SNP MSP Angela Constance asks the Scottish government how it will support the Kaiam Europe Ltd employees who were made redundant without notice and were not paid before Christmas.

Business Secretary Jamie Hepburn says he is concerned about the situation and is taking a number of steps to address it.

Mr Hepburn says NHS Scotland has implemented interim arrangements and there has been no impact on patient services.

He goes on to detail PACE support for the employees of HES staff.

Mr Neil calls on the minister to contact the bank to release funds to pay the workers all the wages they are due.

Image source, bbc

The former health secretary says there are certainly allegations the UK cabinet office has been involved in an exercise since September to "deliberately and systematically destroy this company".

Mr Hepburn says he is cautious about commenting on allegations, the full detail of which he has not seen.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard calls for reassurances that the waste being stored around Shotts is being done so to the highest health and safety standards.

The minister insists he can give those assurances.

Temporary storage has been in place at NHS sites across Scotland to cope with a potential backlog of clinical waste, it has emerged.

National Services Scotland (NSS) said it had taken responsibility for waste from every hospital, GP surgery, dental practice and pharmacy.

It comes after the contractor previously responsible for the work withdrew its service in December.

Image source, Reuters

• Health Environmental Services has stopped trading, unable to access its remaining funds, with workers fired.
• Scots law on company insolvency has led to an impasse, where it may prove impossible for creditors to place the firm in administration.
• The company boss battles on, trying to find a buyer for his firm, and at war with Whitehall
• 350 staff, including 160 in Scotland received a letter just after Christmas, saying their jobs were gone

Former staff of a Lanarkshire-based clinical waste firm say they are turning to food banks because they are unable to claim lost pay.

Healthcare Environmental Services (HES) in Shotts served all its staff with redundancy notices on 27 December.

Garry Hawthorn, Frankie McGinnes and Sheryl Alexander are among a group of HES workers who met at the Salvation Army hall in Shotts to discuss what to do next.

SNP MSP Alex Neil asks what action the Scottish government will take regarding the cessation of trading in managing medical waste contracts by Healthcare Environmental Services Ltd, including supporting the 150 workers who have been made redundant.

Green MSP John Finnie says he has lost count of the number of improvement plans that have been announced for ScotRail.

Mr Matheson says the Scottish government has the power to direct ScotRail to bring forward its remedial plan, which is one of the most serious actions that can be taken.

Tory MSP Jamie Greene pays tribute to the ScotRail staff who worked over the festive period, but says clearly ScotRail's performance is unacceptable.

Mr Greene asks what sanctions are available to the minister so his threats have "real teeth".

Mr Matheson says a key part of the franchise is to make sure the contract holds ScotRail to account, which is why he issued his remedial notice.

The minister says if the company fails to issue its remedial plan by 18 February, ScotRail are in breach of contract and this could mean, ultimately, the removal of the contract.

Image source, bbc

Mr Smyth says if the cabinet secretary could have issued a remedial notice far earlier than he did.

The Labour MSP says given the "appalling failure" of ScotRail, can it meet the franchise targets, and if not when will it end?

Mr Matheson insists the government will continue to press ScotRail to meet its franchise targets.

Transport Secretary Michael Matheson says: "I have made it absolutely clear that the recent performance on our railways has been unacceptable."

Mr Matheson says that is why he expects ScotRail to set out in its remedial plan how to address the issues.

He reiterates his call for control of Network Rail to be devolved.

Colin Smyth says the cabinet secretary has given ScotRail a "licence to fail".

The Labour MSP says in truth, performance has continued to get worse and calls on Mr Matheson to take responsibility for "the miserable service" passengers are receiving.

Mr Matheson says he regrets the poor service they have faced.

He says the waiver issued by the Scottish government is to allow for the factors the ORR report highlighted, like the "Beast from the East" and Network Rail's performance.

Image source, bbc

A demonstration calling for the nationalisation of rail services has been held at Glasgow Central Station.

Campaigners at the demo, organised by the TSSA union, have demanded Abellio be stripped of the ScotRail contract.

On Monday, the rail operator offered extra compensatio, external a to some passengers, after apologising over the weekend for the "unacceptable" service.

It follows months of complaints about cancellations, delays and overcrowded carriages on some routes.

The problems prompted ministers to issue ScotRail with an eight-week improvement order in December.

In a statement on the ScotRail website, season ticket holders who have been most affected by cancellations due to crew shortages are offered free weekend travel in the spring.

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

Labour MSP Colin Smyth asks the Scottish government what action it has taken in response to recent delays and cancellations on the ScotRail network.

Reverend Colin Sinclair, from Palmerston Place Church in Edinburgh, delivers today's time for reflection.

Image source, bbc

The Scottish government acted unlawfully while investigating sexual harassment claims against Alex Salmond, a judge has ruled.

Allegations against the former first minister, which he denies, were made to the Scottish government a year ago.

The government has now admitted it breached its own guidelines by appointing an investigating officer who had "prior involvement" in the case.

As a result, it conceded defeat in its legal fight with Mr Salmond.

Read more here.

Douglas Fraser
Scotland business & economy editor

Image source, GETTY IMAGES

The Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board published a strategic blueprint last October intended to tie together the work of Scottish Enterprise, its Highlands and Islands cousin, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council for universities and colleges.

Some themes are predictable; more start-ups: more growth by small companies once they've been started up: more exports: better, more widespread information about the support available to firms and workers.

Some themes are of growing importance, such as the need for training, re-skilling and up-skilling people throughout their working lives. Think of it this way: anyone not over the conventional age for education and training is likely still to be in employment well past 2060.

The jobs market and its requirements will change repeatedly and radically before then. Yet again, there's a call for that training to be aligned to the skills employers actually want.

For the 20 year time horizon of this blueprint, it's important also to see the mega-trends to which businesses and economic agencies have to respond, starting with climate change, digital developments, artificial intelligence and automation. And with data going big, the agencies want to work together to harness it for a better understanding of the economy and economic trends.

Read more here.

Image source, bbc

Away from all the excitment outside the Court of Session, business has been continuing at the economy committee, where Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board chair Nora Senior has been giving evidence.

SNP MSP John Mason asked about timescales for the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Board and how quickly progress will be made to meet the OECD targets.

Ms Senior explained the strategic plan has a 20 year range and is user-led.

Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston asked what the process for measuring returns on any investment would be.

Ms Senior said they need to make contact with people who are being helped, to quantify how they're being helped.

She said many people are "not engaged with the system", and pledged to get the aid to those who may need it.

Image source, bbc

Speaking outside court, Mr Salmond thanked the 4,000 people who contributed more than £100,000 to a crowdfunding appeal to help pay for his legal challenge to the government's handling of the case. The money will now go to good causes in Scotland and elsewhere, he said.

Mr Salmond added: "The last time I was in that court was to be sworn in as first minister of Scotland. I never thought it possible that at any point I would be taking the Scottish government to court.

"And therefore while I am glad about the victory which has been achieved today, I am sad that it was necessary to take this action."

The former first minister said Leslie Evans should now consider her position.