Image source, bbc

Mr Russell replies the inability of Adam Tomkins to respond to the serious concerns will at least make a footnote in the history.

The Brexit secretary points out the PM walked away from her own deal due to being afraid of the Brexiteers.

He says Mr Tomkins has confused two things, as Nicola Sturgeon has sat down with Theresa May twice for talks.

There is a different and parallel process looking at no-deal to which the first minister was asked to attend or send an appropriate representative, he says.

The Brexit secretary insists he was the appropriate person to attend the meeting.

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins says he does not support a no deal Brexit as it would be damaging to the economy and would not be in the national interest.

He highlights cross-party talks being chaired by the UK government on finding a way forward.

He criticises First Minister Nicola Sturgeon for not attending a meeting last week chaired by the prime minister.

"Nicola Sturgeon is not interested in negotiating an orderly Brexit," he says, insisting she is only interested in "grand-standing".

Mr Russell says the Scottish government will not replicate the UK's myriad of notices.

We will do all we can to make sure the public get clear information, he adds.

The Brexit secretary says this information is available at www.mygov.scot/eu-exit.

Pivoting to justice, Mr Russell warns about a downgrade in policing and intelligence if the UK leaves without a deal.

He confirms Police Scotland is working with the government to mitigate this and ensure officers are available and trained to provide support from mid-March to deal with disruption, such as at ports.

The Scottish government believes that any costs related to EU exit by public bodies should not have a detrimental impact to Scotland's public finances, the Brexit secretary argues.

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The Brexit secretary says on transport he is concerned about potential severe delays and tells MSPs the government is working to keep the flow going.

Mr Russell details the work of Transport Scotland to mitigate disruption.

Uncertainty about future tariff arrangements are also an issue, highlights the minister.

He warns punitive tariffs could lead to significant increases in food prices.

The Brexit secretary points out that leaving the EU will hit agriculture and the health and social care sectors.

The Scottish government is doing all it can to ensure medicines are available post-Brexit, however he points out elements of this are reserved.

Mr Russell says the Scottish government's resilience committee had continued to meet, will meet again today and will meet next week during recess.

The cabinet will also discuss, next week, the potential to make arrangements permanent should a no-deal Brexit occur, he adds.

A multi-agency approach to no deal Brexit will be tested shortly, he adds.

The Brexit secretary warns that a no deal would plunge to UK into recess, with SMEs being particularly badly hit.

We are continuing efforts to mitigate such impacts.

Image source, bbc

Mr Russell says in December last year Holyrood voted against Theresa May's deal for very good reasons.

He argues it would have led to a fall in Scotland's tax paying base and provided no certainty.

Last week incredibly Mrs May voted against her own deal, he says.

"The prime minister's deal isn't the solution to this problem, it is the problem."

With the clock ticking down to exit day the Scottish government is working to prevent a no deal but it must also prepare for no deal, he says.

Mr Russell points out the Scottish government cannot mitigate everything.

Brexit Secretary Mike Russell says after today, there are only 19 sitting days of the Scottish Parliament before the UK is due to leave the EU.

There is a substantial backlog of Brexit related legislation at Westminster he says, with a number not having yet been laid.

The prime minister must seek an extension to the Article 50 process for legal reasons, as well as economic ones he argues.

He also calls for the UK Parliament to take formal legal steps to rule out a no deal situation.

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Nicola Sturgeon said contingency plans for Britain's departure from the EU with no deal were "genuinely astonishing", in a speech in the US.

Scotland's first minister warned of food shortages and stockpiling of medicine amid a "real and growing risk" of a no deal scenario.

Giving a speech at Georgetown University, Washington, she called for a second referendum on EU membership.

She also stated her case for a further vote on Scottish independence.

Read more here.

Image source, PA

Up to 400 Scottish police officers could be deployed to deal with the consequences of Brexit, the country's chief constable has said.

Iain Livingstone said Police Scotland had contingency plans in place based on a "reasonable worst case scenario".

This could include potential public disorder, disruption at ports and airports, and the need for officers to be deployed to Northern Ireland.

He called for additional funds to be made available to help meet the cost.

• Brexit: What could happen next?

Laura Kuenssberg
BBC political editor

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"It's not good enough to come back next week and say that the negotiations are ongoing," a senior Cabinet minister warned. But will the prime minister's travels this week do more than just keep the show on the road?

Today she's in Northern Ireland meeting the different political parties, including the DUP - whose votes she needs in Parliament - who are totally opposed to the current version of the controversial backstop, as well as Sinn Fein, who are just as adamant that it must remain.

Then on Thursday, Theresa May will be in Brussels, asking - again - for the EU to amend the policy, seeking either a time limit or a legal upgrade to the promise that both sides will only use it if they really, really, really have to, and they don't expect it to last forever.

In short, today's a chance for the PM to test out what she'll ask for, tomorrow, an opportunity to sell it as hard as she can in Brussels.

Read more analysis.

European Council President Donald Tusk has spoken of a "special place in hell" for "those who promoted Brexit without even a sketch of a plan of how to carry it safely".

He was speaking after talks with Irish premier Leo Varadkar in Brussels.

He said the EU would "insist" on the Irish backstop in any UK withdrawal deal to preserve peace.

But he and Mr Varadkar were preparing for the "possible fiasco" of a no-deal Brexit.

Read more here.

Image source, Getty Images

Theresa May is holding talks on Brexit with Northern Ireland's five main political parties at Stormont.

The PM is on a two-day visit to try to reassure people she can secure a Brexit deal that avoids the return of customs checkpoints on the Irish border.

On Tuesday, she told business leaders she wanted changes to the controversial backstop plan to prevent this but indicated she did not seek to scrap it.

Meanwhile, Irish PM Leo Varadkar will meet EU leaders in Brussels.

• Read more here
• Brexit: A really simple guide
• Q&A: Irish border Brexit backstop
• Brexit: All you need to know
• Can technology solve Irish border problem?

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Brexit Secretary Mike Russell is about to update MSPs on preparations for Brexit.

Image source, EPA

At 1:30pm, Brexit Secretary Mike Russell will provide an update on Brexit preparations.

Education and skills minister face portfolio questions after that.

Image source, Getty Images

Then the rural economy committee leads a debate on its report on salmon fishing regulations.

Finally, Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour begins a debate on the Scottish Powerchair Football Association.

Image source, bbc

Mr Mackay insists the spending power of local authority will be up by £620m in 2019-20.

He notes the Labour and Greens requested that income tax be increased, while the Tories suggested it should be cut.

I think I have struck the right balance, the finance secretary says.

The amendments are all agreed to unanimously, ending Stage Two consideration of the Budget Bill.

Labour MSP James Kelly says he won't oppose these amendments but adds his party continues to oppose the budget due to four areas;

• cuts to councils
• only £27m going to low income families
• no money for rail services
• a lack of a proper progressive fair tax contribution

Scottish Green Party co-convner Patrick Harvie says these amendments do not achieve perfection but they are substantial changes welcomed by councils.

Mr Harvie expresses his wish that all parties engaged with the budget process and put forward their own constructive amendments.

The committee will now move to the amendments to the Budget Bill, external.

These will give effect to the changes agreed as part of the SNP-Green deal.

View the amendments here., external

Image source, BBC/Deloitte

Amendments 1 and 2 increase the health and local government portfolio budgets, respectively.

Amendment 3 updates the total resource budget to include these increases, while amendment 4 increases the overall cash authorisation in relation to the Scottish administration.