In topical questions Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur will ask about measures to address sectarianism and violent behaviour associated with football, then Tory MSP Alexander Stewart will raise reports that paramedics signed off work with depression or stress had increased.

Then it’s back to Brexit as the government as Scottish and Welsh politicians join forces in a bid to force the prime minister to change her position.

An identical motion will be debated simultaneously by the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly - with co-ordinated votes.

This begins at 2.20pm.

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Labour MSP Neil Findlay will then lead a member’s debate expressing disappointment that the government has reportedly declined the offer from a mesh implant removal expert from St Louis to come to Scotland.

Dr Dionysios Veronikis, an obstetrician-gynaecologist, had offered to help remove transvaginal and other mesh implants from people in Scotland and to train other surgeons how to do this safely.

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SNP MSP John Mason says some health boards are concerned they will have to use two systems.

The finance secretary refutes this insisting there won't be two systems running concurrently.

"At no point will we be operating two regimes," he says, adding there will be a clear cut switch over.

Mr Mackay adds whatever is signed up to in a contract will be the rules that have to be followed by a company.

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MSPs agree to approve:

• the Public Procurement etc. (Scotland) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 [draft], external
• the Public Procurement etc. (Scotland) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Amendment Regulations 2019, external

Mr Mackay says the regulations are designed to ensure the legislation governing public procurement is still functioning in the event of a no deal Brexit.

There are no wholesale changes of policy being introduced as they seek to maintain the status quo for 18 months until the UK Trade Bill becomes law, he adds.

Scottish public bodies will continue to use Public Contracts Scotland he explains.

The minister says it is an unsatisfactory sticking plaster approach due to the UK government's approach.

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The committee are now taking evidence on:

• the PublicProcurement etc. (Scotland) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 [draft] , external
• the Public Procurement etc. (Scotland) (Amendment) (EU Exit) Amendment Regulations 2019, external

from:

• Finance Secretary Derek Mackay
• Alasdair Hamilton from the Scottish government
• Mark Richards from the Scottish government

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Ms Constance asks about getting older women into the sector.

Lorna Hamilton says returner programmes are quite good but they are not joined up.

There could be a more coherent approach across the construction sector which would help diversity, she adds.

But Ms Hamilton returns to the idea that it is at school age that girls need to be encouraged into the sector.

And on that note, that ends the session on construction.

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SNP MSP Angela Constance asks what can government and other bodies do to ensure provision is dove tailed and not duplicated, given colleges and universities are autonomous.

Mr Warden explains the ideal situation would be students come to college for their HNC and then go to university, avoiding duplication.

"We don't really seem to have much control over that."

People are dropping out of the HNC and going back to start in the first year of university, explains the Edinburgh College representative.

Tory MSP Dean Lockhart turns discussion to the apprenticeship levy.

The UK government introduced a UK wide apprenticeship levy in April 2017. Employers will pay 0.5% of an annual pay bill of more than £3m.

The Scottish government uses Scotland's share of the levy to support skills, training and employment.

We have been surprised about the level of interest from industry and also by the fact that requests for training have tended to focus on management and leadership skills, rather than construction-specific ones, Mr Morrison explains.

The early signs are that we are engaging with companies and sectors that we haven't in the past, he adds.

Lorna Hamilton from the Association of Women in Property suggests the levy has taken a different slant than intended but this is not necessarily bad as it is responding to industry needs.

Ms Hamilton says historically people coming into apprenticeships have not had the academic mind set.

"I don't think we need to start from scratch on this one,"says Mr Warden, again singing the praises of the Foundation Apprenticeships.

It's a simple fix but their must be the will in the construction sector to ensure this, he adds.

Douglas Morrison says he is sure careers advice could be improved.

Partnership working can help avoid duplication and support the industry, says Scott Warden.

He highlights that Edinburgh College has a joint programme with Heriot Watt University, where the first two HND years are taken at college before the person goes to the university for the latter two years.

Douglas Morrison agrees there is a lack of foundation apprenticeships at the trade level.

He suggests more consideration must be given to how to integrate vocational training into apprenticeships.

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Green MSP Andy Wightman asks if there is a problem with the way construction is promoted at school.

I think that is an issue, replies Ms Hamilton.

The Association of Women in Property rep tells the committee she goes into primary schools to try and get the message across.

However it is also important to talk to parents, for as we heard this morning from the apprentices, many of them chose their path thanks to talking to family and friends she insists.

We're working hard to get the message across, but "it's a hard battle", Ms Hamilton adds.

Green MSP Andy Wightman says there has been a drop in the number of people enrolling in construction college courses in the past decade.

Is this a cause for concern or is this due to the state of the industry, he asks.

Douglas Morrison says construction was disproportionately impacted by the recession, which leads to a lack of confidence among parents and young people.

We have also been concerned about the "war on talent" as it has become increasingly difficult to encourage young people to come in, in light of the possibilities around digital technology he explains.

Lorna Hamilton agrees the recession caused specific problems, which put women off in particular because of concerns about it being stable career option due to a lack of other support mechanisms for them.

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Scott Warden tells the committee he thinks colleges engage with the sector very well.

The Edinburgh College representative goes on to say they could get apprentices into companies earlier.

For example a Foundation Apprenticeship , externalwould be ideal for construction, he says.

You can choose a Foundation Apprenticeship as one of your subject selections in S5 or S6.

It's a qualification, over one or two years, that lets you gain work experience in one of Scotland's 12 growth industries while you're still at school, and it fits alongside other senior subjects.

Douglas Morrison says the sector does want to adopt new technologies which make construction cleaner, safer and more productive.

SNP MSP Colin Beattie says is seems there is a lack of clarity on where these technologies can be expected.

Mr Morrison says technologies around modelling is embryonic but they will likely be embedded.

Adoption of technologies is a cultural challenge, he adds.

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Lorna Hamilton from the Association of Women in Property explains she comes from a main contracting background and she thinks the signposting must help companies to the likes of the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, external.

Ms Hamilton says if people are not in the know, it is very hard to get the message across.

Douglas Morrison highlights the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, external has been around for five years and has acted as a beacon for possibility in that time.

There are several of examples of when the Centre has engaged industry in addressing key issues, such as sector attractiveness, productivity and adoption of digital technologies he adds.

The centre can set baselines for where the sector should be Mr Morrison says, who is on the board of the innovation centre.

Scott Warden from Edinburgh College says he has had more dealings with the centre in the past year, but there has not really been space for collaboration between the college sector and the centre yet.

However he accepts that this is something the centre is looking to do more of.

Lorna Hamilton from the Association of Women in Property agrees the apprentices undersold themselves.

Ms Hamilton says she was slightly surprised that they maybe take things like a tablet on site as a given.

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Douglas Warden says colleges play a key role in early career development and from what we heard in the first evidence session, it is clear they can do more.

The City of Glasgow College representative says as the rate of digital adoption continues to increase we will see colleges supporting companies to adapt their businesses.