Mr Russell says: "Political participation is a vital part of a person's integration."

This bill will enfranchise refugees with leave to remain, he says.

The minister explains that while he is not unsympathetic to extending this to asylum seekers, that measure is not in this bill, due to some being unsuccessful in their claims.

Asylum seekers also do not have a national insurance number, he adds.

Mr Russell pledges to look at the issue of asylum seekers getting the vote again.

The bill also extends candidacy rights to foreign nationals with leave to remain, Mr Russell states.

Image source, Reuters

Section 1 of the Bill extends the franchise for Scottish elections to include all those with a legal right to live in Scotland. It does so by creating a new category of voter – “qualifying foreign national”.

A qualifying foreign national is someone who does not require leave to enter or remain in the UK under the Immigration Act 1971, external. Any period of leave to remain entitles a person to register to vote.

This means that people who have been granted refugee status and those who have been granted asylum will be able to vote, so long as they satisfy the condition of living in Scotland, as well as the conditions which apply to all electors.

People who are in the UK illegally, or who are seeking asylum but whose claim is still undetermined, will not be able to vote.

The Scottish government has said that, should the voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens change as a result of the UK leaving the UK, the Bill "provides an opportunity for these rights to be reaffirmed".

Read more of the SPICe briefing here., external

The Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representation) Bill, external falls into three main subject areas:

• extending the franchise to citizens of all countries who are legally resident in Scotland
• extending candidacy rights
• allowing some prisoners the right to vote

Constitutional Relations Secretary Michael Russell highlights this is the first bill before the parliament that will require a supermajority (the support for two thirds of MSPs).

He explains the bill will give all citizens with a stake in the future of this country the ability to vote, with anyone from anywhere in the world who lives and works among us being included in the franchise.

Tory MSP Adam Tomkins understands the want to equate the franchise with residency but he questions what, if the link between citizenship and voting is broken, the cabinet secretary believes citizenship is for.

Mr Russell insists if a person is a member and resident of a society, they should be able to make decisions about it.

"Franchises are dynamic and they should be dynamic," he argues.

Image source, Getty Images

Constitution Secretary Mike Russell leads a debate on the Scottish Elections (Franchise and Representation) Bill , externalfor the first time.

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 would require the support of at least two-thirds of MSPs.

Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles highlights part of the report which recommends the provision of women only courses.

He wonders if such "compartmentalisaton" is the best way to change to male dominated culture.

Mr Ewing says the taskforce felt women only courses would be the most efficacious.

Green MSP Mark Ruskell asks if the government will act to update the law of succession to give women equal right to inherit farms as men have.

Mr Ewing says succession discussions can be very sensitive and the practicality of preparing a will would make the intentions clear.

The taskforce make it clear the culture must change here, he tells the Green MSP.

Image source, bbc

Women have been offered help to return to work in the farming industry after taking career breaks.

The Scottish government said up to £5m would be invested in training and placements to support 2,000 women back into jobs in different sectors.

Particular focus is being placed on agriculture.

Pilot training programmes have also been launched to help women take up board-level positions in the industry and improve their business skills.

The effort forms part of the government's Gender Pay Gap Action Plan, external.

The Women in Agriculture Taskforce has developed the new training programmes.

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Colin Smyth says the report points to the need for fundamental cultural change.

The barriers women face must be broken down and new entrants to the sector must be supported, adds Mr Smyth.

He asks about schemes that do that and what the government is doing to close the pay gap.

The rural economy secretary replies the culture change will require men to change as well.

Mr Ewing cites a matching and mentoring scheme that has just been launched.

He adds the skills gap facing some women must be addressed.

Tory MSP Peter Chapman welcomes the report, agreeing more women need to be brought into the industry.

"Changing cultures can take a long time", he states.

He welcomes the taskforce rejected calls for quotas, insisting training is a better way forward.

Mr Chapman asks about funding to deliver the programme.

Mr Ewing says the training will look to develop people's skills as individuals and as leaders.

He says the government is expecting to committed £200,000 for 2019-20 and £300,000 for the next year.

The funding is relatively modest but I think we'll get a substantial result from that, he adds.

Image source, bbc

The final report of the Women in Agriculture Taskforce, external recommends:

• creating an environment that empowers women to take up leadership posts and supports fairness of opportunity
• ensuring women have equal access to skills development opportunities to enable them to succeed and their businesses to flourish
• challenging existing cultural norms that view men as the heirs to agricultural businesses
• developing an equality charter that will be mainstreamed into all Scottish government agricultural and related policies

Mr Ewing says: "There is no doubt that cultural change of this scale requires time and the report recognises that.”

“Change must come and doing nothing is not an option.”

Scottish agriculture is the last male stronghold, despite women and girls doing excellent work in the sector and this government wants to see it become fairer and more equal he concludes.

Women working in Scotland's agriculture sector are being excluded by "outdated attitudes and behaviours", a Scottish government panel has concluded.

The Women in Agriculture Taskforce said a gender bias meant work undertaken by women was being undervalued, downplayed or simply unseen.

Taskforce co-chair Joyce Campbell said the report shone light into some "very dark corners of Scottish agriculture."

It recommends that key organisations undertake unconscious bias training.

Read more.

Image source, bbc

Mr Ewing highlights the publication of the Women in Agriculture Taskforce report, external.

The starting point for change is creating a suite of measures to support women in the sector which will be voluntary he states.

That does not mean the government will not step in if not enough if progress is made, he adds.

The government will create an equality charter for agriculture, with organisations expected to show evidence of compliance by 2022 he adds.

On training, Mr Ewing announced funding for three courses as part of efforts to build confidence, leadership and business skills in the sector.

Image source, Getty Images

Rural Economy Fergus Ewing updates MSPs on final report from the Women in Agriculture Taskforce.

The Women in Agriculture Taskforce aims to give women in farming access to the same development opportunities as men in this sector.

This will ensure the long term sustainability and resilience of Scotland’s rural economy.

Research shows that women’s development in agriculture is vital to increasing the size of the skilled workforce, as well as unlocking talent to help drive the industry forward.

The taskforce activities centre around – but are not limited to – the recommendations in the Women in Farming and the Agricultural Sector: research report, external.

It is right retail workers have legal protections as they go about their work, replies the minister.

He adds that anyone assaulting retail workers can be prosecuted under existing laws.

Mr Johnson highlights specific protections exist to protect other workers and he suggests the law should change to protect shop workers given the extent of abuse they face.

Mr Hepburn says the government will consider Mr Johnson's Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Bill , externalin good faith and respond in due course.

Shop workers are experiencing "severe mental health consequences" as a result of violent store crime, a study says.

The report, external by City, University of London, says a rise in violent retail crime is causing "long-lasting anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder" among workers in the sector.

More than 42,000 assaults or threats were recorded, external in the industry in 2018.

Home Office data showed that assaults and threats against sector staff rose from 524 incidents per 1,000 premises in 2016, to 1,433 in 2017.

And earlier this year, the British Retail Consortium said around 115 workers in the UK faced threats or assaults every day.

Labour MSP Daniel Johnson asks the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent assaults on retail workers.

Image source, bbc

Business Minister Jamie Hepburn says the reestablishment of any stock exchange in Scotland is a commercial matter.

Mr Fraser says Scottish Enterprise pledged £750,000 of public money to Project Heather's plans to do just that and the minister and the government were very supportive it.

However its offices lie empty, staff are unpaid and debts have run up to nearly £1m, says the Tory MSP, and he asks what support staff will be given, who face losing their jobs.

The business minister replies none of the SE money has been drawn down, but he accepts it is incumbent on the government to support the staff.

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Murdo Fraser asks what the Scottish government's position is on the establishment of a Scottish stock exchange.