The next set of amendments deals with the enforcement of the workplace parking licensing scheme.

Mr Finnie explains it is important the levy comes with enforcement powers and the approach taken is standard.

Tory MSP Jamie Greene says an amendment in the name of Liam Kerr is to prevent businesses from being criminalised, adding the Transport Bill is an odd place to create an offence.

The transport secretary says the proposals are proportionate and opposes Liam Kerr's amendment.

Mr Finnie's amendments are agreed after a vote, but Mr Kerr's amendment is not.

Once again, none of the 22 amendments to John Finnie's amendment on charges are agreed (either because they are voted down or not moved at all).

Mr Finnie's unamended amendment is backed (for 7, against 4), as are two more of his amendments.

Tory MSP Tom Mason questions the purpose of the levy, suggesting it will not help congestion because parked cars do not contribute to congestion.

Mike Rumbles suggests he might be in favour of the workplace parking levy if strong public transport services were in place, adding "it is not logical putting the cart before the horse".

Mr Smyth jokes that in his region you are more likely to get a horse than a bus.

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Tory MSP Maurice Corry calls for military bases to be exempted.

Labour MSP Colin Smyth says he cannot see why a person driving an ultra low emissions vehicle should have to pay the levy.

That's why his exemption would exempt those people and failure to do so would prove this is just a fig leaf to cover council cuts.

SNP MSP John Mason points out electric cars add to congestion.

Mr Smyth is not convinced and reiterates his point that the WPL is a regressive tax.

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MSPs have agreed Green MSP' John Finnie's crucial workplace parking amendment with six for and five against.

The vote was carried by SNP MSP Richard Lyle who changed his view to support the parking tax.

Tory, Labour and Lib Dem MSPs expressed a degree of outrage a this u-turn, but saw a raft of their amendments also defeated.

Mr Lyle accused them of attacking him for taking a view based on having listened to the evidence, in what has been a heated session.

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Tory MSP Michelle Ballantyne says her amendments seek to create exemptions to ensure people in receipt of various benefits do not have to pay for parking.

She suggests this could also provide an extra incentive to employ people who struggle to access the labour market.

SNP MSP John Mason highlights the legislation will see places, not people, being taxed.

SNP MSP Richard Lyle intervenes to ask if Ms Ballantyne felt the same concerns when the "bedroom tax" was introduced.

The convener's prediction of anarchy breaking out nearly comes to pass and after a small rammy, Mr Mountain says Mr Lyle has been rude and demands the same courtesy that the presiding officer is afforded.

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Tory MSP Jamie Greene clashes with the transport secretary over the exemption of hospices, with Mr Matheson insisting these premises are exempt.

However Mr Greene does not agree and says the SNP and the Greens voted against it.

Mr Matheson is quite exercised and calls out to which Mr Greene retorts "don't shout at me from across the room".

This all leads to Mr Mountain having to intervene as convener calling for comments to only be made by intervention warning against the potential of "anarchy" erupting.

The Tory MSP calls for his colleague Miles Briggs's amendment to be backed.

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Labour MSP Pauline McNeill says it is her understanding the money raised by the WPL is not ring-fenced.

Ms McNeill says she would have more respect for the policy if there was a clear policy intent to ring-fence the money for public transport.

She points out MSPs must make sure disabled people are not negatively impacted and she believes this policy has not been equality proofed.

Parents with children under twelve years old should be exempt she argues.

John Finnie emphasises the charge is on businesses and not on staff - and whether the costs are passed on is a matter between the two.

Again he highlights local authorities can tailor parking schemes to suit their local areas.

He insists his amendment 18 will mean the levy is not used for simple revenue raising, as it can only be used for two purposes: for funding the scheme itself and for policies in the local transport strategy.

On the charging of people living outside of a local authority which has implemented the levy, Mr Finnie says it is wrong to suggest they do not contribute to problems or benefit from improved transport.

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Mr Finnie's amendment to make exemptions possible is unanimously agreed to.

A raft of amendments to the Green MSP's amendment detailing exemptions are rejected or not moved.

His amendment to creation national exemptions for disabled people, NHS premises and hospices is finally agreed to unaltered.

• The Transport (Scotland) Bill, external
• The marshalled list of amendments, external
• The groupings of amendments, external

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Transport Secretary Michael Matheson agrees that national exemptions should be the exception, which is why he can't support a number of amendments to Mr Finnie's amendment in this group.

Mr Matheson calls for some of them to be withdrawn.

He says he backs national exemptions for the NHS and is minded to agree that it should apply to hospices and blue badges in the limited range of national exceptions.

The minister says he believes in localism and the majority of exemptions should be made at a local level.

We now have a welcome 10 minute suspension.

Mr Mountain - again taking of his convener's hat - says councils will always look for ways to raise extra revenue.

"My fear is that when it comes to people who could be swept up in this, although councils say at the moment they don't want to raise a workplace parking levy, they may be forced into doing it as the financial position becomes tougher."

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SNP MSP Richard Lyle says just because he has listened to the facts and the evidence and has changed his view, he is now being attacked.

Mr Lyle tells the committee: "Sorry sometimes as a politician you have to come off the fence."

He adds: "Some of these amendments are pure scaremongering."

Tory MSP Liam Kerr says his amendments seek to exempt prison workers, police and fire service workers.

His colleague Maurice Corry would like to see coastguards and the RNLI also added to the exemptions list.

Labour MSP Pauline McNeill says the people of Glasgow seem likely to face a levy, should this pass into law.

It is the job of this parliament to set national policy on anti-poverty measures so there should be serious consideration given to exemptions, she argues.