That's all from BBC Holyrood Live on Thursday 28 November 2019.

Warnings about the risk of water contamination at Scotland's largest hospital were issued just days after it opened, Labour MSP Anas Sarwar has said.

Glasgow's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) opened in 2015 despite the warnings but has since had to close wards due to the risks from the water.

Nicola Sturgeon said she was determined to get the "answers parents deserve" after a string of problems at the Glasgow hospital.

But Labour MSP Anas Sarwar, who was passed the reports by whistleblowers, said it was an "unforgivable situation" and added that he had seen figures which suggest there were 50 cases of infections at the Royal Children's Hospital - part of the QEUH campus - between 2015 and 2018, and a further 15 unconfirmed cases so far this year.

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MSPs back the general principles of the Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representation) Bill, external.

63 MSPs backed them and 18 voted against.

This legislation could see prisoners serving a sentence of less than 12 months getting the right to vote in Scottish Parliament and local government elections.

It would else extend the franchise to all those with a legal right to living in Scotland, including those who have been granted refugee or asylum status.

To pass, the bill will require the support of at least two-thirds of MSPs.

Turning to the provisions which would allow foreign nationals to vote, Mr Cole Hamilton says we are heavily indebted to people who choose to make Scotland their home.

But despite this they are currently denied the duty to participate fully in public life, he states.

People living in Scotland have every right to have a say in decisions that will effect them he argues.

The Lib Dem MSPs says he hopes amendments to this bill will ensure it is legislation, that in 50 or 100 years time, will be seen as just as common sense as extending the franchise to women.

The Lib Dem MSP says the blanket ban on prisoner voting means we have knowingly been in breach of human rights law since 2005.

The evidence for change is direct and compelling, he argues.

But he insists that only extending it to short-term sentences does not answer the legal imperative and it continues the arbitrary nature of who is and is not allowed to vote.

Stopping prisoners from voting isn't legal, it isn't fair and it is not progressive, he insists.

Ensuring prisoners are more prepared to reintegrate in communities and making them aware of their role as citizens will reduce recidivism, Mr Cole-Hamilton insists.

Lib Dem MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton says his party has been calling for many of the changes proposed in this bill for a long time.

The ability to cast a ballot is an opportunity to bring about change and we have to make it easier for people to influence the way the country is run, he states.

It is part of building a more equal and liberal society he argues.

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In line with the Bill's proposal to extend the franchise to all foreign nationals living in Scotland legally, the Bill therefore seeks to allow people from all countries to stand for election to both the Scottish Parliament and to local government.

Sections 2 and 3 of the Bill (Section 2 relates to candidacy for Scottish Parliament elections, and Section 3 to local government elections) propose extending candidacy rights to all foreign nationals who are resident in Scotland and who have an indefinite right to live in Scotland.

Read more of the SPICe briefing here., external

Mark Ruskell says guaranteeing the right of EU citizens and other foreign nationals to vote and stand in elections is necessary.

"These people are us, not others."

He adds the UK government's settled status scheme is shameful.

The Green MSP says asylum seekers deserve democratic participation, not just representation.

Mr Ruskell calls for increasing the franchise for prisoners beyond those with a sentence of 12 months or less, and he invites the minister to be bold at stage two.

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Green MSP Mark Ruskell says it has been "quite chilling to hear the Tories suggest that democracy in some way isn't a human right".

Mr Ruskell insists it is in the European Convention of Human Rights, however Tory MSP Adam Tomkins intervenes asking where it says the phrase 'right to vote'.

That is dancing on the head of a pin, argues Mr Ruskell, who points out the Conventions cites the right to free elections, which you cannot have without allowing people to vote in them.

The Green MSP says the bill does not fully address issues around enfranchising asylum seekers, the young and more prisoners.

Tory MSP Liam Kerr wonders if there is any evidence that giving prisoners the vote has any impact on rehabilitation outcomes.

Mr Rowley replies that this is the evidence which must be looked at.

Voter registration and participation is still too low and we must address this, he argues.

He urges the Scottish government to set out how it will promote greater participation in elections across Scotland.

Recent events have led many people to question democracy itself and we must take steps to rebuild the trust that has been lost, he says.

Mr Rowley says the integrity of the electoral register must be looked at and he wonders what can be done to ensure it is as complete and accurate as possible.

He also queries how much support will be required to ensure the measure to allow those granted refugee status to vote is more than a tokenistic gesture.

The current blanket ban on prisoner voting is unsustainable he argues, and suggests looking at evidence from other countries who have allowed it.

"Reform in this area is badly needed," he states.

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The Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representation) Bill, external intends "to ensure that citizens of all countries who are legally resident [in Scotland] are able to vote and stand in elections which affect them."

It proposes changes which would apply only at Scottish elections.

That is elections to the Scottish Parliament and Scottish local government.

Whilst the Bill does not change the franchise for referendums directly, the Referendums (Scotland) Bill, external proposes that the local government elections franchise be used for Scottish referendums.

As such, the franchise as amended by this Bill could apply to future Scottish referendums.

Read more of the SPICe briefing here., external

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Opening the debate for Labour, Alex Rowley says he believes the direction being taken in this bill will strengthen and improve devolved elections.

Mr Rowley welcomes the intention to ensure all foreign citizens who are legally living in Scotland get the vote and stand in elections.

"Foreign nationals who make their home here contribute greatly to our society."

He says it is only right they have a say in the decisions that govern their lives.

Mr Halcro Johnston wonders to what level candidates would be expected to engage with prisoners.

When prisoner voting was "foisted upon us" in the Shetland by-election it should have been seen as an area of real concern, he argues.

We can improve how elections are run and ensure they result in a better representation of the electorate, he states.

But he concludes that the bill does little towards these objectives.

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Prisoners in Scotland were temporarily given the right to vote as the Scottish government moves to a "long-term" change in the law.

Inmates were able to vote in the Shetland by-election on 29 August, triggered by Tavish Scott's resignation.

The move complies with the European Convention on Human Rights.

Constitutional Relations Secretary Michael Russell issued a remedial order to bring voting rights for the by-election into line with the ECHR ruling.

It is estimated the order extended the franchise to fewer than five people.

Mr Halcro Johnston says the proposal to enfranchise prisoners serving under 12 months brings elections directly into our prisons.

There are those that suggest that all restrictions on prisoner voting should be lifted entirely, he points out.

The Tory MSP says he agrees with the sentiment from David Cameron that the idea of the consequences that flow from that made him physically sick.

That is not what is being suggested in the bill, he concedes.

Labour MSP Neil Findlay intervenes to say "given the policy agenda of Mr Cameron he makes many people physically sick."

The presiding officer calls for "a bit more respect from members" and Mr Johnston replies with a sarcastic thank you for the intervention.

Tory MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston says few countries around the world allow for such a wide franchise proposed in this bill in terms of foreign nationals.

Increasing voter roles may not necessarily increase participation and other barriers may be more important, he adds.

Citizenship is a legal relationship that binds a citizen to a state and it is not about ethnicity he says.

The Tory MSP says there is a strong case the bill goes further than is required regarding prisoner voting.

The UK government's approach has allowed people released on temporary license to vote, he says.

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Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee convener, external Bill Kidd explains that while there was not complete consensus on this bill, at least MSPs were very civil in agreeing to not agree.

Mr Kidd says the majority of the committee welcomed the proposals to extend the franchise to foreign nationals resident in Scotland.

The committee believed that the blanket ban on prisoner voting was unsustainable as it is at odds with European Convention on Human Rights, he tells the chamber.

He says the approach taken in the bill to allow prisoners sentenced for 12 months or less to vote was inconsistent in the context of the presumption against sentences of twelve months.

The committee convener explains the range of approaches presented to the committee was between 12 months and four years, but no clear consensus emerged in favour of one of these options.

He says MSPs would like the Scottish government to publish evidence which has influenced its position on this issue.

However, Mr Kidd tells the chamber the committee supports the general principles of the Bill.

Read the state 1 report, external here.

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The Bill enfranchises prisoners serving sentences of under 12 months at both Scottish Parliament and Scottish local government elections.

This right will not extend to people who are convicted and sentenced to consecutive or concurrent terms of imprisonment which, when taken together, exceed 12 months.

The Scottish government's view is that 12 months is sensible as it "is consistent with the distinction within the Scottish criminal justice system between the sentencing powers of courts of summary jurisdiction and courts of solemn jurisdiction".

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Turning to prisoner voting, Mr Russell says the parliament must act because the ban is untenable under human rights law.

There is no one size fits all approach across Europe on this and our proposal of those serving less than 12 months maintaining the right to vote falls within this, he states.

Mr Tomkins wonders if the bill goes further than is necessary to meet the requirements of the Council of Europe.

The cabinet secretary insists the bill is proportionate, with strong reasoning and the option that found most favour in the consultation.