The coronavirus statement scheduled for 2.30pm in the chamber has been cancelled.

Here's the new schedule for the afternoon:

11.40 am: General Questions

12.00 pm: First Minister's Questions

12.45 pm:Members’ Business: Jamie Halcro Johnston – Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2020

2.30 pm: Parliamentary Bureau Motions

2.30-2.50pm: Portfolio Questions: Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity

2.50-5.00 pm:Stage 1 Debate: Animals and Wildlife

Should Screen Scotland force global firms to co-produce with Scottish firms, like they do in Canada, asks MSP Annabelle Ewing.

Scotland is competing globally to secure filming, says Mr Smith.

He points to landing Fast and Furious 9 in Edinburgh, and alludes to several up and coming projects in the west which he can't mention as yet.

It's a competitive process, and staff will be employed here, but we wouldn't win the business if we forced firms like Universal to co-produce with local firms, he adds.

We have new heads of audience development, and business development support, Ms Davis tells the panel.

She says other new posts are in the offing, which will also aid production companies in Scotland.

Mr Greer asks how many managers there are at Screen Scotland, compared with officer roles.

Many officers have been acting up, she responds, and we need to be more proactive in aiding the development of the industry.

Mr Smith says there are six heads, out of 32 people, and says expertise from partner agencies is used all the time.

Green MSP Ross Greer asks about key performance indicators concerning production space.

Mr Smith says he doesn't have the details with him, but will write with the figures.

There are different requirements across different genres, he adds, including entertainment spaces, like the one at BBC Scotland in Glasgow, which is usually fully booked.

Is there a KPI for the spend of Scottish production companies, asks the MSP.

No, replies Mr Smith, but he wants this to take place.

Labour MSP Claire Baker says the space was already being used as a film studio, so why is so much money needed?

We need the expertise that an official studio will bring in, replies Ms Davis.

That expertise will draw in more private investment and increase demand for its use, she adds.

The studio will be driven by the private sector, as all studios are, she says.

Mr Smith adds that there will be a global client base.

Mr Gibson says he is concerned more and more crew will relocate to Edinburgh, which will diminish the Scotland wide offer.

The SNP MSP says it may cost five times more to use Leith than just to hire a shed.

Screen Scotland executive director Isabel Davis says most UK productions won't use a very large studio facility and will use smaller facilities.

Ms Davis explains: "It is horses for courses, actually."

She accepts Scotland's indigenous film production needs more support and Scotland needs to have a higher share of UK film productions.

However she points out independent film production grew in Scotland, bucking the trend.

Mr Gibson counters that by saying it was still only 0.7% of the UK indigenous production, which is "frankly woeful".

He asks if the Leith Studio will be used all year round or be empty for three quarters of the year.

David Smith argues studios are not the be all and end all, and he says Screen Scotland is aware of concerns about production being focused in the east.

Glasgow MSP Kenneth Gibson says 65% of crews are in the west, where much filming takes place anyway.

He says a producer told him a soundproof shed in the west will do the same job as this studio, at a fraction of the cost.

How will this studio support small local companies, he asks.

David Smith from Screen Scotland says the studio will support all the east, not just Edinburgh, and says crew can travel and get money for overnight stays, which doesn't happen when they travel west.

He adds that there are various facilities throughout Scotland, in Dumbarton and Bathgate for instance, that smaller companies can use.

Image source, bbc

Ms McAlpine asks how much work needs to be done on the studio.

It's fully functioning studio now and Screen Scotland has put £1m of funding for initial refurbishments of the Leith studio, Ms Davis replies.

She says the operators will now be looking at what the clients require.

The committee convener asks if the studio is big enough to host a number of large productions at once.

Ms Davis says yes, pointing out there are five sound stages.

She is unable to give us any hints of what might be filmed there in the future.

Ms McAlpine asks about why Glasgow wasn't chosen, where most of the filming crews are based.

Ms Davis responds, saying skills will need to be developed in the east too, saying doing this via production is the best way to do it, pointing to Outlander production as a good example.

She also points to good transport links between the cities.

Ms McAlpine says the committee also welcomes the announcement about the studio in the Port of Leith.

The committee convener asks for more detail about this.

Screen Scotland executive director Isabel Davis says the site was selected after a "finger-tip" search of Scotland and it was clear the site in Leith was a "gift for Scotland".

Ms Davis says the site responds to travel and logistical requirements and will also allow for further development.

Further sites are still being sought, the executive director adds.

In the end it was a clear winner, she says.

Screen Scotland executive director Isabel Davis starts by saying it's a boom time for global production on TV and cinema, and says now is the time to make sure Scotland is part of this.

She says hers is a young organisation, but it is growing with support from fellow arts organisations.

The studio in Leith is already functioning, she tells the committee.

Image source, STEWART ATWOOD

A company, led by Sean Connery's son Jason, has won the tender to run a large-scale film and TV studio space in Edinburgh's Port of Leith.

First Stage Studio will be based in an industrial building in Bath Road.

Screen Scotland said it was "a major step forward in the county's ability to take advantage of the global boom in high-end TV and film production".

The body, which promotes film in Scotland, will invest £1m towards the initial set-up and refurbishment.

Image source, STARZ/SONY PICTURES TELEVISION

The committee will now take evidence from:

• Screen Scotland executive director Isabel Davis
• Screen Scotland director David Smith

The committee unanimously recommends approval of the UEFA European Championship (Trading and Advertising) (Scotland) Regulations 2020[draft], external.

Mr Macpherson says exceptions for busking and charitable workers have been exempted and incorporated in the UEFA European Championship (Trading and Advertising) (Scotland) Regulations 2020[draft], external.

Committee convener Joan McAlpine asks for more clarity around charitable workers.

The public finance minister says, overall, the feedback about the exemptions has been positive.

Any charitable worker given permission by Glasgow City Council will be allowed to collect in the three zones during the tournament.

Speaking about coronovirus, Mr Macpherson says they'll take expert scientific advice.

Uefa is in touch with various authorities, and at the moment nothing is to change, though a constant evaluation is taking place, he tells the committee.

Euro 2020 is going ahead at the moment, and will benefit Scotland in terms of economy and reputation.

The bill will protect business interests, he says.

The committee will now hear from the public finance minister on the UEFA European Championship (Trading and Advertising) (Scotland) Regulations 2020[draft], external.