AN MP voicing his support of a new organ donor system in Scotland has paid tribute to the Evening Times campaign.

Mark Griffin was speaking as the SNP government’s Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Bill passed stage one by 107 votes to one.

An opt-out transplant system means anyone over the age of 16 who has lived in Scotland for at least a year and is considered capable of making an informed decision on the subject would be considered to be a consenting donor, unless they have opted out.

Read more: MSPs urged to back organ donor bill to improve consent rates in Scotland

The Central Scotland MSP received an applause from the chamber after recounting the story of his father, who passed away after receiving a transplant, due to the time spent on the waiting list.

Mr Griffin said: “I want to pay tribute to the Evening Times and British Heart Foundation for pushing for this change.

“The reason I am able to speak to passionately is because the person who lost his life, was my dad.

“This is why I feel so strongly about the Bill.”

Under current legislation, donors must choose to opt in for their organs to be donated, with many people carrying a donor card.

The Evening Times led a six-year campaign calling for the landmark change, which was introduced in Wales in December 2015.

Tributes were also paid to Anne McTaggart who pioneered the Labour member's bill on the topic back in 2016.

The debate was opened by Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, Joe FitzPatrick, who described the transplantation of donated organs as “one of the most incredible developments in modern healthcare.”

Adding: “It reflects the best of humanity - responding to acute need with incredible generosity - and it's a testament to the wonders of the National Health Service, the skills of our nurses and clinicians, and the organised efforts of everyone who works to make these life-changing gifts possible."

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He added: "Only around 1 per cent of people die in circumstances where donation is possible, but there are steps we can take to allow more of that 1% to donate.

"This bill amends the existing Scottish legislation by introducing "deemed authorisation".

"In practice this means that where a person was not known to have any objection to donation, donation may proceed."

Alison Johnstone MSP opened for Scottish Green Party, stating: “There is a persistent gap between those who state in surveys that they would donate, and those who go on to register on the Organ Donation Register''

Several MP’s highlighted that opt-out alone is not the only measure needed to help improve family consent rates and the number of Scots on the organ donor register.

Read more: MSPs urged to back organ donor bill to improve consent rates in Scotland

The need for a high-profile campaign to raise awareness was raised by the speakers.

Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick said a campaign would be run over ‘at least’ 12 months before the introduction of the new system.

He added that it is crucial that all Scottish residents are made aware of the changes in order to ‘safeguard’ the system.

Disability and faith groups are to be targeted in the awareness drive while families would be given specialist support by nurses.

Mr FitzPatrick, said he was supportive of the wording of the Bill, despite concerns being raised by Mike Rumbles MSP.

Lewis Macdonald, the convener of the Health and Sport Committee, said: "The fundamental purpose of this bill is clearly to enable an increase in rates of organ donation in order to save lives.

"The evidence we heard at stage one was that donation rates have benefited from the changes to law and practice which followed the 2006 Act, but they have not yet ended the tragedy of people dying while on the waiting list for an organ transplant.

"In Scotland around 50 per cent of people have opted in, but that is still not enough."

More than 500 people are currently waiting for the operation that could save their lives.

Scotland has the highest proportion of people on the organ donor register but has the lowest rate of family consent, and also the lowest rate of organ donation.

Colin Beattie and Christine Grahame MSP abstained from the vote.