25/07/2012 Reporting Scotland

Welcome to Reporting Scotland. Tonight: The law will be changed to

legalise same-sex marriage. SNP ministers defy churches and

mosques to push ahead with their plans. We are dismays and surprised

that the Scottish Government have decided to go ahead with this

social experiment. This is a proud day for Scotland. The first same-

sex wedding could take place in 2015. We assessed the pit -- we

assess the political risks facing the Government. Also tonight: I

would like to ask questions about your conduct.

Five years in jail for the police officer he withheld evidence in a

murder trial. As the football kicks off at

Hampden, we joined the fans at the National Stadium to see if the

women on the pitch can reach for the stars.

And your wee bit hill and glen. But which hill and which glen? 700

years on, the search for the site of Bruce's victory at Bannockburn.

The Scottish government will change the law to allow same-sex couples

to marry. The Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says it is the

right thing to do, but tonight, one critic has described the plan as a

social experiment. Ministers are pressing their head despite strong

opposition of churches and mosques. What in a word? Plenty to Nathan

and Robert. This young couple are in love and him -- and in a civil

partnership and in search of something more. Marriage. Our love

is exactly the same as the love a heterosexual couple have and I want

our marriage to be the same as well, because that is true equality.

Today, they came a step closer. Ministers announced that they have

decided to go ahead with same-sex marriage. We believe legislating to

allow loving couples to commit to reach of a marriage is the right

thing to do, but we are also deeply committed to the principles of

freedom of speech and freedom of religion and our decision will be

accompanied by strong protections. No church or individual religious

celebrant will be compelled to conduct same-sex marriages. She is

going against the majority of those who responded to the Government's

consultation. 62,000 people living in Scotland replied. 64% were

against reform and 36% were for it. Despite the Government saying they

want a consultation and fall voices to be heard, they have ignored the

majority. Marriage as the Union of male and female is the rock upon

which society stands. There were protests organised at Parliament.

It worked. Almost 30,000 negative responses came through postcards

and perdition. -- e-petition. is a proud day for Scotland, a

sunny day and a good day. We have seen the Scottish Government

showing that they believe in equality. They are willing to stand

up for it. Those hoping to get married now are waiting for a date.

The timetable for changing the law is not yet set. The best guess is

that ceremonies may start in early 2015.

This has been massively controversial, as you say. How

risky is this for the SNP? It could be very risky. We have the

Church of Scotland, the Catholic Church, the Muslim leadership,

traditionally a very powerful organisations in Scotland, or

saying that ministers have got this wrong today. Nicola Sturgeon does

have some political cover. Opinion polls still suggest a majority of

Scots back reforming the law, despite the results of the

consultation. We think the majority of SNP's -- Asset -- MSPs back

same-sex marriage as well. At opponents will not give up. 500

parishes in Scotland next month will be asked to join in a campaign

to save marriage as a heterosexual institution. Introducing same-sex

marriage in 2015, that is very close to the independence

referendum. If it continues to be a big row, it could distract

attention and voters for that -- from that, and that could be risky

for the SNP. There has been condemnation of

Glasgow's new Catholic archbishop after it -- after he suggested the

death of MP David Cairns last year may have been connected to the fact

he was gay. Philip Tartaglia made the remarks three months ago and

apologised today for any hurt he may have caused. Tonight,

politicians and Mr Cairns's former partner criticised the bishop.

It was only yesterday that Philip Tartaglia was announced at the --

as the Archbishop designate of Glasgow. Remarks were made at a

conference in Oxford which have caused controversy. Issued a

Tackley a query to the relationship between the physical and mental

health of gay men. Recently in Scotland, there was a gay Catholic

MP who died at the age of 44. Nobody said anything. Why his body

should just shut down at that age? That man was MP David Cairns, a

former Catholic priest. When he died last year, Archbishop

Tartaglia or helped to organise his funeral. A spokesperson said his

remarks had been taken out of context. They apologised for any

hurt and said that no offence or judgment was intended. It has not

satisfied the MP's former partner. His primary purpose was to make a

broader point about public policy and to use the tragedy of David's

death to do that. If he does not understand why he needs to show

contrition and apologise for that, I am very sorry for the man. David

Cairns was a former Scotland Office minister. Today, his UK party

leader criticised the Archbishop designate's remarks. The archbishop

is wrong, and he is right to apologise. I do not think it is

right and I do not think it reflects either David's life or the

life of gay people in Scotland or elsewhere. I think he is wide of

the mark. I hope he will come to see that it was the wrong thing to

say. Yesterday, the Catholic Church appointed a new leader for its

largest diocese. Today, he is reflecting on the way his public

pronouncements will be viewed. A former police detective has been

jailed for five years for withholding evidence in a murder

investigation. Richard Munro, he was sentenced at the High Court in

Aberdeen, held back witness statements defending two men

accused of a killing in Dunfermline in 1995. Steven Johnston and Billy

Alison served 10 years in prison before being acquitted.

I would like to rescue some questions about your conduct, an

investigation of the Andrew Forsyth murder. For a BBC investigation

four years ago, I tracked down Richard Munro. He refused to answer

my questions that day, but his corrupt past was coming back to

haunt him. In 1995, he was then a detective inspector, and he was put

in charge of his first murder case, that of Dunfermline man Andrew

Forsyth. Immediately in the framework two local petty criminals,

Steven Johnston and Billy Alison. The lawyer for the it used.

deceased was murdered on a 3rd November 1995. They went to the

jury on that point and told the jury that if they thought the

deceased was alive after that date they had to acquit the two accused.

It emerged that crucial evidence was suppressed and kept hidden from

the Crown and the defence by Richard Munro. A dozen witnesses

told the police they had seen Andrew Forsyth alive in Dunfermline

between the third and 9th November, which, if true, mean that the

accused cannot be guilty. Richard Munro was the senior investigating

officer and he deliberately held back witness statements of people

of good character he stated that Andrew Forsyth was still alive. It

through the whole police idea and the police theory at the window.

The two men were acquitted on appeal in 2006. Subsequently,

Lothian And Borders Police were investigated to -- ordered to

investigate Richard Munro. Steven Johnston has struggled to put his

life back on track after his release. You are spending your

first night free from prison tonight. Will it free things up for

you? No. Not at all. It is not going to change my life I've a

night. The damage has been done. It is not going to repair itself

overnight by a policeman being convicted. Including Munro, six

officers were criticised for their conduct and accused of dishonesty

by the Appeal Court. Three of them are still working at Fife

Constabulary. The Crown Office has told the BBC that the case of

Andrew Forsyth will be reviewed, but for now, the murder remains

unsolved, and Andrew's killer or killers still walk free.

You are watching Reporting Scotland from the BBC. Still to come:

Student leaders call on universities to widen access to

people from poor homes. They deny it is social engineering.

And let's find that what is happening in sport, as if we did

not know. Good evening. Welcome to Hampden Park in Glasgow, where the

London 2012 Olympic Games are under way. Inside the stadium, the women

of the USA are playing the women of France in an Olympic football match.

For the Scottish sporting public, the wait is over. Has it been worth

the wait? This is a chance for the city to

shine and show off, with some help from the weather. These young

drummers are not only open in the Merchant city Festival, but they

are part of a city-wide 2012 experience. For some, the build-up

to tonight's game started early with a tour of the Olympic V and

George Square. It is cool and it is different. The weather has been

fantastic. It is a beautiful city. I was so excited this morning!

with just one hour to go, those heading to the match were shore-

based -- traditional Scottish welcome. For many, it has been a

long wait. Now that the day has finally arrived, they are hoping

their team will win through. sister is playing in the French

team. She is in attack. I think France will win! How loudly will

use green? I will not be able to talk tomorrow. I will not be able

to, hopefully. It is Glasgow's big day, and every entrance Hampden

feels like a carnival. As for the fear that no-one would turn up,

thousands of people are here from all over the world. As for security

concerns, Strathclyde Police say there are no reported problems so

far. We have mostly seen people I will be back later with more from

Hampden Park. I might even tell you Her tuition fees have been scrapped

and universities run schemes to attract students from less well-off

areas but under the present rate of progress it will take 40 years to

achieve a balanced social intake. Summer school at Heriot-Watt

University. And the eventual breakthrough. But that is a long

way off the four schemes to attract students from poorer backgrounds.

My father and Dante went to university. Some other members from

my family. It is all I have wanted to do,

really. There has been just a 1% rise in

five years of students from the poorest backgrounds reaching

university. Now there are calls for acceptance of law exam passes. Her

this is not about social engineering.

It is about making sure that universities take those with the

most potential. One student who got into Edinburgh

University after special support wants others to follow.

It is a method that only those from private schools get to university.

-- matter. But below were exam passes may have

feel a bit unfair to students who have done better.

We want see a step change until we see a step-change in attainment.

Summer schools could make a difference but research indicates

if you really want to influence young people it is important to

invest in schemes that have get them when BR Ganga, primary seven,

and early secondary. -- target schemes when they are younger. Her

two men have been sentenced to life in prison for killing Brian Faulds

and trying to dispose of his body last September.

They were sentenced to a minimal of 24 beers each in prison.

Is the mad morning ferry from Belfast to Cairnryan. There is

every chance that some body on board should not be. 300 people

were detained for using this route last year to try to enter the

mainland UK illegally. That is up on the previous year, when funding

for water Agency staff based here was withdrawn. With only a tiny

fraction of passengers checked campaigners believe that the true

level of illegal immigration is higher.

This is seen as a weak link by the criminal fraternity. They will use

the city each and every opportunity. The Scotland Office minister about

to pressure in visiting both Belfast and Cairnryan. He was to

date order immigration work is deflecting police officers from

counter-terrorism duties. -- he was today told that.

We could otherwise be more effective and mitigate the impact

on our core resources. The case which the chief constable

was making is that some of the people in Belfast would be better

deployed at the Galloway ports rather than on the Northern Ireland

side. Do Scotland Office Minister

promised to pursue the issue with A case of anthrax poisoning has

been identified in an injecting drug user in Lanarkshire. Doctors

are warning a contaminated batch of heroin is likely to be in

circulation. Grampian Police is giving every on-

duty officer access to body-worn video cameras. It is claimed a

pilot scheme in Aberdeen led to more early guilty pleas when video

evidence was available. Feelings are running high over a

proposed fish farm on the Isle of Gometra near the West coast of Mull.

There are only three registered voters on the island, all opposed

to the development. But many people on Mull support it for the jobs it

could bring. It is a wild land. A resource which

is diminishing. An industrial scale development means it will no longer

beak wild land. Thus the one place you should not put a fish farm.

Highland Council is building new storage facilities at the Highland

Folk Museum in Newtonmore. The work should be completed by 2014.

The days of rail travel by steam have been recreated in celebration

of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. The Elizabethan Express was the premier

train service between Edinburgh and London in the post-war period.

There are more stories from your area and all the latest news 24

hours a day on BBC Scotland's Sport now. Back to David. Welcome

back to Hampden stadium. The first ever Olympic football match to be

played on Scottish soil is finished. It was between the USA and France.

4-2 to the world champions, USA. Of more interest to people keeping an

eye on Scottish sport is the attendance, it looks as though it

was maybe about one quarter full. Between 10,015 1,000 spectators. --

between 10,015 1,000. -- 10,000 and 15,000. That figure will be a bit

embarrassing to the organisers. They gave away 35,000 tickets and

many of them were simply not taken up. There were also problems with

distributions. There has not been anything like a big enough uptake.

They said that 41,000 would come, I reckon it was about 15,000. Not

enough of an appetite yet for Olympic women's football. It is the

biggest crowd that has ever come to a women's football match in

Scotland off. More will come tomorrow. Spain are bringing three

players who have just won the European Championships. The crowd

will be better for that. There were two Scottish Women in the Team GB

team that defeated New Zealand earlier. This, the one and only

goal of the match. A lovely free- kick. Is this an important moment

for Scottish women's football? It was a massive moment. I spoke to

a couple of youngsters who play football format child's team in

Dundee. They said their ambition The Scottish Seniors Open is taking

place at Turnberry this week. The entry list is a Who's Who of

golfing greats. The picturesque view of the links of Turnberry. The

home of champions. None more so than Tom Watson, the man who won

the Open Championship here in 1977 after a famous duel and the son of

Jack Nicklaus. -- duel in the sun with.

It was a very special moment for me. It was the culmination of a march

up the ranks. At that time I felt I could play with anybody in the

world, and when. -- win. Can he add to his titles

won so far? I am doing something as well but I

need to play a little bit better here. These old guys are tough!

That is all for me here at Hampden It is one of the most famous events

in Scottish history but the exact site of the Battle of Bannockburn

remains something of a mystery. Picking up the past in search of

Bannockburn, 1314. The name and date are etched on many minds. But

where exactly were the English sent homewards to think again?

There are three or four possible site in this area. If you must buy

an inch, you might as well miss by a mile. So we're trying to tie down

the actual location. There are already some interesting

finds, like this fragment from a pot, thought to date from around

about the time of the battle. In a BBC Scotland many CVs the team

intent to recreate as realistic a picture as possible of life during

the battle, using all the new techniques.

We will be using metal detectors, where it is appropriate,

traditional excavation techniques, to try and piece together.

We know that their English army was heading towards a startling when it

was stopped in its tracks by Robert the Bruce. But we do not exactly

where the Battle of Bannockburn took place. The team will be out in

all sorts of weather during the The Olympics kicked off at Hampden

Park and the sun shone. Appropriately enough, that is where

the weather forecast is coming from The theme is to cooling down over

the next few days across the United Kingdom. Top temperature up to date

of 23 Celsius in Dumfries and Galloway. Perfect evening for

having it a beer in the garden or a bar. It will be dry with clear

spells. There will be bits of pieces to -- debts and pieces of

cloud. But in towns and cities we are looking at no more than 11

Celsius. To start the day tomorrow, looking lovely. Mist and fog will

run away. Cast your eyes across the south in you'll see a week front

which will spread some rain but mainly affecting the eastern side,

the West will see more and the way of sunshine. By the middle of part

of the afternoon the rain will many be in the east. Across the south-

west, sunshine, certainly if you live and Argyll and the Highlands.

Across the North Island, Shetland, also seen some sunshine. Best of

the temperatures and the Moray coast area. For the rest of the day,

wins will stay alight. This is a cold front which is linked to

another cold front spreading south across the country. Temperatures

turning Coulon not just for Scotland but a whole the UK. --

turning cooler. Winds will pick up from the West. Saturday, cooler

still. The theme, really, their outlook timing cooler by the end of

The top stories: the Scottish Government will change the law to

allow same-sex couples to marry. The Deputy First Minister says it