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That's all from Holyrood Live on Tuesday 10 September 2019.

Changing the wording of the question voters would be asked if there was a second Scottish independence referendum would be "very confusing", according to Mike Russell.

The Brexit secretary said there was a "clarity and consistency" to be gained from having the same wording as in the 2014 ballot, when people were asked: "Should Scotland be an independent country?"

He told MSPs because this question was "still current" there was no need for the Electoral Commission to test it if there is another referendum in 2020 .

The commission has made clear it "firmly recommends" it should provide its "views and advice to the Scottish Parliament on the wording of any referendum question", regardless of whether it has previously done so.

Committee convener and Tory MSP Graham Simpson suggested it would be "better" for the independent Electoral Commission to "make a ruling or recommendation" on the question.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman thanks the whistleblowers in NHS Highland and apologises to all those bullied within the NHS.

The Scottish government has asked all health boards to consider the recommendations of the Sturrock review and report back on where they could improve, the responses from which are now being looked at, Ms Freeman says.

She suggests the "good policies" around staff support are not being implemented consistently across health boards or even within health boards.

On NHS Argyll and Bute, she confirms the health board is in the process of identifying someone to conduct the review.

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NHS Highland's board has "apologised unreservedly" for bullying and inappropriate behaviour experienced by members of its staff.

The apology came during the first meeting of the board since a report on an independent review of allegations of a culture of bullying at NHS Highland.

The review suggested that hundreds of health workers had potentially experienced inappropriate behaviour.

NHS Highland said the focus was now on "healing and reconciliation".

Read more.

NHS Highland has produced an action plan setting out how allegations of bullying within the health board would be handled in future.

It comes after the board was accused of a "culture of bullying" last year.

A review of the allegations led by John Sturrock QC suggested that potentially hundreds of staff had experienced inappropriate behaviour.

Of the 280 NHS staff who took part in face-to-face meetings with the review team, 66% reported bullying.

Read more.

Tory MSP Edward Mountain welcomes those from the whistleblowing group in the Highlands to the gallery and thanks them for everything they have done.

Mr Mountain points out some staff couldn't face work the next day due to the bullying, and one was even contemplating suicide.

He accuses the Scottish government of dithering about whether there should be an investigation, before finally the "damning" Sturrock report was produced.

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The Tory MSP says some people "managed out of the NHS" felt the Sturrock report did not address their issues.

He welcomes the reconciliatory approach of the new chair and chief executive of NHS Highland.

Mr Mountain asks why four senior clinicians had to blow the whistle and why the Scottish government, who knew about the bullying, did nothing.

The Sturrock report is the beginning, not the end he says, concluding that this "sorry state of affairs" must never happen again.

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Healthcare workers affected by bullying could be given compensation, NHS Highland bosses have said.

Potentially hundreds of people have experienced bullying at the health board, an independent review suggested earlier this year.

NHS Highland has a draft action plan to address problems identified by the review led by John Sturrock QC.

Appearing in front of Holyrood's health committee, bosses said some affected staff could receive payouts.

Read more.

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Tory MSP Edward Mountain is leading a debate on bullying and harassment at NHS Highland.

His motion commends the courage of those who came forward with the allegations and urges the Scottish government to "ensure that the whistleblowing process is robust and easily accessible."

The unamended Scottish government motion is agreed, with 84 votes for, 1 against and 29 abstentions.

The Scottish Tory amendment is defeated by 85 votes to 29.

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Ruth Davidson has been elected to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.

It follows the resignation of Jackson Carlaw, due to his elevation to replace Ms Davidson as Scottish Tory interim leader.

Ruth Davidson quit as leader of the Scottish Conservatives after eight years in the job.

Migration Minister Ben Macpherson begins by saying it is "shocking" that Westminster has been prorogued.

Across this chamber we share an admiration for the contribution the higher education sector makes to Scotland's economy and community he states.

There also seems to be some agreement about the concerns UK immigration policy will have, the minister adds, particularly around a no-deal.

Mr Macpherson says the end of freedom of movement will have a negative impact on the research sectors and he urges other MSPs to get behind the government's efforts to encourage people to stay.

We need to attract the best international talent and a post-study work visa would allow people to continue contributing to Scotland after their studies, he argues.

He urges the UK government to reintroduce it or alternatively to allow immigration policy to be tailored to Scotland.

Tory MSP Liz Smith begins by saying she has been a critic of UK government policy, particularly in regard to post-study work visas.

Ms Smith points out there was abuse of the post-study work visas.

As a Remain voter, the Tory MSP says it is now incumbent on all politicians to deliver Brexit.

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Ms Smith praises the Erasmus student exchange programme.

The Scottish and Welsh governments have expressed fears over the future of the Erasmus programme in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

She concludes she is hopeful we will see a change in policy from the UK government for the better.

Labour MSP Alex Rowley suggest the Tory party is in denial of where we are in terms of Brexit.

The prime minister is not attempting to negotiate a deal, he insists.

He backs calls for the re-introduction of a post-study work visa, before highlighting 47% of research staff at universities are not from the UK.

International students spent around £517.5m in 2015-16 which is important to our economy, he says, with visits from family and friends in addition to this.

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The next prime minister should lower the salary threshold for foreign workers in the UK from £30,000 to £20,000, a group of business and education bodies has said.

They say that such a move would help to avoid "acute" skills shortages.

Currently any non-EU citizen working in the UK must earn at least £30,000, but under current proposals this will be extended to EU citizens after Brexit.

The Home Office said it was still consulting on the plans.

The coalition also called for more generous temporary and post-study work visas, following curbs in recent years to lower immigration.

Read more.

Sean Coughlan
BBC News, education correspondent

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University heads warned in January that a no-deal Brexit is "one of the biggest threats" the institutions have ever faced.

Higher education leaders wrote to MPs to say it is "no exaggeration" to warn that it would take universities "decades to recover".

They say it would undermine scientific research and threaten universities' £21bn contribution to the UK economy.

The government has said its immigration plans will keep universities "open to the talent we need from Europe".

Read more.

Lib Dem MSP Beatrice Wishart, making her debut speech, begins by praising her predecessor Tavish Scott.

She says it is important to be able to attract highly skilled people to Scotland and to Shetland in order to address the skills shortage.

Ms Wishart points to concerns the shortage will worsen upon Brexit.

"I have no faith that this Tory government will implement any kind of compassionate immigration system in the future."

Tens of thousands of low-skilled migrants could come to the UK to work for up to a year under proposed new post-Brexit immigration rules, external, published last December.

The measure, which would last until 2025, is intended to protect parts of the economy reliant on overseas labour.

The idea was described as "shocking" by campaign group Migration Watch.

Then Home Secretary Sajid Javid said the new system would be based on UK needs rather than where migrants were from and show the UK "open for business".

Read more.

Mr Greer argues the "hostile environment policy" has already given us the Windrush Scandal, through institutional racism and the lack of requirement for records in the past.

He points out EU citizens similarly do not have records.

"I have no faith in the Home Office" says Mr Greer, who is concerned people are being denied settled status.

There's a chance that the Windrush scandal will be repeated amongst EU citizens, he adds and he calls for the Home Office to be abolished.

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Green MSP Ross Greer says it is timely as the only parliament that is allowed to sit today, MSPs are holding the UK government to account on this issue.

Mr Greer warns a no-deal Brexit would be disastrous for our universities and the science sector.

He warns the success of the sector is threatened by the "UK's cruel and destructive immigration policies" expanded to EU citizens.

This is the policy that has seen people deported to their deaths and refuses visas to researchers from Africa, he adds.

Faisal Islam
BBC Economics Editor

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The head of the UK's biggest charitable funder of scientific research has written to Boris Johnson backing his vision of a thriving science sector, but warning that leaving the EU without a deal is a "threat to that".

In a letter, external, seen by the BBC, chairwoman of the Wellcome Trust Lady Eliza Manningham-Buller, asks the PM to up investment spending in science to German levels, and to ensure that immigration policy was "more welcoming" to top scientists.

The Wellcome Trust is responsible for £1bn of funding a year, and should be a key part of Boris Johnson's vision of the UK as a "science superpower".

Its chairwoman told the BBC that while she agrees that there is a great prize to be grasped she is anxious about the damage she says Brexit has done to recruiting scientists.

Read more.

Mr Gray says the "arbitrary and punitive" salary threshold will limit the research communities' ability to attract the skills it needs.

The temporary leave to the remain also ignores that fact Scottish degrees are four years long, he adds.

A new Immigration Bill ought to be an opportunity to better support researchers but there is no evidence the current government understands or desires this the Labour MSP states.

Scottish Labour believes the best deal for education would be to remain in the EU, Mr Gray says.