Image source, Phil Wilkinson

That's all from Holyrood Live on Wednesday 5 June 2019.

MSPs unanimously passed the South of Scotland Enterprise Bill, external after its Stage 3 proceedings in the chamber.

The bill will create a south of Scotland enterprise agency.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing told MSPs this was a "momentous day" for the area and said he hoped the agency would be up and running eight months after the bill received royal assent.

Image source, bbc

Children and Young People Minister Maree Todd begins by saying maintaining the safety of children is of the utmost importance.

Ms Todd says the Scottish government is delighted to support Child Safety Week here in Scotland.

Parents must be equipped with the tools and information to protect their children, says the minister, adding one life lost is one too many.

Ms Todd says the theme of this year's campaign is raising awareness about the dangers of everyday household items.

She admits she is as guilty as any parent of watching her phone when she should be watching her children.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell also thanks the excellent work of the Child Accident Prevention Trust.

Mr Ruskell says it is one week until his member's bill calling for speed reduction will be debated.

Holyrood's rural economy committee refused to back his Restricted Roads (20mph Limit) (Scotland) Bill, external last week.

Mr Ruskell's bill would make 20mph the standard speed limit on residential streets in Scotland.

Image source, bbc

Mr Ruskell tells the chamber of the motivation behind his bill, which was the death of a classmate of his when he was at primary school.

His friend was run over and killed in a residential street where he lived.

"It was an unimaginable impact, not just on his family, but also on the wider community."

The evidence is there that a 20mph speed limit works, he adds.

Labour's Iain Gray says the work of the Accident Prevention Trust is vital, in helping parents raise their children in safety.

"Accidents can happen to any family in any home", he says, but highlights the fact that deprived children are more likely to be the victim of an unintentional injury.

"What can be done?"

He points to Sure Start centres in England, saying evidence shows they helped to reduce hospital admissions in poorer areas dramatically.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Alison Harris thanks the Child Accident Prevention Trust who work tirelessly in their efforts to promote awareness about child accidents and more importantly how to prevent them.

Ms Harris says the loss of school crossing patrols is sad and insists all children should have pedestrian training.

Parents have a vital role in teaching children to be safe, she adds.

The Tory MSP points out children today are growing up in a completely different world and face dangers she never had to.

Image source, Child Accident Prevention Trust

Here's the answer from the Child Accident Prevention Trust:

"Child Safety Week is the flagship annual campaign run by the Child Accident Prevention Trust.

"We are the UK’s leading charity committed to reducing the number of children and young people killed, disabled or seriously injured in preventable accidents.

"Our aim is to secure a safer environment for children of all ages, so they can live life to the full while protected from serious injury or death.

"Child Safety Week enables us to do this by bringing together individuals and organisations around the UK to promote safety messages to families in a fun and engaging way."

Read more here, external

The SNP MSP starts by highlighting a change in circumstance, with the Scottish Government adopting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, since the last time she spoke on the issue.

Ms Adamson says children from deprived backgrounds are far more like to be affected by accidental death and injury.

She points to injuries caused in the home, with blind cords, washing pods, nappy sacks, and button batteries all posing hazards.

She says her own family has undergone tragedy surrounding road safety, and says she's determined to make something positive from that.

Image source, CAPT

Read more here at the Child Accident Prevention Trust website., external

Image source, Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT)

SNP MSP Clare Adamson is leading a debate marking Child Safety Week, external, run by the Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT), external.

The week takes place between 3 and 9 June 2019 with the theme, Family life today: where’s the risk?, external

Image source, Phil Wilkinson

MSPs unanimously pass the South of Scotland Enterprise Bill, external.

Mike Rumbles for the Lib Dems says his party fully supports the bill.

He adds it will encourage jobs and support the community to move forward.

He likes that people in the south of Scotland were engaged in the process, and praises Fergus Ewing for his good and diligent work.

Mr Rumbles says he has mixed feelings about the bill, because he wants something similar for his constituency in the North East.

However he does concede: "It is a good bill."

Plans to create a south of Scotland enterprise agency won the backing of Holyrood's rural economy committee.

MSPs said there was "no doubt" the body was needed and had "overwhelming support".

They said the area faced a number of challenges, including an aging population as well as transport and digital connectivity issues.

The committee identified a number of challenges facing the economy in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.

Image source, Peter Mackenzie

Among the findings of the report were:

• the new enterprise agency should cover Dumfries and Galloway and Scottish Borders council areas only
• board membership should include individuals with as wide a range of interests, skills, expertise and experience as possible
• the bill should include measures to increase the local accountability of the new agency

Read more here.

Green MSP John Finnie also welcomes the bill and he too thanks the cabinet secretary for his efforts.

Mr Finnie says: "I think we've come up with a good piece of legislation."

This should be about making things better for the south, not about creating a competition between north and south, he adds.

The Green MSP argues co-location will be crucial as the agency moves forward.

Image source, Getty Images

In March we reported MSPs had backed the principle of a new enterprise agency being set up for the south of Scotland.

They unanimously supported the legislation needed to create such a body but called for improvements.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing described the approval of the general principles of the bill to set up the agency as a "significant day".

He told MSPs the Scottish government wanted a body to drive growth, boost competitiveness and tackle inequality.

Read more here.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth calls for more focus on delivering sustainable growth in the south of Scotland.

Mr Smyth says crucially the people of the area have a real desire to make the south of Scotland better.

He praises the cabinet secretary for his work on this bill and adds "while Mr Ewing is picking himself off the floor" he will thank others who worked on the bill

The people who deserve the most praise are the people of the south of Scotland who campaigned for this agency, he says.

Finlay Carson says this bill is hugely welcome and exciting.

The Tory MSP tells the chamber his party will support the bill at decision time, and he also welcomes the strengthening of it through amendments.

It must create a one stop shop for businesses in the South of Scotland, he says.

He is confident this is the first step in unlocking the massive potential of the people in the area.

Image source, bbc

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing gets us underway by saying this is a "momentous day for the south of Scotland" as this bill will establish an enterprise agency for the area.

Mr Ewing goes on to say passing the bill will not be the end of the journey and adds South of Scotland Enterprise will be up and running within eight months.

The next step will be to appoint the chair and members of the agency board, he says.

The minister concludes that this legislation is a once in a generation opportunity to create a new enterprise agency.

He moves that the South of Scotland Enterprise Bill should be passed.