That all from BBC Scotland's coverage of the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday 17 December 2019.

Nicola Sturgeon has urged parties to "come together" around an independence referendum in light of a "new danger" from Boris Johnson's government.

The first minister told MSPs there was a "growing recognition" that the issue "must be decided by the people".

This week the Scottish government will publish the "democratic case" for the transfer of power to hold such a vote.

UK ministers are opposed to such a move and have said the result of the 2014 referendum should be "respected"

Image source, bbc

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell says collectively we must do more to tackle hunger in Scotland and end this shame.

Ms Campbell points out it is vital to take action on the causes of poverty to achieve this.

She says food poverty is down to income poverty and that lack of cash is down to devastating cuts to welfare.

The minister says last year the government invested £1.4bn to support low income households including £100m to mitigate cuts.

Image source, Menu for change

From the Menu for Change website, external:

"Oxfam Scotland, external, Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, external, Nourish Scotland, external and The Poverty Alliance, external have joined forces to undertake this vital partnership project which aims to evolve the emergency response to food insecurity in Scotland whilst helping to tackle the underlying drivers.

"We have been awarded funding from the National Lottery Community Fund and also have a range of strategic partners committed to informing and supporting the project."

Image source, bbc

Food banks in Scotland gave out a record number of food parcels last year, according to figures published in April.

More than 170,000 three-day emergency food supplies were distributed by The Trussell Trust's 52 food banks.

The charity said it saw a 17% increase in demand north of the border in 2017/18, compared to the previous year.

And it claimed a growing proportion of people referred to Scottish food banks have found that their benefits do not cover the cost of essentials.

However, the UK government said it was wrong to link a rise in food bank use to any one cause as the reasons why people use them are complex.

Last year The Trussell Trust reported that it had provided more than 145,000 packages to people in crisis in 2016/17.

Read more here.

Image source, Shauna Gauntlett

Shauna Gauntlett was a care assistant in Dundee when the company she worked for went through financial troubles.

In the run up to Christmas, the company cut her hours, leaving her unable to pay for food or her bills.

"I should be able to have enough money to feed myself while being in work," Shauna said.

But with no savings or safety net the reduced income meant she had to visit a food bank in Dundee.

A three-year study, focusing on more than 1,000 food-bank users across the UK was commissioned by the Trussell Trust,, externaland conducted by Edinburgh's Heriot-Watt University.

Read more here.

Last year The Trussell Trust reported that it had provided more than 145,000 packages to people in crisis in 2016/17.

The key findings of its latest report were:

• 170,625 food parcels were distributed in Scotland in 2017/18 - 17% more than in the previous year
• 55,038 parcels went to children
• 28% of referrals were on a low income, receiving benefits (up from 22% in 2016/17)
• Debt accounted for 8% of referrals, up from 7% last year
• Benefits delays (22%) and benefit changes (18%) accounted for a large number of referrals

Green MSP Alison Johnstone says: "Access to food is a fundamental right."

Yet so many people in our country are having this access limited and many do no know where their next meal is coming from, he states.

We have to make sure people have enough of an income to be able to provide food, whether we are talking about wages, social security or a mixture of both she says.

Image source, Menu for Change, Found Wanting

Menu for Change, Found Wanting, external:

From the Menu for Change website, external:

"If Scotland doesn’t have a shortage of food, why do so many worry about going hungry?

"The answer from Menu for Change’s research is simple: low and irregular wages, combined with a social security system that too often fails to provide even a basic safety net. These are what push people into food insecurity, where they don’t know if they will be able to afford their next meal.

"Our new report out today is based on the experiences of those we’ve spoken to directly, whose journeys in and out of food insecurity we’ve followed over time.

"The situations featured should be unthinkable in modern Scotland, yet they are happening all too frequently."

Read more here., external

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour agrees with Mr Rowley that food banks cannot become normative in Scotland.

"We need to think outside the box to make sure we do move on from food banks."

He points out benefits uptake must be improved.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell intervenes to say many use of food banks because of to cuts from the UK government.

Mr Balfour is concerned advance payments are not being taken up during the five week wait for Universal Credit to kick in.

Mr Rowley says food banks are not the long term answer to food insecurity.

Fundamentally people need cash to buy the food they need, he argues.

This parliament does not have many of the levers needed to address these issues, the Labour MSP states, and he warns the new UK government will not only fail to address them but actively make them worse.

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Alex Rowley will now lead a member's debate welcoming Menu for Change, Found Wanting, external, a report which looks at the pressures forcing people into food insecurity in Scotland.

A Menu for Change is a three-year initiative that is run by Oxfam Scotland, Nourish Scotland, the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland and the Poverty Alliance.

The report found that system changes are required to prevent the causes of food insecurity.

Image source, Event Scotland

MSPs pass the UEFA European Championship (Scotland) Bill, external unanimously.

Image source, bbc

Nicola Sturgeon has told MSPs that Scotland is facing a watershed moment, following the SNP's comprehensive win in Scotland in last week's general election.

The first minister said this put the country at odds with the rest of the UK, which returned a majority Conservative government.

Ms Sturgeon said plans will be published later this week on transferring powers to allow Scotland to stage a further independence referendum, to be held next year.

She called for the parties to support her bid to have the right to stage such a ballot.

UK ministers have so far ruled out a further vote.

Lib Dem MSP Mike Rumbles says the bill, when it was first introduced, included some extensive legal powers for enforcement officers.

He welcomes ministers for listening to these concerns and subsequent changes made at stage 2.

The Lib Dem calls for a separate bill to outlaw ticket touting in all circumstances.

"This is a good bill," he says, confirming his party supports it.

Image source, bbc

Green MSP Ross Greer begins: "It's good to see the UEFA bill finalised in a form that works for everyone."

Mr Greer says hosting the championship next year has the potential to bring benefits to Glasgow.

However he warns big organisations will make a lot of money, which may impact on small businesses.

Labour MSP Claire Baker says events such as this will be a boost to tourism not just for Glasgow, but across the country.

In the light of Brexit, international events like the will help foster cooperation and recognise our continuing place in Europe, she states.

Ms Baker welcomes efforts to stamp out ticket touting for the tournament.

She requests more information on the framework bill mentioned by the minister to prevent ticket touting more broadly.

Image source, SNS

In June 2020 Hampden Park is set to host four games as part of the UEFA European Championships.

This legislation has been introduced in order to meet UEFA's requirements.

The Scottish government aim to have the Bill passed by the end of the year so that the secondary legislation can be introduced in time for the Championships starting next year.

This is a fairly challenging timeline and means that relatively limited consultation has taken place prior to the introduction of the Bill.

The Bill covers four main areas:

1. Ticket touting, external
2. Street trading, external
3. Advertising, external
4. Enforcement, external

Read more here., external

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Rachael Hamilton will be supporting this final stage of the bill to allow the championships to take place.

At Stage 1 there were concerns around enforcement officers and their powers, and the amendments at Stage 2 were welcome, adds Ms Hamilton.

She also welcomes amendments brought by the minister to ensure the businesses and communities around Hampden are comfortable with the arrangements in the bill.

The Tory MSP also welcomes the ticket touting amendments brought after Stage 1.

Image source, SNS

Glasgow is one of 12 host cities for the Euro 2020 championship.

It is set to host four matches at Hampden Park: three group games and a round of 16 match.

Another 11 cities across Europe will host the other games, the first time in the competitions history that this format has been used.