Image source, bbc

Rachael Hamilton says it was so heartbreaking to watch the "Mac" devastated by fire for the second time.

The Tory MSP adds businesses and residents still face the worst fallout from the fire.

She pays tribute to the fire service and the police and to those who lost work as a result of the fire.

Ms Hamilton calls for all stakeholders to be involved going forward.

Mr Lochhead says it is important the GSA continues as a further and higher education institution.

It is an intrinsic part of the cultural and economic life of Glasgow, he states.

The minister welcomes the school's commitment to engage with the local community going forward.

Regarding calls for the public inquiry, he says the government is awaiting the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service report before any decision is made.

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Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead says the tragedy of the second and more destructive fire at the GSA shook us again.

Mr Lochhead pays tribute to the GSA staff, students and local residents who have been affected by the fire.

Mr Tomkins intervenes to say the GSA management have not only allowed the iconic building to burn down twice, but have treated residents and businesses down Sauchiehall street with disdain and contempt.

The Tory MSP asks if the minister agrees the time has long since past for the Macintosh building to be taken out of the GSA's hands and put into a public trust.

Mr Lochhead replies he would not share Mr Tomkin's language but agrees there are harsh lessons to be learned and the GSA management are the first to admit this.

Image source, GETTY IMAGES

Glasgow School of Art (GSA) has been criticised by MSPs in a report into the fire which devastated the Mackintosh Building last year.

Holyrood's culture committee said the school did not give sufficient priority to safeguarding the building.

The blaze ripped through "The Mack" in June 2018 as a £36m restoration project, following a major fire four years earlier, was nearing completion.

The GSA said it intended to "learn lessons" from the report.

The MSPs also said a full public inquiry should be held into the circumstances surrounding the two fires at the building.

The committee's report, external concluded that prior to the first fire in 2014, the art school had not addressed the heightened risk of fire to the Mackintosh Building or carried out an adequate risk assessment.

• Read more here
• Plan submitted to demolish Glasgow's fire-ravaged O2 ABC building
• Fire expert 'puzzled' over art school mist system
• Art school admits 'poor communications' after Mack fire

Ms McAlpine highlights calls to better protect historic buildings during restoration and suggests a review of legislation covering this.

She says future decisions on the rebuild should involve the local community and not be left solely to GSA management.

She backs a full public inquiry into the fire once the fire service has published its own report.

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Joan McAlpine says the committee concluded there is a clear need for a wider full public inquiry into the fire.

The committee convener shares the frustrations people have waiting for the probe by the investigators to be finished.

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins agrees a public inquiry should be held and asks if the "national treasure" should be taken out of the GSA's hands and put into some kind of public trust..

Mr Tomkins argues GSA management are unfit to look after the iconic building.

Ms McAlpine replies she does not want to preempt the public inquiry but agrees the GSA should not continue managing the building alone.

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Convener Joan McAlpine will now lead a debate on behalf of the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee on its report: The Glasgow School of Art Mackintosh Building: The loss of a national treasure, external.

The committee considers from the evidence gathered that the Mackintosh fires raise a host of associated issues which go beyond the cause of the fire itself and as such require further examination.

MSPs recommended that after the conclusion of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service report, the Scottish government should establish a public inquiry with judicial powers into the 2014 and 2018 fires at the Glasgow School of Art.

The inquiry should also examine the risks posed by fire in historic buildings nationally and the ability of custodians to manage these properties, drawing on the lessons learned from the GSA.

Image source, Andrew Cowan

SUMMARY:

Scotland’s economy would suffer significant damage under Boris Johnson's Brexit deal, according to Scottish government analysis.

The assessment estimates that under the free trade agreement envisaged in the deal, Scottish Gross Domestic Product would be 6.1% lower by 2030 compared to forecasts under continued EU membership.

This equates to £1,600 per person.

The potential for delays to trade and non-tariff barriers, such as country of origin rules and regulatory alignment, could leave Scotland’s food and drink, digital and service sectors particularly vulnerable, the analysis says.

The Scottish government also warned that by granting Northern Ireland continued access to the European single market, the deal puts Scottish companies at a competitive disadvantage.

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins accused the Brexit secretary of giving a party political broadcast and argued that the new deal meets many of Mr Russell's demands.

Image source, Andrew Cowan

Image source, Science Photo Library

MSPs quiz health and sport ministers during portfolio questions.

Read the full list of questions here., external

Questions to communities and local government ministers are also asked.

Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie says he is "puzzled" about the idea that leaving the EU would be a disaster but leaving the UK would be positive.

Borders and barriers costs jobs and economy he insists.

Mr Russell agrees Brexit must be stopped but he suggests Mr Rennie does not have a plan to do so.

"There is one surefire way of getting Brexit finished and moving on as a normal nation - and that is independence."

The findings of the Scottish government’s assessment of the revised withdrawal agreement and political declaration, external have been published online.

The fresh analysis outlines the impact on the economy, living standards, the NHS and the rights and protections Scots currently enjoy inside the EU.

Image source, Scottish government

Here's more analysis from the Scottish government:

• The deal undermines the UK government’s claim that EU fishing access to Scottish waters will be a matter for annual negotiation and that there will be no link between access to UK waters and access to EU markets
• Access is explicitly connected to the wider economic relationship
• This will not only directly damage our economic prospects, not least across rural Scotland, it could have serious adverse consequences for the viability of some of our remoter communities
• There are significant risks for Scotland’s services sector, given the increasing importance of the EU as an export destination for services, worth £5 billion to Scotland in 2017
• Commitments have been weakened across a range of standards and rights derived from EU membership – for example in environmental protection and the rights of working people.
• The deal paves the way for a deregulation agenda by the UK government.
• The deal ends freedom of movement of people. In a scenario of 50% less EU migration, the working age population will decline by almost 2% rather than the current projection of remaining flat.
• The proportion of children would decline by 12.8%

Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie says the level playing field provisions originally in the withdrawal agreement have now been put into the weaker non-binding political declaration and warns of the UK government's plans to scrap protections.

The Scottish Green Party co-leader also warns of the abolition of the legislative consent principle as seen by the UK government.

Has Mr Russell withdrawn the legislative consent memorandum given the UK government's Brexit deal bill has fallen for the time being, asks Mr Harvie.

Image source, bbc

The Brexit secretary says, on the legislative consent memorandum, the likelihood is the government will allow it to be considered.

Mr Russell adds it is impossible to see us giving legislative consent to this bill or indeed any other bill dealing with Brexit without reform of the LCM process.

He warns the UK government will chip away at protections, human rights, workers rights and environmental rights.

Labour MSP Alex Rowley agrees Johnson's deal is even worse than May's deal.

Regarding the upcoming election, he says it should be about more than Brexit and warns that independence could bring in years of austerity.

Mr Russell says independence is the only way to prevent a situation where Scotland votes one way and the rest of the UK votes another.

He insists Scotland has an opportunity to do "exceptionally well" as an independent country.

Mr Russell replies to Mr Tomkins explaining he has called for many things for Scotland, including to remain in the customs union and the single market.

"That has been treated with contempt by the Conservatives north and south of the border," adds the Brexit secretary.

He reiterates his explanation why he wants an end to Brexit.

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins says he was fully expecting the cabinet secretary to come to the chamber to apologise for suggesting the prime minister did not want a deal with the EU.

This is not a ministerial statement worthy of the name, but a party political broadcast for the SNP he argues.

Mr Tomkins says the new EU exit deal meets several of the demands previously made by the SNP, suggesting the party only rails against it because they want chaos to call for another independence referendum.

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser raises a point of order arguing that Mr Russell has just given a 15 minute party political broadcast.

The presiding officer says given a general election is imminent MSPs should avoid bringing election campaigning too much to Holyrood.