Children and Young People Minister Maree Todd says the cross-party support to increase the age of criminal responsibility is a welcome shift.

Having it at eight is counter-productive for children, she says, adding that how we address children's harmful behaviour needs to change.

There is a strong rationale for raising the age to 12, Ms Todd says, suggesting there is no clear consensus for a higher age among those calling for it.

The minister highlights the age of criminal prosecution is 12 too.

On the victims of crime, Ms Todd says many of the children responsible for such crimes are also victims themselves and this must be considered further going forward.

"You will never punish a young person into a better way of being. You can only love and nurture them into a better way of being."

MSPs will debate the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Bill at stage 1.

A vote on its general principles will take place at 5pm.

Tory MSP Liam Kerr asks about anti-ligature measures in place at Polmont.

Mr Yousaf says he is reflecting on how to take a cross-portfolio approach on dealing with young people in the criminal justice system.

On anti-ligature points, he says making prison estates as secure as possible will be part of this conversation.

Labour MSP Daniel Johnson calls for a review of remand and Mr Yousaf replies that lessons will be learned from William Lindsay's case.

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur expresses concern about delays to fatal accident inquiries.

The justice secretary accepts families do not want to wait and says he will raise such matters with the Lord Advocate, who had responsibility over FAIs.

Image source, EPA

The parents of a jailed student have claimed bullying and "humiliating" strip searches led her to take her own life.

Stuart and Linda Allan claim prison staff failed to heed warnings that their daughter Katie was "vulnerable" and had a history of self-harming.

Katie was jailed for 16 months in March for a hit-and-run crash while drunk.

The Glasgow University geography student, who was 20 at the time of the crash, died at Polmont Prison in June.

Read more.

Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf says the Scottish government has worked hard to keep young people out of the justice system.

The youth justice approach also attempts to ensure that those under 18 who are in custody are supported before they re-enter wider society, he adds.

There will be a mandatory fatal accident inquiry (FAI) regarding the two recent cases, he confirms.

Mr MacDonald asks about the range of support available for young people and whether this is sufficient in light of the deaths of William Lindsay and Katie Allan.

Mr Yousaf says if there are lessons to be learned here, the government will do what it can to enact them.

On prison capacity, he says there are pressures in the system and will examine how to address this.

Image source, Getty/SPS

The justice secretary has said "there are rightly questions being asked" following the death of a teenager at a young offenders' institution.

William Lindsay, 16, died while on remand at Polmont Young Offenders' Institution (YOI) in October.

The Scotsman reported, external that he killed himself days after being remanded, despite having been flagged up as a suicide risk.

A mandatory Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) will be carried out.

Read more.

SNP MSP Angus MacDonald asks about protections in place for young offenders in custody.

Imam Habibur Rahman from the Dunfermline Central Mosque and Islamic Centre is delivering today's time for reflection.

Image source, Getty Images

That's all from the health committee this morning.

Coming up this afternoon, SNP MSP Angus MacDonald will ask about protecting young offenders in custody, following the deaths of William Lindsay and Katie Allan.

Then MSPs will debate the Age of Criminal Responsibility (Scotland) Bill, external.

The member’s debate raises concerns about the future of the Texas Instruments semi-conductor plant in Greenock, which is scheduled to close in 2019.

Labour MSP David Stewart asks about the Spanish system.

Lesley Logan from NHSBT highlights Spain has just rolled out a model being called 'intensive care for organ donation'.

This is when families of individuals in hospital wards who are likely to die are approached, which she notes does have ethical concerns.

In other countries, Ms Logan says organ donation rates are high because organs are removed before being matched to another patients, often leading to them being discarded.

It is important to us to identify a recipient before any organs are removed, she says.

Image source, NHSBT

More than half of Scotland's population have registered to donate their organs or tissue after their death - the highest rate in Britain.

Figures show that more than 2,724,000 Scottish residents are registered on the UK Organ Donor Register.

Approximately 550 people in Scotland are waiting for an organ transplant, which could save or transform their lives.

The rise in donors comes after high-profile annual awareness campaigns.

Read more.

There is agreement across the panel that a legal override of family wishes should not be created for practitioners.

Lesley Logan suggests families disagreeing with a person's wishes on donation only happens around three times a year in Scotland.

We are trained to deal with these conversations and we may come to agreement on a partial donation, the NHSBT representative adds.

Ms Logan explains that families are not asked for consent per se, but to work with NHSBT to carry out the wishes of the deceased person where they have indicated support for organ donation.

She adds that support for donation is assumed at the moment by someone opting in, but if this legislation passes, that assumption will be based on someone not opting out.

Reality Check

Image source, Getty Images

Doctors' union the British Medical Association (BMA) and politicians alike have called for an opt-out system to be adopted, where people's consent to donate their organs after their death is presumed unless they have explicitly said otherwise.

This system is currently in force in Wales and in a number of other countries throughout Europe.

In a recent Parliamentary debate on organ donation, Labour MP Dan Jarvis said: "England must now move to an opt-out system. The evidence is clear - hundreds of people a year are paying a price of us not doing so."

But there is a lack of evidence to support this claim.

Read more here.

NHSBT's Lesley Logan agrees with the previous panel that legislation alone will not make a difference, but the "halo effect" of shifting the culture around discussing it will be a benefit.

Dr Stephen Cole from the Scottish Intensive Care Society expresses concern that the power of organ donation as a "gift" will be lost.

Prof Marc Turner from SNBTS says other infrastructure must build on deemed organisation to increase organs available.

The second session involves:

• Dr Stephen Cole, representing the Scottish Intensive Care Society, external
• Lesley Logan, from NHS Blood and Transplant, external (NHSBT)
• Professor Marc Turner from the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, external (SNBTS)

Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton wonders about a need for mental health support for organ recipients.

He highlights comments made by recipients that they are often called in for the procedure only to be later told it cannot go ahead, which can be distressing.

Dr Sue Robertson says the pressure of having a failing organ is huge on mental health.

At present, we have too few resources applied to this group of patients before, during and after transplant she argues.

Any increase in support would be "gratefully accepted," Dr Robertson adds.

Legislation has been tabled at Holyrood to shift Scotland to an "opt-out" system for organ donation.

At present, people must opt in to the system in order to donate their organs for transplants after they die.

Under the proposals published at the Scottish Parliament, it will be assumed people were in favour of donation unless they have stated otherwise.

Medics will still check with families to confirm the deceased person's views, and ensure they understand the process.

Read more.