:00:23. > :00:33.Tonight on the national news: a damning report into the death of a
:00:33. > :00:37.
:00:37. > :00:40.woman who lay at the bottom of a disused mineshaft. We never thought
:00:40. > :00:43.for a minute that she would not come out alive.
:00:43. > :00:50.We hear from fire and rescue services and ask whether safety
:00:50. > :00:52.rules were prevented -- preventing City workers from saving lies.
:00:52. > :00:58.This is before gastric band treatment for obesity. Should we
:00:58. > :01:04.worry about the long-term effects of surgery on patients?
:01:04. > :01:07.Not for turning - Perth City Hall, then used for concerts for his
:01:07. > :01:11.entry will be demolished, despite pleas for a change of heart.
:01:11. > :01:21.And, we will be live at a time castle where Hearts players are
:01:21. > :01:27.
:01:27. > :01:32.still waiting for their wages. A woman he lay injured at the bottom
:01:32. > :01:35.of a mineshaft might have lived, had it not been for the actions of
:01:35. > :01:39.Fire and Rescue. The parents of Alison Hume has been scathing of
:01:39. > :01:43.senior officers who refused to allow their men to rescue her,
:01:43. > :01:47.believing that safety rules prevented them from using their
:01:47. > :01:51.safety equipment. At the top of a disused mineshaft,
:01:51. > :01:56.firefighters are prevented by senior officers from rescuing
:01:56. > :02:00.Alison Hume, who was lying injured about 50 ft down in a pool of water.
:02:00. > :02:06.Of though it was late July, it was a dark night and very misty.
:02:06. > :02:11.Visibility was down to a couple of yards in places. Alison had been to
:02:11. > :02:15.a family party in the houses behind me, and was making her way down the
:02:15. > :02:21.hill to her own house when she fell down the mineshaft. Her daughter
:02:21. > :02:26.went out to look for her and heard her mother's cries from the bottom
:02:26. > :02:30.of the mineshaft. After more than 60 hours, when she was finally
:02:30. > :02:35.brought up, she suffered a fatal heart attack. Her family believe it
:02:35. > :02:41.could have ended differently. we never thought for a minute that
:02:41. > :02:46.she would never come out alive. We have great respect - I tell you
:02:46. > :02:49.something, those men did their level best. 18 firemen at the scene
:02:49. > :02:54.were trained to use the rescue equipment. One had already gone
:02:54. > :02:58.down to help Alison. But senior commander, Paul Stewart they did
:02:58. > :03:08.here, and William Thomson, refused to allow firefighters to lift
:03:08. > :03:14.
:03:14. > :03:18.Alison out. The sheriff says they put regulations before rescue.
:03:18. > :03:23.Strathclyde Fire and Rescue expressed deep regret for Alison's
:03:23. > :03:28.death, but declined to apologise to her family. Every person and that
:03:28. > :03:31.incident, their overall goal was to rescue Alison Hume. We could see
:03:31. > :03:35.all the options available to us and selected what we thought was the
:03:35. > :03:39.best option at the time to rescue her celeb -- effectively.
:03:39. > :03:44.Unfortunate, that did not happen and that will be heavy on the heart
:03:44. > :03:47.of the firefighters who attended. The man who drew up the regulations
:03:47. > :03:51.for using the rescue equipment says it could have been used to bring
:03:51. > :03:56.Alison Hume up. It was perfectly safe to use on a member of the
:03:56. > :04:01.public, as it was to use some members of the fire service. It
:04:01. > :04:07.wouldn't be used on members of the fire service if it was not safe. It
:04:07. > :04:11.complied with regulations and it was in use. It was a technicality
:04:11. > :04:15.that stopped them using it and a member of the public. Alison's
:04:15. > :04:19.family said they are pleased the sheriff has accepted their
:04:19. > :04:21.criticisms of the way the rescue was carried out. Alison should not
:04:21. > :04:30.have died in these circumstances. Something should have been done
:04:30. > :04:32.quicker. They seem to have been a huge lack of compassion for people
:04:32. > :04:37.concerned - they were more concerned with rules and
:04:37. > :04:40.regulations, rather than the victim. They say they hope the Sherriff's
:04:40. > :04:46.criticisms of the fire service operation will prevent a similar
:04:46. > :04:50.tragedy. So, Strathclyde Fire and Rescue had
:04:50. > :04:53.the men and the equipment, but in the words of the Sherriff, senior
:04:53. > :04:57.officers at the scene that night rigidly stood by their operational
:04:57. > :04:59.guidelines. David Henderson has been looking at whether a culture
:05:00. > :05:08.of avoiding risk at all costs is preventing the emergency services
:05:08. > :05:12.from doing what we expect them to They are dangerous jobs, but they
:05:12. > :05:18.serve a vital need. Every day, emergency workers tried to save the
:05:18. > :05:24.lives of others and try not to die in the process. Is everybody ready?
:05:24. > :05:30.This team of volunteers trained hard for Cave rescues. They strive
:05:30. > :05:34.to reduce the risks to a level they can cope with. Come towards me.
:05:34. > :05:40.Today, the sheriff said they could have helped rescue Alison Hume, but
:05:40. > :05:44.that call was never made. In a situation where there is human life
:05:44. > :05:49.involved, I think some large injection of common sense is called
:05:49. > :05:52.for, and I would employ the Latin expression seize the moment and
:05:52. > :05:57.deal with the matter, and then sort out the breaking of rules and
:05:57. > :06:02.regulations later. So, why were fire chiefs so reluctant to order a
:06:02. > :06:06.rescue that night? Four years ago, a massive blaze ripped through this
:06:06. > :06:11.warehouse in Warwickshire. For firefighters went in, and the roof
:06:11. > :06:17.collapsed. All four died. Fire service managers have since been
:06:17. > :06:21.charged with causing their deaths. And that casts a long shadow.
:06:21. > :06:25.introduction of legislation like the corporate homicide Act, in its
:06:25. > :06:29.application to senior officers, middle-ranking and junior officers,
:06:29. > :06:35.creates an environment where our ability to improvise is compromised.
:06:35. > :06:38.There is a real fear, a culture of fear, about potential prosecution.
:06:38. > :06:43.18 months ago, a woman fell into this stretch of the River Clyde,
:06:43. > :06:46.and the response to that emergency shows it is not just the fire
:06:46. > :06:50.service who sometimes struggled to cope. Witnesses say it was clearly
:06:50. > :06:55.an emergency, that she appeared to be drowning, and that there were
:06:55. > :06:58.police officers waiting up on that bridge. You with a waiting for? Or
:06:58. > :07:04.perhaps a fire crew, because they would normally take the lead in a
:07:04. > :07:12.river rescue. In the event, three young students jump in and saved
:07:12. > :07:18.her life. So, does health and safety get in the way of rescue
:07:19. > :07:23.efforts? Or is it just the way some people interpret the rules? Some
:07:23. > :07:29.individual managers tried to interpret the law, and sometimes
:07:29. > :07:32.put rules and regulations in place that would be too restrictive. It
:07:32. > :07:41.has a knock-on effect when the workers are trying to get a job
:07:41. > :07:47.done. That often gives health and safety a bad name. Often in need a
:07:47. > :07:50.commonsense approach. It is clear that firefighters face dangers, and
:07:50. > :07:54.today their managers have been told that unavoidable when lives need to
:07:54. > :07:59.be saved. You're watching Reporting Scotland
:07:59. > :08:02.from the BBC. Still to come before 7pm: Is this vandalising an
:08:02. > :08:10.historic Scottish icon, or a great way to celebrate next year's
:08:10. > :08:14.Olympics? In sport, heart stump up for the
:08:14. > :08:18.taxman, but can't afford to pay their players again. And, the
:08:18. > :08:22.Premier League's top man says recent controversies on and off the
:08:22. > :08:25.field could help the SPL find their new sponsor. More on those stories
:08:25. > :08:28.later. The number of people seeking work
:08:28. > :08:31.in Scotland is up again, this time by 5,000, while the number of
:08:31. > :08:33.people in work has fallen quite sharply. This is as employers
:08:33. > :08:37.become more cautious about recruiting, and as shoppers feel
:08:37. > :08:43.the squeeze. Our business and economy editor Douglas Fraser has
:08:43. > :08:46.been looking at the numbers. The figures don't look good, but
:08:46. > :08:49.the way things look elsewhere, they could be worse. They show the
:08:49. > :08:53.number of Scots on Jobseeker's Allowance last month was down 900,
:08:53. > :08:56.to just below 144,000. But, moving in the wrong direction - the number
:08:56. > :09:03.seeking work, not all on benefits, between July and September was up
:09:03. > :09:08.5000, to reach 215,000. The rise for the UK was well above that.
:09:08. > :09:11.Scotland's unemployment rate is lower. The other side of the coin -
:09:11. > :09:16.with Scots leaving the workforce and not available for work, there
:09:16. > :09:18.was a big fall of 28,000 in the number of people in employment.
:09:18. > :09:27.These numbers represent individuals and families often facing very
:09:27. > :09:32.tough times, but those causing most worry are the young.
:09:32. > :09:35.The economy's wheels keep turning, and there is some optimism from the
:09:35. > :09:39.young being shown round this tyre factory to see what work could be
:09:39. > :09:44.like when the time comes. But even for those who have already entered
:09:44. > :09:46.the world of work, that optimism can be planted. Amy has a modern
:09:46. > :09:49.apprenticeship in office admin but she can't afford much more than
:09:49. > :09:55.window shopping. She reckons she would have twice as much spending
:09:55. > :09:59.money if she were on benefits. After you have paid her rent,
:09:59. > :10:04.electricity, council tax and so on, it all mounts up until I am left
:10:04. > :10:09.with about �100 a month for food and everyday expenses which, you
:10:09. > :10:12.know, you can't do it. It is really hard to get by on that. Especially
:10:12. > :10:15.when I know that if I wasn't working and pretty much doing
:10:15. > :10:20.nothing, I would be getting double. I don't see the sense in that at
:10:20. > :10:23.all. That's a part on the question of whether there is a job to follow
:10:23. > :10:27.her apprenticeship. You than a payment has reached its highest
:10:27. > :10:30.point in 20 years, bringing financial words. For young people
:10:30. > :10:35.are coming into Citizen Advice Bureaux across Scotland, saying
:10:35. > :10:39.they are unemployed, wanting debt advice, benefits advice,
:10:39. > :10:43.homelessness advice, even bankruptcy advice at such a young
:10:43. > :10:47.age. We are seeing a bleak future for people aged between 16 and 24.
:10:47. > :10:51.Today, the Bank of England's Governor warned of slow progress
:10:52. > :10:57.this year and next. The journey to a more balanced world economy will
:10:57. > :11:00.be long and arduous. But the future for jobs close to home is clouded
:11:01. > :11:03.by the continuing crisis facing our Eurozone neighbours.
:11:03. > :11:06.That's along with inflation eroding spending power, as pay increases
:11:06. > :11:10.were further squeezed last month, helping to explain why total spend
:11:10. > :11:13.in Scottish shops dropped last year by 0.1%. Not much, but with
:11:13. > :11:17.inflation, that means people are spending a bit less, but taking
:11:17. > :11:22.much less home. Retailers need to see that improve in the weeks
:11:22. > :11:25.leading up to Christmas. A row has broken out at Holyrood
:11:25. > :11:28.over plans for the Scottish Parliament to sit on St Andrew's
:11:28. > :11:31.Day, when a wide scale public sector strike is being held. Labour
:11:31. > :11:34.and the Greens called for solidarity with the workforce and
:11:34. > :11:39.objected to the SNP's proposal for MSPs to come to the chamber to
:11:39. > :11:41.debate the UK Government's handling of the pension negotiations. The
:11:41. > :11:48.Presiding Officer said that public access to the Scottish Parliament
:11:48. > :11:50.would be unaffected by the industrial action.
:11:50. > :11:55.We've heard the warnings of epidemic levels of obesity and we
:11:55. > :11:58.know it could cost the NHS billions of pounds to treat. We also know
:11:58. > :12:02.some of the solutions, for example, bariatric surgery such as gastric
:12:02. > :12:05.bands could, in the long-term, save the health service money. But, what
:12:05. > :12:15.about the long-term effects on the patient? This report contains some
:12:15. > :12:19.
:12:19. > :12:23.flash photography. Sharon Osbourne, Maradona, Fern
:12:23. > :12:29.Britton - they have all had weight- loss surgery, and can make it look
:12:30. > :12:35.easy. Michael Wade 27 stone when he had surgery to reduce the size of
:12:35. > :12:41.his stomach. Two years later, and 13 stone lighter, he is overjoyed
:12:41. > :12:45.with the results. Squeeze it, come on. But, as well as losing weight,
:12:45. > :12:51.he lost a few friends who said he had changed when he no longer
:12:52. > :12:56.wanted to socialise around food. Was it an easy option? A not as
:12:56. > :13:00.easy as I thought it was going to be, or as people would imagine. My
:13:00. > :13:04.friend went through the private sector. I was lucky enough to go
:13:05. > :13:08.through the NHS. The support that I have had has been completely
:13:08. > :13:13.invaluable. My friend who went down the private route has had no
:13:13. > :13:17.support at all. That has been really difficult for her. They have
:13:17. > :13:20.been studies into weight-loss surgery, but they have mainly
:13:20. > :13:24.looked at how cost-effective it is for the NHS. What they have not
:13:24. > :13:28.looked at other side-effects for patients. Now, researchers at the
:13:28. > :13:31.University of Glasgow has been awarded a grant to find out more
:13:31. > :13:34.about the long-term effects of weight-loss surgery. We don't
:13:34. > :13:38.really have data on long-term complications of these,
:13:38. > :13:41.particularly doing them on younger people, knowing how that affects
:13:41. > :13:45.their bone strength, for example, as they get older, or how it
:13:45. > :13:51.affects people if they don't and have babies after having had these
:13:51. > :13:54.operations. We don't any of these type of things. It will be several
:13:55. > :14:04.years before this study can draw any conclusions, but those who have
:14:05. > :14:05.
:14:05. > :14:09.had surgery will tell you already Barry Bannon has been charged
:14:09. > :14:13.following a crash on the M1 in Nottinghamshire last month. 21-
:14:13. > :14:17.year-old Aston Villa player was charged with four offences
:14:17. > :14:23.including drinking and driving and failing to start up after an
:14:23. > :14:26.accident. Environment AGC Palmer says further
:14:26. > :14:30.pollution from a leaking waste water pipe has been stopped from
:14:30. > :14:39.reaching the Firth of Forth. But measures have been taken by BP to
:14:39. > :14:43.contain the leak. Monitoring of air pollution have shown an odorous gas
:14:43. > :14:51.is falling. A team of marine rescue survivors
:14:51. > :15:01.have freed a humpback whale of the coast of East Lothian. A lifeboat
:15:01. > :15:07.took the divers out to sea. Scotland's biggest prison has
:15:07. > :15:14.facilities for or just over 1000 men. Barlinnie is due to almost
:15:14. > :15:19.1,500 prisoners. This is said to be unsafe.
:15:19. > :15:26.This is the first full report on Barlinnie since 2006. The inspector
:15:26. > :15:36.made his thoughts clear about the jail. It is overcrowded by well
:15:36. > :15:42.over 500 prisoners -- prisoners. This is a situation that is far
:15:42. > :15:48.from ideal or even says. The number of prisoners held before their
:15:48. > :15:54.trial has gone up by 20 %. inspectors says the reasons for
:15:54. > :15:59.that need examined. If it is for safety and security then that is
:15:59. > :16:04.fine. If it is for administrative reasons, there should be a question
:16:04. > :16:11.raised. A question the present Governor might like cancer to two.
:16:11. > :16:18.He is locking up 1567 prisoners tonight. The jail was designed for
:16:18. > :16:23.1018. He says they cannot refuse to take prisoners but have to cope.
:16:23. > :16:28.you write in the morning, here you are in your cell in the evening. We
:16:28. > :16:37.try to make it fair for the people here. Because we try hard, the
:16:38. > :16:47.prisoners except it. The inspector says Barlinnie is in desperate need
:16:48. > :16:52.
:16:52. > :16:57.for redevelopment but with budgets last by 60 %, the funds are limited.
:16:57. > :17:01.It has been the scene of historic moments of national importance but
:17:01. > :17:06.impassioned appeals to save Perth City Hall were rejected. The
:17:06. > :17:13.century-old building phase has been torn down and replaced with a new
:17:13. > :17:19.civic square. It is a grant some would say to a
:17:19. > :17:25.grand edifice. The city hall with classical columns and cherubs is a
:17:25. > :17:29.symbol of the Edwardian confidence. Opened in 1911, it has welcomed
:17:29. > :17:36.politicians and pop stars. The great and good gathered here to see
:17:36. > :17:40.Churchill received the freedom of Perth in 1948. A future
:17:40. > :17:45.Conservative Prime Minister would all critics of the stage to delight
:17:45. > :17:54.the Tory faithful. The his affection for this building but the
:17:54. > :17:58.arrival of the new concert hall meant there was no use for it.
:17:58. > :18:04.Councillors gathered in an attempt to answer the question of what to
:18:04. > :18:14.do with it. They bought him to pull down the hall and replace it with a
:18:14. > :18:18.
:18:18. > :18:23.There will be fairs and parades which can happen now that we have a
:18:23. > :18:31.flexible open space in the centre of Perth.
:18:31. > :18:35.Her all that got down on the street? The building is
:18:35. > :18:40.proportionally incorrect. They should make something out of what
:18:40. > :18:45.is there and not bring it down. growth is arguing passionately
:18:45. > :18:50.against demolition. It wants the front of the building kept. It is
:18:50. > :18:58.an iconic building and it cannot be demolished. We do not believe that
:18:58. > :19:03.Historic Scotland will allow it to be demolished. These walls may not
:19:03. > :19:13.be tumbling down soon. The final decision lies with Scottish
:19:13. > :19:17.
:19:17. > :19:21.ministers. Now the sport,.
:19:21. > :19:28.Controversies including financial difficulties could help attract new
:19:28. > :19:31.sponsors. He was speaking to a senior sports reporter Chris
:19:31. > :19:41.McLoughlin on the day it was announced the current sponsor will
:19:41. > :19:42.
:19:42. > :19:46.not be extending its deal. Celebrating, Rangers. The bank is
:19:46. > :19:51.withdrawing force in the league to look elsewhere. Every deal that
:19:51. > :19:59.should do has a shelf-life and then you move on and work with new
:19:59. > :20:05.partners. The SPL seemed relaxed. With clubs in financial crisis,
:20:05. > :20:08.illicit chanting being investigated and players not being paid, how
:20:08. > :20:18.difficult will it be to sell Scottish football. A number of
:20:18. > :20:20.
:20:20. > :20:24.those issues and that corresponds with numb -- interest in their SPL.
:20:25. > :20:29.There is clearly a high level of exposure that the leak gets from
:20:29. > :20:37.those issues. That creates an opportunity for any company coming
:20:37. > :20:43.in. Any exposure is good exposure according to the man who runs the
:20:43. > :20:49.league. Does that mean we should welcome scenes like this? From the
:20:49. > :20:54.media value side, it is a positive. All different countries have
:20:54. > :21:03.different issues. We can overcome those issues. I am positive we can
:21:03. > :21:07.sell this. The name of this profit is up for sale.
:21:07. > :21:12.There are more money problems for Hearts tonight. They have not been
:21:12. > :21:22.able to pay players for the second month in a roar. This time that it
:21:22. > :21:25.
:21:25. > :21:32.is because a �1 million in tax bill. Any idea if and when they will be
:21:32. > :21:38.paid? Senior sources at the club have told me that players will be
:21:38. > :21:42.paid but they cannot tell me when that will be. Hearts players
:21:42. > :21:47.arrived at a Tynecastle or training, many of them had checked their bank
:21:47. > :21:55.accounts and established no money had gone in. This is not the first
:21:55. > :22:01.time this has happened. The club has issued a statement. They say
:22:01. > :22:07.they do have an income short ball. This is down to the lack of
:22:07. > :22:17.transfer monies coming in. This relates to the sake -- sale of
:22:17. > :22:17.
:22:17. > :22:26.Crayke Gordon into 1007. He has not played the required number of games
:22:26. > :22:31.that would trigger a payment. Michael O'Neill who has been linked
:22:31. > :22:36.with the vacant since managerial position at Hibernian is in talks
:22:36. > :22:46.with Shamrock Rovers. The former Hibernian player has only to Mac
:22:46. > :22:50.
:22:50. > :22:55.games left. Another name in the frame is Pat Fenlon.
:22:55. > :23:05.Still on a sporting scheme, as it vandalising a historic icon or a
:23:05. > :23:08.
:23:08. > :23:13.way to celebrate next year's Olympics.
:23:13. > :23:19.Edinburgh Castle, a symbol of Scotland. It a spot of foreign
:23:20. > :23:25.enemies but well-lit embrace the Olympics symbol. A planning
:23:25. > :23:30.application has been lodged Tippett Olympic rings on the castle. This
:23:30. > :23:40.will be seen for miles around. Is this a good way to highlight the
:23:40. > :23:41.
:23:41. > :23:49.Olympics? This is how the castle could be transformed. I think it is
:23:49. > :23:54.vandalising the castle. It is a great idea. It is egg and a's way
:23:54. > :24:04.of showing that they are proud. Organisations, and athletes are
:24:04. > :24:10.
:24:10. > :24:20.divided. It is an ancient or monument and is important to us.
:24:20. > :24:25.
:24:25. > :24:30.have something special coming to the UK. The rings are already up in
:24:30. > :24:40.London. It will be up to counsellors year to decide on
:24:40. > :24:50.
:24:50. > :24:56.planning permission next month. We saw more of brightness today.
:24:56. > :25:02.That cloud will bring rain into the country overnight. It will turn wet
:25:02. > :25:07.for many. Here is a band of rain pushing into the West and will
:25:07. > :25:17.ensure north and eastwards over night. Ahead of that, there will be
:25:17. > :25:20.
:25:20. > :25:26.clear skies. Mess that -- missed patches forming. Tomorrow, that
:25:26. > :25:30.rain will clear away northwards. Most places will become dry with
:25:31. > :25:40.some bright or sunny spells developing. And the West, it is
:25:40. > :25:48.still looking cloudy. There will be some outbreaks of rain. In brighter
:25:48. > :25:57.spells, and coming down the east coast where they will be seen
:25:57. > :26:04.across Aberdeenshire. We may see temperatures picking up to 12 or 13
:26:04. > :26:14.degrees Celsius. Into the second part of tomorrow, we will seek
:26:14. > :26:15.
:26:15. > :26:25.winds increasing. Looking at the pressure chart, it will bring rain
:26:25. > :26:26.
:26:26. > :26:36.across the country. On Friday, that front will linger. In the east, it
:26:36. > :26:41.
:26:41. > :26:47.will be drier and brighter. A West East split over the weekend. A
:26:47. > :26:56.summary of top stories, a woman trapped at the bottom of all
:26:56. > :26:59.mineshaft would have survived if it not been fit by feelings. The team
:26:59. > :27:04.sent to rescue are believed to their own rules stop them from
:27:04. > :27:08.using safety equipment. Unemployment in Scotland rose by
:27:08. > :27:15.5,000 in the three months to the end of September. The jobless rate
:27:15. > :27:20.is now at 8%, slightly lower than the UK average.
:27:20. > :27:26.Doctors are calling for up smoking to be banned in cars even if it is