UK environment secretary declines to commit to CCC target of net-zero emissions by 2050
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MSPs quiz rural economy ministers during portfolio questions
The Lib Dems lead debates on treatment time guarantees and on education
Image source, PAThe new standardised tests assess pupils' literacy and numeracy skills
Portfolio questions is followed by two Lib Dem debates: the first on NHS waiting times; and the second on education and P1 testing.
Labour MSP Kezia Dugdale will then mark Foster Care Fortnight 2019.
Image source, bbcMichael Gove was giving evidence on the impact of Brexit via video-link
Michael Gove has told MSPs he could not announce the UK government's commitment to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, as set out by the Committee on Climate Change.
The UK environment secretary was giving evidence to Holyrood's environment and rural affairs committees.
Green MSP Mark Ruskell reminded the UK environment secretary about the target and asked: "Have you got good news for us in this committee this morning?"
"I'm afraid I can't make that announcement," replied Mr Gove.
The UK cabinet secretary explained there are overlapping and separate responsibilities with his department and with the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy department (BEIS).
The Scottish government will legislate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2045 after receiving fresh advice from the CCC.
Image source, Getty ImagesClimate change campaigners have staged protests in Edinburgh
Image source, Peter MackenzieThe committee is now moving to the South of Scotland Enterprise Bill, external.
Here is the marshalled list , externalof amendments and their groupings, external.
There are only five amendments to be considered.
Image source, Getty ImagesIn February Environment Secretary Michael Gove promised that the government will apply tariffs to food imports in the event of a no-deal Brexit, to provide "specific and robust protections" for farmers.
His remarks come as the government is poised to release details of tariffs (taxes on imports) that would apply to thousands of products coming in from around the world, if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Many supporters of Brexit argue that tariffs on food and other items should be scrapped in order to lower prices for consumers. But farmers fear that cheap imports and lower standards would destroy many parts of British agriculture.
"Your concerns have absolutely been heard," Mr Gove told a conference of the National Farmers' Union (NFU). "It will not be the case that we will have zero-rate tariffs on food products.
Image source, bbcTory MSP Peter Chapman
Tory MSP Peter Chapman says the UK government's approach to tariffs means there is a great deal of unfairness.
Tariffs on UK exports to the EU are much higher than tariffs on imports to be imposed by the UK government, Mr Chapman explains.
This would have a "catastrophic affect" on our agricultural industry, he adds, calling for a change to the approach to tariffs.
Mr Gove explains tariffs are to protect producers and prices in the shops.
He argues the UK government's approach in the case of a no-deal Brexit would be to protect the agricultural sector more vigorously than anyone else.
SNP MSP John Mason seeks an update regarding borders and border control.
Michael Gove says IT systems and other preparations were in place if the UK had left the EU in March.
If we leave on 31 October without a deal there will be bumps in the road but we are confident government departments have taken steps to mitigate them, he insists.
The UK government's approach is continuity wherever possible so we do not expect EU countries to lower their animal and environmental standards when exporting to the UK if there was a no deal, explains Mr Gove.
It is within the EU's power to apply rules to a greater or lesser degree, he adds.
Mr Gove says there were lots of signals that countries like France for example would prioritise speed of flow over having the most comprehensive checks in place.
Image source, bbcScotch whisky has an EU registerd GI
Labour MSP Colin Smyth pivots to geographical indicators (GIs) and access to markets.
Mr Gove tells the Labour MSP that under EU law they will continue to respect our GIs.
The protections, known as "geographical indications", stop products being copied by firms outside the area where they are traditionally made.
Mr Smyth asks if continued protection of GIs in the EU market be a red line in negotiations with the EU and US on trade deals.
The UK rural secretary replies: "We are absolutely committed to making sure that the benefits continue to be available to producers across the UK."
Read more about geographical indications and Brexit from SPICe., external
Mr Greene asks about the role devolved administrations can play before trade negotiations with other countries begin.
I think it's critical, replies Mr Gove, adding any trade agreement must work for all parts of the UK.
He says efforts are made to ensure any sector with a particular interest is represented during negotiations.
For Scotland this often means making sure salmon and whisky sectors are not undermined he adds.
Image source, PATory MSP Jamie Greene returns to access to the labour markets for the soft fruit industry and other seasonal workers.
Mr Greene asks about the pilot scheme for migrant workers.
Government plans to allow UK fruit and vegetable growers to recruit non-EU seasonal workers after Brexit have been criticised inside the industry as insufficient.
The government's proposed pilot scheme would allow the recruitment of up to 2,500 workers on six-month visas between the spring of 2019 and December 2020.
Mr Gove insists there has been an "enthusiastic" take up for the Seasaonal Agricultural Workers Pilot going beyond the EU to places like Ukraine and Moldova.
Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles
Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles asks if the PM's deal is not passed, whether the cabinet secretary was doing all he could to ensure the UK does not leave the EU without a deal.
Mr Gove says leaving without a deal would create a real risk the UK economy as a whole and in particular to farming.
We can put in place measures to mitigate the impact of that he says.
While the UK could get through the turbulence a no deal would cause, we want to avoid that turbulence he insists.
Mr Rumbles again calls for the cabinet secretary to commit to avoiding a no-deal Brexit.
Mr Gove says there are challenges to no deal but he says it is one of a number of possible scenarios for which we have to be prepared.
Image source, PAMPs say imports of food produced with lower welfare standards should not be allowed
In January we reported plans for the way farming subsidies would be dealt with after Brexit were set out by Michael Gove.
Farmers will receive payments for "public goods", such as access to the countryside and planting meadows.
The environment secretary told farmers the government would guarantee subsidies at the current EU level until the 2022 election. There would then be a "transitional period" in England.
The National Farmers Union said it was time for "a new deal" for the UK.
Image source, bbcGreen MSP John Finnie
Green MSP John Finnie asks: "You know better than the Scottish government on devolved matters?
"You know better than the Scottish Parliament on devolved matters?"
"No," replies Mr Gove.
"Well that's reassuring," quips Mr Finnie
Mr Gove goes on to say he respects the devolution settlement but he is not satisfied all the devolved powers are being used in the right way, but he adds that is for the Scottish government.
He says NFU Scotland has pointed out the Scottish government has not offered the same clarity and future vision for agriculture that the UK government has.
Image source, bbcSNP MSP Bruce Crawford
Yesterday we reported that SNP MSP Bruce Crawford said: "Does the minister agree with me that it is shameful Michael Gove, the UK environment secretary, has shafted Scottish hill farmers on the matter of convergency money?"
"Well I couldn't agree more with that" replied Rural Affairs Minister Mairi Gougeon.
Ms Gougeon said it was wrong of the UK government to "shaft us" in terms of convergence money.
The deputy presiding officer said to both members she was not terribly happy with "that word".
Ms Watt calls for upland sheep farmers to be given the £160m convergence money "that they're due", suggesting this would help alleviate some uncertainty.
The review is looking at all the issues concerns, replies Mr Gove, to ensure farmers across the UK are given a fair allocation of funding in the future.
He also calls for parliamentarians to get behind the PM's deal because it is the best way forward.
Image source, bbcSNP MSP Maureen Watt
SNP MSP Maureen Watt points out the EU is the number one export destination for Scotch lamb and she says there are horror stories about the possibility of mass culls of sheep.
Ms Watt ask what impact will a no-deal Brexit have on the Scottish sheep sector.
Mr Gove says the MSP is absolutely right that it would hit the sheep meat sector worst and immediately.
That's why the UK government will support the income of sheep farmers in the case of no-deal, he adds.
The UK cabinet secretary tells the committee a model of looking at the number of breeding ewes farmers have is being considered.
Image source, Getty ImagesThe review is to look at how funding is shared
The UK government has to set up an independent review into how farm funding should be distributed around the United Kingdom after Brexit.
An independent advisory panel is looking at subsidies going to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to ensure they are "fairly split".
NFU Scotland has said it was "bitterly disappointing" that it would not address previous funding decisions.
The Scottish government said farmers should receive the £160m they are due.
SNP MSP Richard Lyle turns discussion to CAP convergence payments.
When will additional money be allocated, he asks.
Mr Gove says he does not want to preempt the conclusions of the independent review taking place.
He accepts the money should have been allocated in a different way in the past as the money was received due to Scotland's unique geography.
The allocation of support for farmers will be a matter for the Scottish government after Brexit, he states.
Agriculture funding is not subject to the Barnett formula so Scotland gets more than would normally be allocated under the formula he adds.
That will not change, Mr Gove says.
The UK government will preserve current EU funding right up until 2022 confirms the cabinet secretary.
Image source, bbcCommittee convener Edward Mountain
Committee convener Edward Mountain pivots to the UK Agriculture Bill and Fergus Ewing's assertion that Scottish government tabled amendments to that are holding up a Scottish Agriculture Bill.
I do not support that view, replies Mr Gove, who insists Scotland has done less on agriculture's future than the UK government has.
The UK rural secretary says if the Scottish government had opted to use the UK legislation it would have provided more certainty.
SNP MSP John Mason asks about the resolution of disputes between the UK and Scottish governments.
Mr Gove says they must be resolved by discussion and consensus.
He insists the relationship between the two is constructive and pragmatic, despite there being political disagreements.
There are some areas where it is absolutely right for some areas of policy to diverge, hence the devolution settlement, he states.
We will do everything possible to facilitate such differences, Mr Gove adds.
SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson raises concerns about the workforce in the processing plants post-Brexit.
The UK government is consulting on a minimum salary requirement of £30,000 for skilled migrants seeking five-year visas.
Mr Gove agrees it is important to have access to wide sources of labour.
We need to look flexibly at what a "skilled worker" means, he adds.
Tens of thousands of low-skilled migrants could come to the UK to work for up to a year under the proposed new post-Brexit immigration rules., external