.

Image source, Getty Images

The UK Agriculture Bill sets out how the farming sector will move away from the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in the years after the UK leaves in 2019.

Mr Gove said the plans would help the UK "move towards a brighter future for farming".

He said: "After nearly 50 years of being tied to burdensome and outdated EU rules, we have an opportunity to deliver a green Brexit."

However, Mr Ewing said the bill "completely fails to meet the key tests of delivering on promises made to Scotland, respecting the devolved settlements and righting longstanding issues".

"We are fearful about the termination of direct support payments," says the cabinet secretary.

Mr Ewing says it is difficult to see how the Scottish government can find the money from elsewhere in its budget if such payments do not continue.

It is up the the UK government to come up with better answers on the level of funding, he argues.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Peter Chapman raises the issue of on farm inspections and the "horrendous" consequences of "honest mistakes".

The rural economy secretary agrees the penalty regime for errors is "far too harsh" and should be looked at, along with inspections.

Mr Rumbles asks which CAP schemes does the cabinet secretary plan to close.

Mr Ewing says he doesn't have plans to close any.

To provide stability we want to keep existing schemes going as far as we can financially, he explains, though there are some we regard as a priority.

He points to the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme as the key one.