16/12/2015 Reporting Scotland

Newsnight will investigate British arms

Scottish households won't see an increase in their income tax

Delivering his budget for the next financial year,

the finance secetary told MSPs that he wouldn't use new powers

But John Swinney was accused of campaigning all his life for more

Here's our political editor, Brian Taylor.

Budgets are about spending. John Swinney, at hospital development,

announced record funding for the NHS. Up 6.5%. But the budget is also

about raising money, the new tax perils, -- powers, allowed him to

protect the poorest. No change in the income tax next year. The

Conservatives said no complaints about spending cuts, if the minister

was not going to be raising taxes. They have made the choice, not to

increase the size of the budget. They have had the chance, flunked

it. Some of the taxes are going to rise, those buying a second home.

Landfill tax, higher. And businesses will be a next ?130 million. More

money for schools, towards pupil attainment, changed gear, --

childcare, and police. The Liberal Democrats said that a single police

force failed to save money. These reforms have not saved the money

that they were intended to do. He has been patching up the police

budget. Jackie Baillie cleaned that there is indeed had not succeeded in

stopping hostility. He said that he is protecting schools, but the

education budget has been cut, he said that he is protecting him, but

slashing the budgets of the council is delivering for local people.

Local government spending down by 320 million. But boosting social

care, particularly to help the elderly. The boundary, between the

NHS and local spending, stopping many attempts to improve there, that

ceases to exist. John Swinney said that his budget is helping

hard-pressed families. Dual freeze, income and council tax. But critics

have said the government has frozen. Not tackling austerity. Decisions,

pending. Reforming business reach, tax perils for Holyrood. They will

have to await the elections, in May. So what's been the reaction

today's budget. The body which represents most

councils in Scotland described The Scottish Government are making

choices, 3.5% cut, that equates to about 3500 jobs. Compare that to

what happened at the steelworks, it is about the same as 50 of them. It

is important that the government and other political parties think about

what they are going to do with the significant new tax powers. They can

design a distinctively Scottish, tax system. We need some detail. I think

it has been mixed. Obviously disappointed with the rise in

business rates, but equally, happy that the income tax has not been

released, and council tax has been frozen.

Unemployment has fallen Scotland, and it's down across the UK

Official figures show the number of people out of work between August

and October decreased by eight thousand here -

while the number of people in work in Scotland rose again.

Police are treating an attack on an 81 year old man in his home

in South Lanarkshire as attempted murder.

The man from Larkhall suffered stab wounds during the incident

in the town's Castleview shortly before two o'clock this afternoon

and is in a stable condition in Wishaw hospital.

A has been versus a three time loser - the war of words between the Trump

organisation and the former first minister, Alex Salmond.

It follows the supreme court's decision to reject Donald Trump's

appeal against a planned offshore windfarm off

In the last hour, the Trump organisation says it is preparing

to take the case to the European courts.

All tee'd off promisingly. When Donald Trump bought part of this

estate, making it the goal links, Scotland wanted to smooth out the

plans. But they also wanted to build this wind off the coast. Donald

Trump said that the development would be spoiling the view for the

golfers. But today, he lost his third legal bid to stop it. The

judge said that the Scottish Government had acted lawfully, but

Donald Trump said it was bad for the economy, and it would ultimately

fail. Where is the money going to come from? The people who have put

forward the proposal, nobody has been driving at. The dispute has

taken on a personal part, with Alex Salmond lining up to attack the

businessman. In 2007, he promised billions of investment, thousands of

jobs. Eight years later, not less than 10% of that has been delivered.

Today, Donald Trump is keen on Colin other presidential candidates

losers, is he? Donald Trump is not the sort of person to take criticism

lying down. Wind farm backers have told us it

will have enough electricity for thousands of homes every year, and

to make, BBC Scotland can review about Donald Trump's lawyers are

preparing to take the case, before the European Court.

A man who was filmed stealing two charity tins from a pub

and a takeaway in Aberdeen has been jailed for five months.

David Lander, of Montrose, was caught on CCTV at Wagley's bar

in Exchange Street and Sizzlers in Guild Street at the end of November.

Lander admitted the crimes at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

He was estimated to have taken about ?160 in total.

Well, it's time for the weather outlook for tonight and tomorrow.

Good evening. Some parts of the north-east had lovely sunshine.

Elsewhere, cloudy. Outbreaks of rain. Mild. Temperatures at double

figures. Tomorrow, breezy, south westerly winds. If you are going to

be heading out in the morning, it is good to be miserable, going to work.

Especially for West on locations. Dry interludes in the north east. As

we go through the day, most of us should see some improvement, as this

rain continues to track from west to East. Brighter conditions behind.

That is going to be the trend across the rest of the United Kingdom.

Northern Ireland eventually gives way to sunshine. And at East Anglia,

and the south-east, the rain will not have reached them by the

afternoon. Sunshine, holding on. And look at these temperatures, around

15 Celsius. Out of the seasonal average. At Scotland, across the

evening, showers feed in at the west. Friday... Cloudy. The rain

could cause some localised flooding. Breezy, mild.