05/01/2012 Reporting Scotland

Welcome to Reporting Scotland. Tonight: three days after the

storms - or rail travel is still being disrupted by trains -- on the

line. Communities are enduring a third night without electricity.

Although not here in North Lanarkshire where the lights have

come back on again. We will have a full round-up of the continuing

disruption. Also tonight: an Iraqi militia group who kidnapped and

killed this security guard say they are willing to return his body.

A teenager murdered in Greenock is the nephew of Elaine Doyle, the

victim of one of Scotland's most notorious unsolved murders.

And in sport, no more cash at time Castle - the Hearts owner of

Vladimir Romanov says the club is now on its own and attacks the

screening monkeys of the media. Thousands of homes across Scotland

are still without power tonight. Nearly three days after the war

storm in a generation. Engineers are continuing to try to reconnect

those without electricity. Our reporter is in the village of

Banton tonight. The storm may have blown through

here on Tuesday morning and Tuesday afternoon but the after effects are

still being felt by many across central and southern Scotland.

Trapped what has been disrupted today but it is power or the lack

of it that is affecting many people still. That was the case here in

Banton and tell about two hours ago when the lights came back on again.

They had enjoyed some 60 miserable hours without power.

Dark days in more ways than one. This a funeral wake at the bowling

club in Banton. They came for food, heat and company on a third dismal

day without power. We have no gas at all. We were without power,

heating or anything to cook on. They need to do something to try

and get it back. All our freezers were four. We do a weekly shop.

That is all wasted. They lights came back on at around 430.

Scottish Power say 114,000 customers have been reconnected.

850 staff are working on the rest. Some will be due compensation.

those who have been off for longer than 48 hours there are guidelines

in place that means they are due some compensation. We are aware of

the customers who are in that situation. We will phone them after

the event is over. Two days on from the storm, or rail travel remains

disrupted. Many trains are not running. This one did but hit a

tree. Two of the 45 passengers travelling from Inverness were

slightly injured. We were pulling into the station and we felt a big

bump. We had hit a tree on the line. People started to scream. Elsewhere,

the big clear-up continues. seems to have come off from the one

side. The doctor's practice needs major surgery. Its roof now in the

roadway and neighbouring gardens. We were asleep and heard this

almighty crash. I thought it was a train coming off the line. We got

up and that is what we work of two. Despite extensive damage, it is

thought to have the surgery back in service next week. There is a

pollution watch my Glasgow. Damage to a huge pumping station. And a

further night of high winds and rain has caused flooding, mainly in

the south and west. This is seen near Dumfries. But tonight in

places like Bude, powered remains the big issue. Islanders fears they

may be off for days yet. Get lots of locals, they have no power, so

they come here. The power supply companies tell us that 14,000

households are still without electricity tonight. We have had no

indication yet when the last of them will be reconnected. Another

long, cold and miserable night beckoning for many.

In the wake of the strong we will be devoting next Wednesday's

lunchtime consumer slot to your questions regarding any financial

fall-out from those winds. Our money expert Fergus Muirhead is in

the chair. Whether it is questions over insurance claims, travel

disruptions or who is liable for what, he is your man.

Reports from Baghdad say an Iraqi militia group who kidnapped a

Scottish security guard in 2007 are now willing to return his body.

Alan McMenemy from Glasgow was one of five men taken hostage. Only one

was released a live. The bodies of the three other men were returned

in 2009. Our correspondent is here now. Just remind us of the

circumstances of the kidnap. It was in 2007 that Alan McMenemy, who was

34, was snatched along with three other bodyguards including Jason

Cresswell. They were snatched by militants. The bodyguards had been

protecting a computer expert working in Iraq. Three of the

bodyguards were apparently killed trying to escape. We did not know

what had happened to Alan McMenemy. Peter Moore was returned home to

Britain a live in 2009 and in that same year, the bodies of the three

bodyguards were also returned. The Foreign Office thought that Alan

McMenemy had also been killed but until now, there had been no news

of his body being repatriated. has been the reaction to this?

militant group which snatched him say they are prepared to send his

body back, they are prepared to do so without any conditions. The

Foreign Office is working closely with the Iraqi authorities to bring

an end to what it called this horrendous ordeal. They said, the

uncertainty of Alan's fate has been a source of great distress to his

family. Still to come: bog-standard - a

description of some Scottish schools that sparked a furious

response from teachers. And the project to redevelop

Dundee's waterfront is to step up the gear, but not everyone is happy.

In sport, R Vladimir Romanov let rip at the Premier League and the

media. There is news of an injury blow to Rangers and Scotland's

rugby coach tells us why the national team needs new blood.

The parents of a teenager murdered in Greenock say he was a quiet,

genuine boy without a bad bone in his body. It has emerged that Jack

Doyle, who was 17, was the nephew of Elaine Doyle, the victim of one

of Scotland's most notorious unsolved murders.

At these flat in Greenock, the forensic work continued today. It

was close by that 17-year-old Jack Doyle was found dead earlier this

week. Police believe he had been at a party in the hours before he died.

What we know is Jack Doyle arrived here late on Monday and went to a

party here. We know there was a disturbance within the party. We

know there was a disturbance within the close here. But that is not

where he was found? No, he was found about 9:45am the following

morning. Jack suffered a horrific brutal attack. There were a number

of injuries. It is a tragedy. The death of a 17-year-old boy that is

why I appeal to anyone, if you have any information, are unburden

yourself. Jack is the nephew of Elaine Doyle who was murdered in

the town 25 years ago when she was 16 years old. It was my daughter

that was murdered and we have to catch her killer. Despite such

appeals, no one has been convicted of her murder. Last year the family

helped police launched a court case review. Now the same family are

mourning the loss of another much- loved teenager brutally killed on a

night out. There is no indication whatsoever to link those murders.

Clearly this has magnified the tragedy for the family. Police were

called to a flat around 2 o'clock on Tuesday morning. They found

blood here but they did not find anyone injured. Detectives say they

have spoken to some people who were at the party but they are keen to

hear from or about others who were here.

An outbreak of anthrax between 2009 and 2010 was the worst in Scotland

for 50 years. It was the first in the world to be associated with

heroin. A report says there were a total of 119 cases among drug

addicts, including 14 deaths. It wants that as long as there is an

illegal drug trade there is a risk of December a break in the future.

The Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson has called for Scots

are to be more like the Germans. Miss Davidson said decades of

socialism had dampened Scotland's natural capacity for enterprise and

she called for a greater role for the private sector.

I believe there is only one way for Scotland to be at ease with itself

- we must return to the principle which made us quake. We have to

work for it at a will for fathers did. Scots are not afraid of hard

work and we know that if something is too good to be true, it most

certainly is. The something for nothing society is over. Scottish

schools are being urged to leave behind what is being called a bog

standard model of education. Teachers' leaders say they are

shocked by the description by the Commission for school reform. Our

education correspondent has the story.

Four years, all pupils had to study for a standard grade exams in

abstract academic subject. A decade ago, schools were allowed to move

away from that model of teaching. Some chose to give pupils more

hands on experience for practical subjects, which they might enjoy

more and offer them a better chance at a job. But have enough schools

change? The key aspect for the Commission is to identify where

innovation is already happening in Scotland's schools and to identify

where we have moved away from that old Template of the bog standard

comprehensive. Are their bog- standard schools out there?

Undoubtedly. Orders handed down from ministers and inspectors, he

says are to blame. There has been a culture of complacency and that

needs to be tackled. When reformers suggested schools south of the

border where to Saini, it caused a huge row. Supporters of

standardised education say it is a good thing if schools try to do the

same thing. No surprise, the description bog-standard has now

upsets teachers' leaders in Scotland. The suggestion that

teachers, pupils and parents are not content to be bog-standard is

offensive. Little cause for criticism says the Scottish

government. The need -- new curriculum is already letting

schools do their own thing. We do not have bog-standard schools. Do

have some that are not performing as well as they should but

curriculum for excellence has made an enormous difference. Some

schools are forging ahead. The think tank says it wants to

Some of the other stories this Thursday: The soup tycoon Audrey

Baxter has been fined and banned from the roads after she admitted

drink-driving. She was caught after it suspicious

staff at Dr Gray's hospital alerted police on Christmas Eve. She was

fined �600 and disqualified for a year.

School pupils in Wester Ross will have to take trains to and from

school after landslides blocked for Lochcarron to Kyle Road. Engineers

have clear and the road but it is at risk from further rock falls.

Landslides are a regular threat on the road but alternatives including

bridges and tunnels would cost tens of millions of pounds.

A drug addict who stole a specialist to children's ambulance

has been jailed for 25 months. The vehicle was taken outside Paisley.

The sheriff told the Thief his actions were callous and selfish.

A cancer charity says the Scottish government should not cave in to

public pressure and set up a special fund for cancer drugs. De

Myeloma UK, a charity for people with blood cancer, said it would

send out the wrong message to pharmaceutical companies charging

high prices for drugs. It follows months of pressure on ministers to

follow England's lead and set up a multi-million-pound fund.

17-year-old Janey Walker lost his mum to cancer last year. -- Jamie.

It had a real big impact on me so I thought I had to do more. He did

more - she went to the Scottish parliament's Health Committee and

urged them to set up a special fund for new cancer drugs, like the one

in England. Scotland has a cancer problem. We are three times less

likely to get drugs and the survival rates are below many

European nations and are below our partners in the Union. He is not

the first to lobby Parliament. This woman asked for a new drug for her

blood condition. This man, who since died, had to pay for a bowel

cancer drug himself. Decisions about which drugs the NHS should

pay for are made for -- are made by a group of doctors and drug experts

to make up the Scottish medicines consortium. Most medicine's are a

small improvement on the current treatments available on the NHS

anyway. When medicine is a breakthrough medicine, which is

very rare, that is usually an easy decision for us. The challenging

decisions are were there -- where there is little evidence of benefit

and where there are huge premiums. Myeloma UK is one of the few cancer

charities bucking the trend and not campaigning for an English style

cancer drugs fund. It is often the case that there is not enough data

or evidence to justify the very, very high price is that drugs

companies charge for these drugs. And in a way, a cancer drugs fund

leads drugs companies away with that. The Scottish government is

Curran a reviewing the way new drugs are made available. People

like Jamie's mum should get the best treatment but should not be

given expensive false hope. -- currently reviewing.

It is a 30 year project costing �1 billion and this year, the

redevelopment of Dundee's waterfront will step up a gear.

Familiar buildings will disappear and the ground will be cleared for

the building of the centrepiece of the project, the V&A Museum. It is

claimed the development will herald a new age of prosperity for the

area and beyond but there are some dissenting voices.

They have been harder work here for months now. This is the sharp end

of the Dundee waterfront restoration. -- hard at work. The

idea is to reconnect the centre of Dundee with the Riverside. The

investment, it seems, is already encouraging new businesses. This

cafe opened recently on one of the main routes between the city centre

and the waterfront. The owners are hoping for a lot of passing trade.

There were at the council have been doing on the waterfront and on this

area in general had a big impact on our decision, because we had a look

at the plans, saw what they had in mind, and it is going to make a

massive difference to this part of Dundee. This is how the planners

envisage Dundee's waterfront in 20 years' time. New civic spaces, new

offices and has new businesses and, of course, the duel and the Crown -

the V&A at Dundee. The iconic building is due to open in 2015 and

will showcase the best in Scottish design. However, not everyone is

convinced the billion pound cost will by the rebirth of the Dundee

economies. It is designed for an economy we had in the 1980s and

1990s which we no longer half. Who are the businesses that are going

to come? Even in the 80s and 90s, it is doubtful whether it would

bring many good jobs for the people of Dundee. The man who is

overseeing the project to change the face of Dundee's water from

does not agree with that. The fact we are creating a really positive,

attractive front door into the city will bring spring investment. We

have not even attempt to calculate the number of jobs that could be

created as a result of that secondary and tertiary benefit for

the city. Over the next year and beyond, a huge changes in this part

of Dundee. Whatever the benefits they bring, one thing is for

certain - they will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come.

Let's see how the sport is shaping It has taken over 24 hours for the

Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov to respond to a Premier League

ultimatum about the late payment of players' wages but he has now let

loose in bullish cryptic style, having a go at the SPL, which she

calls on Wise, and the Scottish media which he says is involved in

a conspiracy against the club. -- which he calls unwise. Why is Mr

Romanov so angry and what is he saying? He has become upset that

the football authorities have now become involved in the hearts wages

row. It has told the club that they have to play the what -- paid the

players on time. If there is a lengthy statement on the club's

website in which he has had a round up a Scottish Media, whom he has

called Media monkeys. He says that as soon as Hearts moved closer to

the third spot, the monkeys start to squeal and great conspiracy

He continues in a more graphic The club has been ordered by the

SPL to play -- pay the players on 16th January or they may face

sanctions. Those sanctions are unlimited, I understand, and could

be wide ranging. There could be financial penalties, a points

deduction pig or even expulsion from the League, but I understand

that that is unlikely. Are they likely to be any repercussions from

the authorities for this latest statement? I don't think there is

any doubt that the SPL and the SFA will be asking the club for their

comments are why they allowed Mr Romanov to use the club's website

to have another go at the Scottish media and the Scottish football

authorities. This is not the first time this has happened and over the

past two years, Hearts have been financially penalised because of

what has happened on their website and other things that have happened

in the club. The story has some way to go before we hear the end of

Vladimir Romanov. Go and have a ban on expat you have

earned it. Hearts defender Ryan McGowan has

been offered a two-match suspension by the Scottish FA. Their

compliance officer says he is guilty of violent conduct, judging

McGowan to have head-butted a colleague on Monday.

The Rangers midfielder Lee McCulloch has been banned from two

matches after losing his appeal against a red card for violent

conduct. He was sent off following this incident with Graham Carey in

the defeat by St Mirren on Christmas Eve. Rangers have

revealed that striker Kyle Lafferty could be out for around seven weeks

after pulling his hamstring in their weekend match against

Motherwell. The Scotland rugby coach Andy

Robinson is hoping an influx of new talent or reverse the national

team's fortunes. He has named six uncapped players in the squad for

the first two matches of the Six Nations tournament, which starts

next month. Just two of the 10 matches Scotland have played have

been won by them. There is a reason they are smiling

- they have just made it into the Scotland squad. The youngest in a

group of 36 players keen to get the national team winning. Fantastic. I

just can't wait to get my head down and work hard and listen to the

coaches and learned a lot. There are six uncapped players in the

We have had young players coming in and it is about focusing on this

first game. We want to win. first claim -- game takes place

here on 4th February and for one uncapped player, it could be a

dream come true. Everyone in the squad has got the opportunity. That

is what I at once so I will do everything I can to try and get it.

There are also missing faces. Chris Paterson has retired from

international rugby, as has another player. Johnny Beattie, who missed

out on the World Cup, is a unlucky again. I was borderline for Johnny

Beattie. The injury in the Edinburgh game was unfortunate. The

competition for the forward backers a huge at the moment. A Scotland

won one game out of five last year but the 2012 blend may have more

success. That is all tonight. Back to you,

Sally. What is the weather doing? Chris

It was a beautiful day across most parts of the country but tonight

will be cold and there will be a widespread frost. The showers

quickly eased tonight. We have an ice warning from the Met Office

fought northern Scotland. A cold night everywhere. The deeper Blue's

are the coldest parts. Even in the cities it could be down to freezing.

Coastal areas a little milder and winds easing back. We can see that

on the pressure chance for tomorrow. It will start dry and calm but the

weather front works its way in from the West, introducing cloud and

some outbreaks of rain. By mid- afternoon, it is an East-west split.

Further east, holding on to the dry conditions but further west, into

Strathclyde and Ayrshire, some rain which will be heavy over the hills.

There will be strong rain into parts of the north-west.

Temperatures up to around seven degrees and rain continuing into

Orkney and Shetland. Tomorrow evening, the rain continues for a

time but does push through quite quickly and is appears to leave a

largely dry night. Some showers and the north-west could be wintry. To

start the weekend, for Saturday it is not looking too bad. There will

be some sunshine in the east and through the south. Further west and

north-west, some showers and cloud and winds will be strong from the

north-west. For Sunday, the winds come from the South West and will

be strong in the north-west. But further east you are, drier and

cloudy. Tonight will be cold and A summary of the top stories: A

male nurse has been arrested in Stockport suspected of tampering

with medical records at the same hospital where three elderly

patients died and 16 others were affected by contaminated trips last

year. Communities across Scotland are

enduring the night without power, nearly three days after the worst

storm in a generation. Engineers are battling to recover those

without electricity. Reports from Baghdad say an Iraqi

militia group who could mates got a security guard in 2007 are willing