Image source, bbc

The minister says she will also introduce legislative change and will establish a "Firework Review Group", to be chaired by Alasdair Hay, former Chief Officer of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

The new firework review group will consider opportunities to:

• restrict the use of fireworks on private property
• tighten the dates and times that fireworks can be set off
• introduce ‘no firework’ areas or zones

This group will report back in summer 2020, she adds.

Image source, Getty Images

Campaigners have called for action to end the "misery" caused by fireworks after a government consultation found support for tougher controls on their use and sale.

Almost everybody who responded to the consultation wanted to see tighter regulations.

It was launched after a series of fireworks attacks on the emergency services last year.

Read more.

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Ms Denham says the Scottish government has published its Fireworks Action Plan: Promoting the Safe and Appropriate Use of Fireworks in Scotland, external.

This action plan includes:

• Communication campaigns to be run across Scotland
• The development of advice and guidance at the point of sale and to support communities looking to undertake organised displays
• Support and engagement directly with local communities most affected by antisocial behaviour from fireworks

However, the minister goes on to highlight antisocial behavior and attacks on emergency service workers around Bonfire Night in recent years.

She says pre-planning and preventative activity has been undertaken this year at local and national level to limit a repeat.

Highlighting support found through the consultation, Ms Denham insists that "people want change" to deal with distress caused to animals, people with autism and veterans.

She says that she could like to restrict firework sales but, since this is a reserved matter, she is continuing to engage with the UK government on this.

The Scottish government’s consultation on fireworks, external ran for 14 weeks and 16,420 responses were received.

It found that:

• 94% want to see tighter controls on the sale of fireworks
• 93% want to see stronger regulations to ensure animals are not caused unnecessary suffering as a result of fireworks misuse
• 92% feel there should be tighter controls on fireworks use
• 87% would support an outright ban on the sale of fireworks

Image source, bbc

Ms Denham insists her message today is about keeping people safe.

The community safety minister says the Scottish government is keen to work with the fireworks industry and communities to support the promotion of well run organised displays.

A list of organised public events across Scotland has been published on the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service website, external.

Image source, Getty Images

Community Safety Minister Ash Denham is making a statement on the safe and appropriate use of fireworks.

While legislation on the sale of fireworks is a reserved matter, ministers can tighten up regulations around their use.

Mr Yousaf details additional funding being provided for the Scottish Prison Service to address these issue.

Mr McArthur says the solitary confinement areas at Cornton Vale and Ross House have been called totally inappropriate environments to hold women with mental health conditions.

The Lib Dem MSP cites horrific cases of women who should not have been in prison due to their mental health.

The minister offers to provide the member with a copy of the government's response to the report.

Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur asks about changes in light of the recent report by the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and its finding of an “emergency” in Scotland’s prisons.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman says it is crucial that adults and children can participate in football safely, and she highlights guidance on dealing with concussion in sport.

We will continue to work with partners to carefully consider the study and any action required, she adds.

Mr Gibson welcomes plans to end football headers by under 12s.

The health secretary highlights the research does not specifically link headers to brain disease, though she does welcome the Scottish FA considering efforts to improve header safety for younger players.

SNP MSP Kenneth Gibson seeks a response to research finding football players are three and a half times more likely to die of degenerative brain disease than the general population.

Image source, Getty Images

Former professional footballers are three and a half times more likely to die of dementia than people of the same age range in the general population, according to new research.

Experts at Glasgow University have been investigating fears that heading the ball could be linked to brain injuries.

The study began after claims that former West Brom striker Jeff Astle died because of repeated head trauma.

It compared deaths of 7,676 ex-players to 23,000 from the general population.

Read more.

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Humza Yousaf says the horrifying discovery in Essex underlines the seriousness of the situation and he passes on his condolences to those families affected.

The justice secretary details support available to trafficking victims in Scotland and Scottish government funding to address it.

Ms Boyack welcomes the support available and calls for a breakdown of the figures of trafficking victims to local authority areas.

Mr Yousaf agrees the more detailed figures available the better.

The Labour MSP also highlights the need for safe housing to release people from what must be a horrendous experience and the minister agrees to speak to the housing minister on this issue.

Labour MSP Sarah Boyack asks about allocating resources to address human trafficking and exploitation.

The bodies of 39 people were found in a lorry container in Essex in eastern England on 23 October.

The driver has been charged with their manslaughter. Three other people who were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and conspiracy to traffic people have been released on bail.

Essex Police said they were working "to piece together the circumstances of this horrific event" which they described at the time as the largest murder investigation in the force's history.

Read more.

Fr. Vincent Lockhart from Missio Scotland is delivering today's time for reflection.

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The afternoon begins with topical questions on human trafficking, the link between professional footballers and brain disease and then on overcrowding in Scottish prisons.

Community Safety Minister Ash Denham will make a statement on fireworks regulations.

Then MSPs will debate the future of disability assistance.

Finally, Labour MSP Pauline McNeill leads a member's debate on changes to Asda employment contracts.

The role of Consumer Scotland should be to enhance what is already there, not to erode anything says Kirsti Kelly.

With that, the committee moves into private session.

Kristi Kelly from Aberdeen CAB explains individual bureaux can highlight local issues and this is fed into CAS through a data-sharing agreement.

Gillian Burgan agrees, saying such information and data could also be made available to Consumer Scotland.

Ms Kelly adds that CABs must be told what the agency would want in terms of data.