:00:18. > :00:21.Tonight on Reporting Scotland: The country's population reaches a
:00:21. > :00:27.record high at more than five and a quarter million as more people move
:00:27. > :00:34.here than leave. Counting the cost of the storm: The
:00:34. > :00:38.once-in-a-lifetime event that has devastated coastal communities.
:00:38. > :00:48.Absolute devastation. The whole factory is demolished like a bomb
:00:48. > :00:51.
:00:51. > :00:54.has hit it. Transporting's Britain's nuclear
:00:54. > :00:58.cargo as Dounreay begins to transport waste to Sellafield, we
:00:58. > :01:03.hear the arguments for and against moving it by rail. Join me as we
:01:03. > :01:07.find out how staff at the busiest sorting office in Scotland do with
:01:07. > :01:13.the busiest day of the air. And we meet the diabetic boy whose dog
:01:13. > :01:16.lets him know when there is a change in his blood sugar.
:01:16. > :01:22.Scotland's population has risen to a record level, according to the
:01:22. > :01:25.latest census. Just under 5,300,000 people now live here. The figures
:01:25. > :01:28.also show that the population has been getting older. Our social
:01:28. > :01:35.affairs correspondent has been looking at the numbers and what
:01:35. > :01:40.they tell us. We have known it for some time, but today comes the
:01:40. > :01:44.proof. Scotland as a nation is getting older. The figures just
:01:45. > :01:53.published show there were 5,295,000 people living in Scotland last
:01:53. > :01:58.March. It represents an increase of 5% in 10 years. 854,000 people are
:01:58. > :02:06.15 or under. These are the people whose taxes will keep us in old age
:02:06. > :02:10.in the future. What is worrying is that more people are 65 or over -
:02:10. > :02:13.890,000. It is the first time older people have outnumbered the young.
:02:14. > :02:21.That has major implications for services provided for the elderly.
:02:21. > :02:25.Who will pay for them? Pensioners coming to this lunch club on the
:02:25. > :02:32.South Side of Glasgow get a nourishing three-course meal and
:02:32. > :02:37.some regular company. It is all fee, paid for by charitable donations.
:02:37. > :02:44.It receives no local or central funding. These pensioners recognise
:02:44. > :02:51.that funding for the elderly is under pressure. They are not many
:02:51. > :02:57.places like this. So many people are getting older now. We did our
:02:57. > :03:00.stuff in the past. A There are too many old people nowadays. Or of
:03:00. > :03:10.what it -- what will we do about that? Do we need more younger
:03:10. > :03:10.
:03:10. > :03:16.people? Yes, we do. Over-sixties receive three bus travel and free
:03:16. > :03:18.personal care. As the number of all people increases, so does the bell.
:03:18. > :03:25.Organisations say that the government must choose its
:03:25. > :03:30.priorities in. They have to decide and, are they putting the money in
:03:30. > :03:34.the right places? Education is good, but at the same time, we cannot
:03:34. > :03:40.forget the people who had been in a World War. They need services as
:03:40. > :03:45.well. The future is in hands of the young people displaying the new
:03:45. > :03:50.population figures. Officials say there is optimism in the senses.
:03:50. > :03:54.know there had been more births and deaths. That is part of the story.
:03:54. > :03:58.There has been more migration, more people coming into the country than
:03:58. > :04:04.leaving. We will get further figures next year which could alter
:04:04. > :04:08.the balance of government funding to local council health services.
:04:08. > :04:13.The Scottish government welcome the increases in Scotland's population,
:04:13. > :04:18.which is said was an important driver of economic growth. It
:04:18. > :04:21.highlighted a 6% rise in the number of under-fives, which suggests the
:04:21. > :04:27.population decline of recent years is being reversed.
:04:27. > :04:30.Thank you very much. Homes and businesses along the East
:04:30. > :04:35.Coast are tonight counting the cost of the storm damage caused to the
:04:35. > :04:39.weekend. In some towns, defences that stood for over 100 years
:04:39. > :04:43.crumbled in the face of massive weights. At the height of the storm
:04:43. > :04:51.and man died on board and Awe Oil Industry vessel off coast of
:04:51. > :04:56.Aberdeen. -- and oil industry vessel. Now just a tangled mess of
:04:56. > :05:00.concrete and steel - this fish factory in Peterhead was destroyed
:05:00. > :05:04.by the storm which hit the east coast in their early hours of
:05:04. > :05:09.Saturday morning. More than 20 staff and are without work.
:05:09. > :05:17.Absolute devastation. The whole factory is demolished like a bomb
:05:17. > :05:24.has hit it. Hard-working, very loyal staff have got sad news. I
:05:24. > :05:29.have nothing for them at the moment. Next door, another fish factory
:05:29. > :05:33.destroyed. Known in Peterhead can remember anything like it. As soon
:05:33. > :05:38.as I came round the corner, you can see daylight through the building.
:05:38. > :05:44.Have the building has gone. It is crazy. I have never seen anything
:05:44. > :05:49.like this in my life. It has been described as a Perfect Storm, a
:05:49. > :05:53.once in 50 years event according to the experts. High tides coupled
:05:54. > :05:59.with ferocious gales. Communities down the east of Scotland where
:05:59. > :06:05.affected. Dozens of people had to be evacuated and many will not be
:06:05. > :06:08.able to return in time for Christmas. Scottish government
:06:08. > :06:11.ministers had been visiting affected regions, the transport
:06:11. > :06:16.minister was a North Berwick this afternoon. There is an offer of
:06:16. > :06:20.help but no mention of funding to pay for the clean-up. It is
:06:20. > :06:25.exceptional what has happened here. I understand the council will have
:06:25. > :06:28.this wall reinstated within a week which is tremendous. I am here to
:06:28. > :06:31.offer assistance from the Scottish government and to get a better
:06:31. > :06:36.appreciation of the extent of the damage across the country. There
:06:36. > :06:40.has been a human cost to the storm, whether people being injured or
:06:40. > :06:46.forced from their homes are losing work. There is no estimate of the
:06:46. > :06:51.financial cost so far but it will be in the millions of pounds.
:06:51. > :06:56.The death of a man in Peterhead is being treated as suspicious. He has
:06:56. > :07:00.been named locally as Arran Arthur. More than 30 officers are now
:07:00. > :07:04.working on the investigation. Police were called to and get -- to
:07:04. > :07:09.an address this morning where the body was discovered.
:07:09. > :07:13.You are watching Reporting Scotland from the BBC. Still to come on the
:07:13. > :07:18.programme. Fishing leaders warn an internal row in Europe is
:07:18. > :07:23.threatening the industry here. Could the losing habit for our
:07:23. > :07:28.rugby teams affect the national side in the Six Nations? Which
:07:28. > :07:34.glamorous venue is set to host the beach volleyball? Find out in just
:07:34. > :07:39.a few minutes time. A train carrying nuclear fuel made
:07:39. > :07:45.its journey last night from Dounreay to Sellafield reprocessing
:07:45. > :07:50.plant in Cumbria. Dozens more are set to do the same thing. They will
:07:50. > :07:54.carry 44 tonnes of waste -- radioactive material from the
:07:54. > :08:01.Caithness site. Environmentalists say transporting it is a risk to
:08:01. > :08:06.communities. Deep inside the Dounreay plant,
:08:06. > :08:10.operators manipulate robotic arms behind thick glass. They are
:08:10. > :08:15.packing spent nuclear fuel roads for Transport. There is no further
:08:15. > :08:21.use for the material here, so trains like this when she picked
:08:21. > :08:25.for reprocessing at Sellafield. facilities at Sellafield are more
:08:25. > :08:29.contemporary than those at Dounreay. We would have to build extra
:08:29. > :08:34.facilities at Dounreay and this would not be in the juice of the
:08:34. > :08:39.taxpayers' money. The operators insist it is not waste but highly
:08:39. > :08:42.valuable nuclear fuel which can be used again. Critics say that it is
:08:43. > :08:48.highly irresponsible to transport such dangerous cargoes around the
:08:48. > :08:52.country. We believe it should have been safely stored above ground at
:08:52. > :08:56.Dounreay where it could be constantly monitored. It could be
:08:56. > :09:01.repackaged and replaced. Nuclear cargoes are transported by rail
:09:01. > :09:06.every week, but opponents of the Shipman's argued that the material
:09:06. > :09:10.should be classed as waste and stored where it was produced,
:09:10. > :09:17.echoing the Scottish government policy on nuclear waste. Some
:09:17. > :09:22.authorities disagree. It is safe to transport it. It is transported
:09:22. > :09:27.under international requirements and legislation. We have tons worth
:09:27. > :09:32.of protection for them so it is completely safe. A strange journeys
:09:32. > :09:36.through the length of Britain are set to continue for the next five
:09:36. > :09:43.years. -- these train journeys. They still have to deal with even
:09:43. > :09:47.more spent fuel from the other main reactor at this plant.
:09:47. > :09:50.The Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont has warned that publicly-
:09:50. > :09:54.funded higher education is not viable without a serious reduction
:09:54. > :09:59.of standards in quality. In a speech marking the first
:09:59. > :10:04.anniversary of her election, she said the education system was not
:10:04. > :10:09.delivering for the his pupils. Fishing leaders say at a European
:10:09. > :10:14.power struggle is threatening the industry in Scotland. The European
:10:14. > :10:19.Parliament wants a say on setting fishing quotas and this is feared
:10:19. > :10:25.to lead to automatic cuts in what fishing boats are allowed to cut --
:10:25. > :10:31.to catch. It is the time of the year that fishermen are afraid of,
:10:31. > :10:35.as their fate for the following 12 months is decided. On the quayside,
:10:35. > :10:41.catching and selling of this precious natural son -- resource
:10:41. > :10:45.never stops, even when the decision makers cannot see eye to eye. This
:10:45. > :10:50.skipper is just back from a fridge full eight-day trip and will me is
:10:50. > :10:54.frustrated that stock levels are high but restrictions are
:10:54. > :10:59.continuing to tighten. Where fishermen and we want to fish. Some
:11:00. > :11:04.boats have only done 100 days this year. If we have more cuts, the
:11:04. > :11:07.fleet will not be able to take it. The number of days boats are
:11:07. > :11:13.allowed to spend at sea in an average month has been cut
:11:13. > :11:17.dramatically. Before European Court conservation measures came in,
:11:17. > :11:22.skippers could fish freely. Since then there had been a series of
:11:22. > :11:27.reductions, on top of big changes to how the fish. The a pet -- the
:11:27. > :11:33.effect has been to have them edge of time boats can spend at sea.
:11:33. > :11:35.What has changed? Until now, civil servants from the European
:11:35. > :11:40.Commission would make their recommendations and then government
:11:40. > :11:46.ministers from each member state in Europe would decide whether to
:11:46. > :11:50.accept or reject them. Since the Lisbon Treaty was signed, the
:11:50. > :11:57.politicians have been given more of a say and this year it seems they
:11:57. > :12:01.are choosing to exercise that right. Everyone agrees that changes are
:12:01. > :12:06.needed but we are watching a power struggle which is nothing to do
:12:06. > :12:10.with fishing management. It is about who has the right to do what
:12:10. > :12:13.to whom between the Council of Ministers and the European
:12:13. > :12:17.Parliament. Now MEPs have dragged themselves into the process, the
:12:17. > :12:23.big fear is that no decision will be taking and automatic cuts will
:12:23. > :12:27.instead kick in. Or if a decision is taken this week, it will be
:12:27. > :12:33.challenged in courts. These could be the most controversial and you
:12:34. > :12:37.fishing talks yet. -- annual fishing talks.
:12:37. > :12:42.Was it a last-minute scramble to get your fish -- Christmas cards
:12:42. > :12:47.are written and posted? For staff at post offices up and down the
:12:47. > :12:52.country, it is the busiest day of the year. The handle millions of
:12:52. > :12:57.cards and parcels. Our reporter joins us from the Springburn
:12:57. > :13:02.sorting office in Glasgow. It looks to be in full swing out there.
:13:02. > :13:07.Absolutely, you join me at one of the biggest sorting offices in
:13:07. > :13:12.Scotland. You can see the scale behind me. You can see staff
:13:12. > :13:17.sorting through parcels. They will end up at destinations all over the
:13:17. > :13:22.UK. This is the busiest day of the air for the Royal Mail. This place
:13:22. > :13:26.has dealt with millions of items today. People had been writing
:13:26. > :13:31.their Christmas cards over the weekend and posting them. They have
:13:31. > :13:38.ended up here and staff working round-the-clock to deal with the
:13:38. > :13:42.deluge. I spend the day here to find out how they cope. -- I spent.
:13:42. > :13:46.These are just some of the millions of Christmas cards and parcels
:13:46. > :13:51.which are being sorted here today. If you have not been organised, do
:13:51. > :13:57.not worry, there is still time. would ask you to oppose them now.
:13:57. > :14:01.The deadline for second class is tomorrow. The deadline for a first
:14:01. > :14:07.class his first day the 20th. If you want to use special delivery,
:14:07. > :14:12.you have what will the 22nd. might have thought Christmas cards
:14:12. > :14:15.were becoming old fashioned, but research says most of us was still
:14:15. > :14:23.rather get back traditional card. Online shopping means there are
:14:23. > :14:27.more packages than ever. They have taken on 16 extra seasonal staff.
:14:27. > :14:33.For those who have worked for the Royal Mail for long, it is the best
:14:33. > :14:39.time of years. I've worked here for seven years. It is a good time of
:14:39. > :14:43.here, you were busy and you are kept going. It is quite funny to
:14:43. > :14:47.try and see some of the addresses which tried to describe things, it
:14:47. > :14:52.is round the corner and the colour of the door. I think people think
:14:52. > :14:57.we know everywhere. Do they get there? Yes, it is surprising how
:14:57. > :15:05.many of them get there. These challenges are more common than you
:15:05. > :15:11.think. This one is a card to JLS. The his kisses for these people in
:15:11. > :15:16.bands. -- the his kisses. Disappointingly no stamp either.
:15:16. > :15:21.Will you get the card to them? will identify where it should go
:15:21. > :15:25.and we will probably forward it on. The advice is take the time to get
:15:25. > :15:35.the full address if you can, to make sure your favourite people get
:15:35. > :15:39.
:15:39. > :15:43.It is not just the addresses that matter. We can see some of the
:15:43. > :15:49.hazard for parcels. The advice would be get them wrapped in a
:15:49. > :15:55.plastic bag before you get your brown paper and decorations on it.
:15:55. > :16:01.The advice is for staff to try and salvage things but it takes time
:16:01. > :16:06.and they want to avoid that if possible and get your letters where
:16:06. > :16:15.they want to go on time. Now some other stories from across Scotland
:16:15. > :16:20.this evening. The Oil Industry is investigating the extent of the
:16:20. > :16:27.redundancies because of ongoing disruption caused by the grounding
:16:27. > :16:32.of some Super Puma helicopters. An outbreak of Noroc virus affects
:16:32. > :16:37.hospitals in the south-west. Two wards remain closed at Dumfries and
:16:37. > :16:43.Galloway Royal Infirmary and the two community hospitals at an inn
:16:43. > :16:48.and Castle Douglas are also closed to new admissions. Talks in a bid
:16:48. > :16:55.to end the ferry dispute in the Northern Isles. Strike action was
:16:55. > :17:03.suspended yesterday. Staff say they have been given enough assurances
:17:03. > :17:08.to call a temporary halt to the industrial action. Staff to improve
:17:08. > :17:13.this Lodge Park in Hawick have been granted �22 million from the
:17:13. > :17:20.Heritage Lottery Fund. There will be Conservation of fountains, war
:17:20. > :17:25.memorials and the replacement of a bandstand. Over 260 years of piping
:17:25. > :17:34.by the Black Watch will be celebrated in an illustrated book,
:17:34. > :17:39.the first record of 250 tunes played by the regiment. And there
:17:39. > :17:46.are more stories from your region 24 hours per day on the BBC
:17:46. > :17:49.Scotland website. Time for the latest sport with Kheredine
:17:50. > :17:52.Idessane. After yet another disappointing weekend in the
:17:52. > :17:55.Heineken Cup, Edinburgh coach Billy McGinty says this weekend's festive
:17:55. > :17:58.Derby is a chance to get their season back on track. However, with
:17:58. > :18:01.both Scottish clubs sitting bottom of their respective pools, a former
:18:01. > :18:10.Scotland international has warned that the losing habit could affect
:18:10. > :18:18.the national team's chances in the Six Nations. Steven Godden reports.
:18:18. > :18:23.What a difference a year makes. Friday's 15-3 defeat was
:18:23. > :18:29.Edinburgh's 4th straight loss in the Heineken Cup. 12 months ago the
:18:29. > :18:35.players were plotting a path to the semi-final. The situation has left
:18:35. > :18:40.coaches scratching their heads. is a very difficult gripping, I
:18:41. > :18:47.know we have not got any points yet but just look at the groups who are
:18:47. > :18:55.in it. It is very close. A late penalty miss at least Glasgow in a
:18:55. > :18:59.similar position, stuck at the bottom of their pool. A former
:18:59. > :19:05.international is worried that the losing habit could set the tone for
:19:05. > :19:10.the Six Nations. If you start playing against quality opposition
:19:10. > :19:16.and not beating them that will impact on how you play for Scotland.
:19:16. > :19:20.The more Glasgow and Edinburgh lose the less likely Scotland are to win.
:19:21. > :19:28.The other side of that is that some of the best players in the Scottish
:19:28. > :19:33.team play abroad. And for Glasgow the annual winter double-header.
:19:33. > :19:40.With Europe now a busted flush the battle for Scottish bragging rights
:19:40. > :19:44.will shape what remains of their season. For the loser at distinct
:19:44. > :19:46.lack of the festive cheer. The Rangers chief executive, Charles
:19:46. > :19:49.Green, has accepted an apology from Montrose, following claims their
:19:49. > :19:51.match-day programme ridiculed the Ibrox club. Before the teams met in
:19:51. > :19:54.the Third Division on Saturday, the Montrose programme said, quote,
:19:54. > :19:56.Rangers are a newco of the now defunct Glasgow Rangers. And are
:19:56. > :20:01.hoping to clinch their first silverware. Following complaints,
:20:01. > :20:05.the Angus club apologised. The former Olympic champion David
:20:05. > :20:10.Hemery believes future gold medals could be forged in Glasgow.
:20:10. > :20:13.Especially if it hosts the 2018 Youth Olympics. Four other cities
:20:13. > :20:19.are also bidding to stage an event which welcomes over 3000 athletes
:20:19. > :20:24.aged between 15 and 18. With a TV audience of over 1 billion,
:20:24. > :20:34.organisers say it would bring investment and jobs. As well as an
:20:34. > :20:36.
:20:36. > :20:43.interesting backdrop for the beach volleyball. On their marks for
:20:43. > :20:49.Glasgow 20 Tina with a famous former Olympian for our support. 44
:20:49. > :20:59.years after his so hurdles triumph in Mexico he says at Youth Olympics
:20:59. > :21:09.in Glasgow would forge future stars. Whether a future Chris Hoy is, just
:21:09. > :21:09.
:21:10. > :21:15.Golders magic. Glasgow is proposing future venues with the games
:21:15. > :21:19.costing �24 million. What we best deliver? There will be a boost to
:21:19. > :21:25.jobs created through tourism, through thousands of visitors
:21:25. > :21:31.coming to the city. It is focused on our young people to give them a
:21:31. > :21:37.very keen sense that they can be champions in their own life. The
:21:37. > :21:42.Youth Olympics will bring 3,500 athletes in 28 sports. There will
:21:42. > :21:49.be swimming here in Tollcross, athletics here in Scotland and here
:21:49. > :21:55.in George Square the plan is to turn best in to this. Beach
:21:55. > :22:00.volleyball in the centre of Glasgow. New heroes emerged at London 2012,
:22:00. > :22:05.more will be created at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth and we will find
:22:05. > :22:10.out next summer if the city will also host the Olympians of the
:22:10. > :22:13.future. That sounds good. Thank you. Two years ago, BBC Scotland
:22:13. > :22:17.reporter Ian Hamilton made a TV documentary about learning to work
:22:18. > :22:21.with his new guide dog, Renton. Now, two years on, he's been finding out
:22:21. > :22:31.how our four-legged friends are helping people cope with a range of
:22:31. > :22:33.
:22:33. > :22:38.health conditions, from diabetes to epilepsy. This boy is aged 10 and
:22:38. > :22:45.has diabetes, his mother constantly has to check his blood sugar levels,
:22:45. > :22:51.if not, he could slip into a coma. This family has more than just a
:22:51. > :22:57.metre to help them. This is his diabetic alert dog. She is able to
:22:57. > :23:05.sense when his blood sugar changes. What did she able to do, how can
:23:05. > :23:12.she let you know? She goes really mental and really goes bonkers and
:23:12. > :23:17.fetches the Diabetes meter. Trust has been building slowly. She
:23:17. > :23:20.is only just qualified. It is reassuring that she tries to
:23:20. > :23:25.weekend in the night and if he does not Luigi will come and get me and
:23:25. > :23:30.she will barred. It is not only diabetics who are benefiting, also
:23:30. > :23:37.those with epilepsy. Scientists are still not able to predict when
:23:37. > :23:44.someone is about to have a seizure but this dog charity believes that
:23:44. > :23:48.dogs can. It could be things like pupil dilation, skin tone changed,
:23:48. > :23:54.it could even be a certain cent that is released from the person.
:23:54. > :23:59.We are desperate for some research to be done into best. At the
:23:59. > :24:06.cutting edge of science they are getting intriguing but mixed
:24:06. > :24:11.results in the use of canines to detect deadly diseases. In terms of
:24:11. > :24:17.the money that is spent trying to diagnose cancer, training dogs is a
:24:17. > :24:24.very tiny amount. To do a robust clinical study with six dogs would
:24:24. > :24:30.cost in the region of �50,000. It is a very small amount of money
:24:30. > :24:34.relatively to provide a huge amount of information. Medical
:24:34. > :24:38.professionals might stop at trying to sniff out the evidence but every
:24:38. > :24:46.day in the UK people are trusting their health and the health of
:24:46. > :24:49.their family to a dog. And you can see Ian's programme, In Dogs We
:24:49. > :24:59.Trust, tonight here on BBC 1 Scotland at 7:30. Now let's get the
:24:59. > :25:03.
:25:03. > :25:09.weather forecast with Judith Ralston. Thank you. Good evening.
:25:09. > :25:13.With settled conditions we could see I East. There is a yellow
:25:13. > :25:18.warning from the Met Office for good parts of central Scotland
:25:18. > :25:23.extending into Orkney. It is starting predominantly dry, we will
:25:23. > :25:28.see a few showers across parts of the East. During the course of the
:25:28. > :25:34.evening we will see the showers die away. Much of Scotland will be dry
:25:34. > :25:43.on the whole. There will be frost across western and northern areas.
:25:43. > :25:52.Extensive freezing fog patches. Some of the fog has not lifted. It
:25:52. > :25:57.will remain cloudy in the east. Tomorrow will start cloudy and
:25:57. > :26:01.misty in the West. It will start to brighten up from the West as we
:26:01. > :26:09.head into the afternoon. For the afternoon it looks dry and bright
:26:09. > :26:14.with some sunshine. Heading inland it is mostly dry with some sunshine.
:26:14. > :26:22.There may be the odd patch of freezing fog lingering in the
:26:22. > :26:30.Glasgow area. Perhaps some freezing fog lending towards the Inverness
:26:30. > :26:36.area. The chance of a few showers. As we head through the afternoon
:26:36. > :26:40.towards evening, we will hold on to the dry and settled conditions. You
:26:40. > :26:45.will see a freshening suddenly developing along the west coast.
:26:45. > :26:50.There is a big change on the way. This weather front marching towards
:26:50. > :26:56.us for Wednesday. Stronger winds and rain will extend right across
:26:56. > :27:02.the country during the course of Wednesday, it is set to turn windy
:27:02. > :27:07.as well. Thank you now a reminder of tonight's main news. The first
:27:07. > :27:12.funerals are said to take place of the victims of Friday's school
:27:12. > :27:18.shooting in Connecticut. The President has hinted at the need
:27:18. > :27:23.for tighter gun control. Scotland's population has risen to a record
:27:23. > :27:28.level according to the latest census. The figures also show that
:27:28. > :27:37.the population has been getting all there. The collapse of the
:27:37. > :27:45.electrical retailer, Comet, has left the public purse having to
:27:45. > :27:48.pick up the cost of redundancy payments. Homes and businesses
:27:48. > :27:54.along the east coast are tonight counting the cost of the storm
:27:54. > :28:00.damage that was caused over the weekend. In some towns, defensive
:28:00. > :28:07.that have stood over recent years crumbled in the height of massive