:00:00. > :00:15.That is all from the News At Six, goodbye
:00:16. > :00:24.Tonight, on Reporting Scotland: Alex Almond says plans the childcare in
:00:25. > :00:29.an independent Scotland would save families thousands of pounds a year.
:00:30. > :00:35.I think it's great, if I had a second child, and I wasn't able to,
:00:36. > :00:40.I would have to stop work. It is a character dangle in front of
:00:41. > :00:46.everybody. But opposition parties say they should introduce the policy
:00:47. > :00:49.now. Also, after the death of three teenagers in a car crash in East
:00:50. > :00:57.Lothian, renewed calls for tighter restrictions on young drivers. They
:00:58. > :01:04.are Scotland's tallest structures, near Falkirk. Today the giant steel
:01:05. > :01:08.horses were officially launched. And despair finial linen as his Celtic
:01:09. > :01:23.side crashed out of Europe. -- for Neil Lennon. Good evening. Families
:01:24. > :01:28.would be thousands of pounds better off in an independent Scotland,
:01:29. > :01:31.according to the First Minister. The Scottish Government gave further
:01:32. > :01:34.details today of their plans for extending free childcare, following
:01:35. > :01:37.a yes vote in the referendum next year. But opposition parties say the
:01:38. > :01:40.Scottish Government could introduce the policy now if they wanted to.
:01:41. > :01:43.From Holyrood, here's our Political Editor, Brian Taylor. A day at the
:01:44. > :01:50.races. Alex Salmond leaves Scots would be happy to take a punt on his
:01:51. > :01:54.free childcare offer. He says it is worth up to ?4600 per child per
:01:55. > :02:05.year. He wants it extended and available from age one. So who wins?
:02:06. > :02:14.He says it only works if the tax revenues from their working parents
:02:15. > :02:17.stay in Scotland. Some say it is a political sweetener to attract women
:02:18. > :02:25.who seem most sceptical about independence. But then, presents,
:02:26. > :02:32.political or otherwise, can be very popular. The first letter said the
:02:33. > :02:37.childcare plan will be built up in phases, ?100 million a year then
:02:38. > :02:42.another 600 million, then more, offset by tax. As you wander that
:02:43. > :02:48.Scotland 's but it would be cut by Westminster if independence is
:02:49. > :02:53.rejected. -- budget. What we want to hear from the Unionist lattes is how
:02:54. > :03:00.better the rate is going to be is Scotland votes no. That is the
:03:01. > :03:06.reality. Opponents said he had the power to boost childcare now.
:03:07. > :03:16.Clearly thinks this is a killer point. He can make the difference
:03:17. > :03:19.right now. The first minister said he had already asked for ideas on
:03:20. > :03:23.how to find the money now from a fixed budget, without getting any
:03:24. > :03:29.answers. At a nursery in Glasgow, some mothers are enthusiastic, some
:03:30. > :03:32.sceptical. I spent the best part of a decadent high education, think
:03:33. > :03:37.it's great, if I had a second child and wasn't available, I would have
:03:38. > :03:43.two start work. I am on scholarships, they put me in a
:03:44. > :03:47.position where I can't work! It would be great if they could, but
:03:48. > :03:52.obviously it is a character dangle in front of everybody to say this is
:03:53. > :04:00.what you can have. The referendum. Your future, your choice.
:04:01. > :04:04.Brian joins us now from the parliament - and when it comes to
:04:05. > :04:06.that choice, there's another big issue bubbling tonight - about the
:04:07. > :04:10.European Union? There is. The Spanish prime minister, at a news
:04:11. > :04:15.conference in Madrid has apparently suggested that an independent
:04:16. > :04:19.Scotland would not be in membership of the European Union. That is being
:04:20. > :04:23.interpreted by politicians here as suggesting Scotland would have to
:04:24. > :04:27.start afresh with an application. But there is a hundred page document
:04:28. > :04:30.out today from the Scottish Government, it says there are no
:04:31. > :04:33.serious doubts that following independence, Scotland will take its
:04:34. > :04:41.place as a full member state within the year. To be clear, the Scottish
:04:42. > :04:49.Government envisages that it would be from within, so in terms of the
:04:50. > :04:54.treaties, in terms of activities, in terms of the European Union's
:04:55. > :04:56.commitment to respecting democratic decision-making, they believe there
:04:57. > :05:01.would be no obstacles in this regard. Their opponents dissent.
:05:02. > :05:05.Political parties at Westminster had their chance to pass comment on the
:05:06. > :05:07.white paper today when it was raised at Prime Minister's Questions. Our
:05:08. > :05:17.Political correspondent David Porter can tell us more. Yesterday, when
:05:18. > :05:23.the White Paper was produced, there was a reticence to comment. There
:05:24. > :05:28.was muted reaction from the parties down here, that was very much
:05:29. > :05:32.deliberate and conscious. The idea was that they would leave it to the
:05:33. > :05:37.politicians and the groups in Scotland to make their views known
:05:38. > :05:42.first. Today, no such reticence, at Prime Minister's Questions, David
:05:43. > :05:47.Cameron let it be known that he did not think much of the White Paper.
:05:48. > :05:50.He said it left a huge number of questions to be answered, and his
:05:51. > :05:55.interpretation of the merits of the Scottish Government's White Paper
:05:56. > :05:58.and the wider argument about televising debates during the
:05:59. > :06:06.referendum campaign led to some fairly spirited exchanges. The Prime
:06:07. > :06:11.Minister has vowed to fight for the United Kingdom with his head, heart
:06:12. > :06:17.and soul, but when it comes to a debate, it's some gutsy needs to
:06:18. > :06:24.find. We know what his United Kingdom will look like. Will he now
:06:25. > :06:30.stop being a pathetic and debate the issues with the First Minister? I am
:06:31. > :06:34.enjoying the debate we're having! That is where the debate should take
:06:35. > :06:39.place. There should be a debate, including televised debate, this is
:06:40. > :06:43.a debate between people in Scotland, not a debate between the leader of
:06:44. > :06:47.the Conservative Party or the UK prime minister, and the Scottish
:06:48. > :06:50.first Minster, it's a debate, rightly, between the leader of the
:06:51. > :06:56.no campaign and the leader of the yes campaign. Many here at
:06:57. > :06:59.Westminster are drawing an analogy between the publication of the White
:07:00. > :07:07.Paper yesterday in Edinburgh and a budget document, but huge documents
:07:08. > :07:11.which on day one that the headlines are given, people start drilling
:07:12. > :07:16.into them, they find the Ottomans to support their case. The government
:07:17. > :07:18.departments are looking at this document very closely, you can
:07:19. > :07:22.expect more arguments in the days and weeks to come.
:07:23. > :07:23.And there's more on the SNP's plans for independence in tonight's
:07:24. > :07:35.Newsnight Scotland. Preparations are almost complete for
:07:36. > :07:38.tonight's extended Newsnight Scotland where we will try to get to
:07:39. > :07:42.the bottom of some of the issues in the White Paper on independence and
:07:43. > :07:46.what they will mean for you. The finance secretary will be here along
:07:47. > :07:53.with the leader of Scottish Labour. Asking the questions, not just me
:07:54. > :07:57.but Glen Campbell as well. Join us at 10:30pm on BBC Two.
:07:58. > :08:02.Fresh tributes have been paid to three teenagers killed yesterday in
:08:03. > :08:04.a car crash in East Lothian. Police are still investigating the
:08:05. > :08:08.accident, in which another teenager was injured. All four came from
:08:09. > :08:10.Dunbar, and went to the town's Grammar school together. Meanwhile
:08:11. > :08:17.driving experts have renewed calls for tighter restrictions on young
:08:18. > :08:20.drivers. Joanne Macaulay reports. Silent tributes to the three young
:08:21. > :08:32.people whose lives were suddenly cut short on this country road. They
:08:33. > :08:38.were all current or former pupils at Dunbar Grammar School, where their
:08:39. > :08:41.loss is deeply felt. They were full of life, approaching the end of
:08:42. > :08:46.secondary education, looking forward to their next destination is, one of
:08:47. > :08:54.the youngsters left as last year and she was already out in the world.
:08:55. > :08:58.The other two, ready to go on and do that. The boys were regular
:08:59. > :09:06.attenders at a youth club here, where they are remembered fondly.
:09:07. > :09:11.Because of the kind of community it is here, we all know them, and we
:09:12. > :09:17.are united in that grief with their families. It is everybody's loss.
:09:18. > :09:21.Young drivers are by far the most likely to be involved in serious and
:09:22. > :09:23.fatal road accidents. The Westminster Parliament is
:09:24. > :09:26.considering a graduate of driving licence to address this, which would
:09:27. > :09:31.see special conditions for new drivers, no more than one passenger
:09:32. > :09:37.in their car and the virtually zero alcohol limit. This is one of the
:09:38. > :09:42.classic types of young driver accidents, hitting a solid Egypt on
:09:43. > :09:48.a roll road on a day when the weather is not good. -- a solid
:09:49. > :09:51.object. It highlights the member of having a large number of young
:09:52. > :09:58.people in the car. This legislation. Those things happening. Last but the
:09:59. > :10:08.Christmas lights were turned off and the viz Joel -- a vigil was held.
:10:09. > :10:11.Dunbar is trying recover from the loss of three of its young citizens.
:10:12. > :10:16.You're watching Reporting Scotland from the BBC. Still to come on the
:10:17. > :10:21.programme: I am a board the most technically advanced drilling rig
:10:22. > :10:25.ever to work in the North Sea, it specialises in cyber drilling. I
:10:26. > :10:32.will tell you what that means later. In sport: No European football for
:10:33. > :10:37.Celtic after Christmas. Neil Lennon told us what they came up short.
:10:38. > :10:38.We're in Norway with our national teams at the European curling
:10:39. > :10:46.championships. It's claimed Scotland could become a
:10:47. > :10:50.safe haven for human trafficking and prostitution unless tough new laws
:10:51. > :10:56.are introduced here. Campaigners say MSPs should make it a crime to pay
:10:57. > :11:00.for sex. In Sweden, a similar move was introduced and it's claimed that
:11:01. > :11:08.led to a sharp fall in the number of women working in the sex trade.
:11:09. > :11:12.Julie Peacock reports. Selling sex is a crime in Scotland, but buying
:11:13. > :11:19.it isn't. An attempt to change the law earlier, to shift the blame to
:11:20. > :11:24.the buyer, was voted down at Holyrood, and campaigners say that
:11:25. > :11:28.is a huge mistake. This is now the time to turn the focus onto the
:11:29. > :11:33.punter, the man who has the opportunity, the choice, on whether
:11:34. > :11:37.to purchase sex. We believe it is totally unfair to criminalise some
:11:38. > :11:42.of the most vulnerable women and we have, involved in street
:11:43. > :11:46.prostitution. It is an approach adopted by countries like Sweden and
:11:47. > :11:50.Norway, and appears to be working. The number of women involved in
:11:51. > :11:55.prostitution in swimming has halved since the law was introduced. --
:11:56. > :12:04.prostitution in Sweden. Now other countries are also considering it
:12:05. > :12:10.like France and the Netherlands. Campaigners say this makes us a soft
:12:11. > :12:14.touch. They will be the obvious target for the international pimping
:12:15. > :12:17.and trafficking gangs, who won't have the hospitable environment they
:12:18. > :12:24.have had up to now in Ireland and France. Some of the sex industry
:12:25. > :12:28.have opposed any change in the law, saying it is a lifestyle choice, but
:12:29. > :12:33.Rachel says that bears no relation to her experience. In my case, I was
:12:34. > :12:40.homeless and I had the choice between having my body used by God
:12:41. > :12:43.knows how many strangers every day, or going back to the park bench I
:12:44. > :12:48.had been sitting on for the last three weeks. Was that a choice?
:12:49. > :12:54.People need to look when they talk about choice about the ambiguous
:12:55. > :13:00.nature of choice. There it growing support among MSPs Tory review of
:13:01. > :13:03.the laws surrounding prostitution. Campaigners say unless something is
:13:04. > :13:12.done soon, Scotland could see more women exploited by organised gangs.
:13:13. > :13:16.One of the most advanced oil rigs in the world has arrived in Scottish
:13:17. > :13:20.waters as it prepares for operations in the North Sea. The owners say the
:13:21. > :13:24.$200 million rig has safety at its core, as it removes the need for
:13:25. > :13:27.crews to work on the dangerous drill floor. Experts say its arrival is a
:13:28. > :13:33.sign of continued confidence in North Sea oil. Craig Anderson
:13:34. > :13:37.reports. This is the first in a line of cyber
:13:38. > :13:42.drilling rigs coming to our oilfields. What is that exactly? It
:13:43. > :13:49.means automation and computer control, with workers kept well away
:13:50. > :13:54.from dangerous areas. We are using a lot of pipe handling machines that
:13:55. > :13:57.replace the traditional tongs and wrenches you would see in some of
:13:58. > :14:07.the older footage. What we are doing is moving the men away from those
:14:08. > :14:12.high risk areas. Drilling operations are controlled from this space age
:14:13. > :14:20.console. It is fully automated and the safety
:14:21. > :14:26.systems are built-in. You could wear a shirt and tie on this rig and not
:14:27. > :14:30.get dirty. This isn't the biggest rig but it is the most
:14:31. > :14:34.technologically advanced. The deck is the size of four Olympic
:14:35. > :14:39.swimming pools. It's a rival says a lot about
:14:40. > :14:45.continued confidence in meaning oil in the North Sea.
:14:46. > :14:48.It just shows that the level of activity is still very high and
:14:49. > :14:52.prospects are good for the long term.
:14:53. > :14:57.Five more of these structures have been ordered. Big money in a
:14:58. > :15:04.business that is clearly still booming.
:15:05. > :15:10.What does this say about the future of oil activity and jobs in the
:15:11. > :15:24.North Sea? This wreck was built in a Chinese
:15:25. > :15:31.fabrication yard. I'm afraid we've lost that satellite
:15:32. > :15:34.signal. What a great shame. Care inspectors say BUPA's Pentland
:15:35. > :15:36.Hill residential home in Edinburgh must show immediate evidence of
:15:37. > :15:42.significant improvement or it will face closure. Police are already
:15:43. > :15:48.investigating the deaths of four residents at the home. BUPA has been
:15:49. > :15:50.given until this week to meet care standards. At its last visit in
:15:51. > :15:54.October, the Care Inspectorate found the quality of care, leadership and
:15:55. > :15:58.staffing at Pentland Hill was unsatisfactory.
:15:59. > :16:05.Other stories from across Scotland this Wednesday: A man's been charged
:16:06. > :16:07.with rape after a woman was allegedly assaulted in the centre of
:16:08. > :16:10.Dundee. The 19-year-old's due to appear at
:16:11. > :16:16.the city's Sheriff Court following an incident in the car park of a
:16:17. > :16:23.nightclub earlier this month. The son of a murder victim is suing
:16:24. > :16:26.the man convicted of the killing. David Methven's seeking damages of
:16:27. > :16:29.?160,000 after the death of his mother at their Perthshire cottage.
:16:30. > :16:32.But William Kean, who's serving a life sentence, denies he was the
:16:33. > :16:35.killer. A nurse working in one of Orkney's
:16:36. > :16:41.smallest island communities has been short listed for the 2013 Nurse of
:16:42. > :16:52.the Year award. Bernie Holbrook provides front line health care for
:16:53. > :16:57.around 70 people in North Ronaldsay. It is challenging but also very
:16:58. > :17:02.rewarding and you do find that you get to know your patient better and
:17:03. > :17:05.the community better and also you become more part of the community
:17:06. > :17:11.rather than just someone they have come to see for that 20 minute
:17:12. > :17:14.appointment. An unused historic structure which
:17:15. > :17:18.was part of Glasgow's original Clyde tunnel is to see new life as an arts
:17:19. > :17:22.venue. The South Rotunda has been largely unused apart from a brief
:17:23. > :17:24.spell during the 1988 Glasgow Garden Festival.
:17:25. > :17:28.And there are more stories from your area and all the latest news, 24
:17:29. > :17:35.hours a day on BBC Scotland's website.
:17:36. > :17:41.Let's get the latest sport now with David Currie.
:17:42. > :17:44.No European football for Celtic after Christmas. A 3-0 defeat by AC
:17:45. > :17:47.Milan means they'll finish bottom of their Champions League group,
:17:48. > :17:53.missing out on the last 16, and won't drop into the Europa League.
:17:54. > :17:56.Their manager says the lack of a striker who can score at the highest
:17:57. > :18:03.level has proven costly. Here's Heather Dewar.
:18:04. > :18:08.A sea of green and white greeted their Celtic heroes aware that a win
:18:09. > :18:16.would keep their Champions League hopes alive. Poor defending cost the
:18:17. > :18:21.warm. Banished from this set piece. So Pat added to the misery and
:18:22. > :18:32.Balotelli sealed their fate on the hour mark -- Zapata.
:18:33. > :18:36.We competed again tonight but it's just that quality at the top end of
:18:37. > :18:44.the pitch that has caught up with us this season.
:18:45. > :18:52.Celtic have scored just two goals in Europe this season. They scored nine
:18:53. > :18:59.goals last season in Europe but have lost three players since then. How
:19:00. > :19:03.big an issue is this for the club? When you play with all these
:19:04. > :19:08.creative players, you really have to have an end product. If you don't
:19:09. > :19:13.there is no productivity for the team. A central striker is the
:19:14. > :19:17.important gap in the club right now.
:19:18. > :19:21.Some people say Celtic are failing to act quickly enough to search for
:19:22. > :19:25.new talent. You have to get them before anybody
:19:26. > :19:30.else knows them because after that it can be too late. You have to
:19:31. > :19:33.gamble and I don't think the oldest take the gamble is when the
:19:34. > :19:40.opportunities arrive. Celtic will now have plenty of time
:19:41. > :19:42.to decide whether they need to make that gamble.
:19:43. > :19:45.Meanwhile, European football's governing body UEFA has started
:19:46. > :19:48.proceedings against Celtic for what it calls an incident of a
:19:49. > :19:50.non-sporting nature at last night's match. A group of supporters
:19:51. > :19:54.displayed a banner comparing IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands and
:19:55. > :19:57.Scottish patriot William Wallace. The club say they'll ban anyone
:19:58. > :20:09.involved in any form of political display.
:20:10. > :20:23.Our national curling teams, both men and women are doing well in Strabane
:20:24. > :20:26.-- Stavanger. Confidence of winning medals is high
:20:27. > :20:36.among both Scotland's men's and women's teams competing at the
:20:37. > :20:45.European Championships in Stavanger. The Scots have come here looking to
:20:46. > :20:50.conquer Europe and take home gold. Cheered on by a small advance party
:20:51. > :20:59.they are looking dudes in their beds to plunder medals. -- looking good.
:21:00. > :21:03.They have won all eight of their pool games so far.
:21:04. > :21:07.We will treat this as a new competition. We know we will have to
:21:08. > :21:13.step it up but we are playing really well. It is great to know that I
:21:14. > :21:16.have three players behind me who are really committed and doing
:21:17. > :21:23.everything they can for the team. The men lost to games early on but
:21:24. > :21:29.the experience has helped them through to the play-offs.
:21:30. > :21:37.I am a notorious slow starter and play better at the end of the week.
:21:38. > :21:39.It just took a couple of games longer than it should but now we are
:21:40. > :21:54.there. That's the stuff. Now, a look at
:21:55. > :22:05.what else is happening across Scottish sport. Inverness stand-in
:22:06. > :22:08.boss Duncan Shearer will be in charge of the team for the weekend's
:22:09. > :22:12.Scottish Cup match against Morton but the club hope to have a new
:22:13. > :22:14.manager in position by this time next week.
:22:15. > :22:16.Cowdenbeath are also looking for a new manager.
:22:17. > :22:19.Colin Cameron's left the club nicknamed the Blue Brazil. They're
:22:20. > :22:21.second bottom of the Scottish Championship.
:22:22. > :22:26.The coach of the world netball champions New Zealand is giving our
:22:27. > :22:30.national team a masterclass. Seems a bit odd as the Scots are playing
:22:31. > :22:34.them twice in January but there's a good reason.
:22:35. > :22:44.There are four teams internationally. Three give us a
:22:45. > :22:49.good game and the remainder don't. That unfortunately includes Scotland
:22:50. > :22:52.so it is up to us to help them developer.
:22:53. > :22:56.Scotland's cricketers must beat Holland for a place in the 20-over
:22:57. > :22:58.World Cup finals. The Scots beat Italy in the playoff semi-finals by
:22:59. > :23:01.seven wickets. And there are more sports stories
:23:02. > :23:12.plus all the latest news 24 hours a day on BBC Sport Scotland's website.
:23:13. > :23:14.They're the tallest sculptures in Scotland and the biggest equine
:23:15. > :23:18.sculptures in the world. Today, the Kelpies were officially launched in
:23:19. > :23:22.Falkirk. The giant steel horses are already visible for miles around but
:23:23. > :23:25.visitors will have to wait a few more months to look at them, up
:23:26. > :23:35.close. Our arts correspondent Pauline McLean reports.
:23:36. > :23:49.XP in the artists dream for almost a decade. Harnessing arts... The rise
:23:50. > :23:53.13 metres over this landscape and even the creator had to pinch
:23:54. > :24:02.themselves. They are quite cinematic. If it is
:24:03. > :24:16.misty or raining a set in the atmosphere that I couldn't envisage.
:24:17. > :24:20.It is always changing. Building the 300 tonne structures
:24:21. > :24:26.has been a challenge. Hundreds of tiny plates welded onto the central
:24:27. > :24:34.skeletons. The result is higher than the Angel of the North. And visible
:24:35. > :24:41.from miles around. All part of the plan to put this park on the map.
:24:42. > :24:46.The worldwide response has been fantastic and the real ambition for
:24:47. > :24:54.this project is as a partner for the Falkirk wheel. Another top tourist
:24:55. > :24:59.destination in Falkirk. The hope is that once people see the
:25:00. > :25:08.Kelpies from the distance they will want to come close and maybe even
:25:09. > :25:10.look inside them. Amazing. Let's get the latest
:25:11. > :25:23.weather forecast now from Judith. It has been a mild day across the
:25:24. > :25:30.country and we saw the highest temperature in the UK in Aberdeen.
:25:31. > :25:36.There are clearly strong winds across the northern isles. This will
:25:37. > :25:50.gradually dry away leaving us with a dry night and a colder nights than
:25:51. > :25:59.we have say in of late. We may well see some mist and fog patches.
:26:00. > :26:10.Tomorrow is cold and bright, maybe a touch of mist and fog. Cloud
:26:11. > :26:16.thickens up in the West winning some bits and pieces of rain and drizzle
:26:17. > :26:24.into words the Galloway area. Temperatures much lower. Close
:26:25. > :26:41.conditions for Glasgow. Betts and pieces of drizzly rain across the
:26:42. > :26:47.Western Isles. -- bits and pieces. Temperatures generally around seven
:26:48. > :26:56.or eight temperatures. We will start to see cloud thickening up in the
:26:57. > :27:04.evening over the West. The wind will strengthen from the West and starts
:27:05. > :27:12.to push the rain and land. -- inland. Blustery showers is the name
:27:13. > :27:17.of the game on Friday. It will feel utterly cold as well.
:27:18. > :27:22.Thanks, Judith. Now, a reminder of tonight's main news: the Scottish
:27:23. > :27:26.Government gave further details today of their plans to extend free
:27:27. > :27:28.childcare, if there's a yes vote in the referendum next year. But
:27:29. > :27:32.opposition parties say the Scottish Government could introduce the
:27:33. > :27:35.policy now if they wanted to. David Cameron says measures to restrict
:27:36. > :27:39.benefits for new migrants from the European Union are designed to send
:27:40. > :27:42.a message that Britain is not a "soft touch". He wants to stop them
:27:43. > :27:44.claiming housing benefit immediately and receiving job-seeker's allowance
:27:45. > :27:46.for three months. But an EU Commissioner has criticised his
:27:47. > :27:49.plans. Fresh tributes have been paid to
:27:50. > :27:52.three teenagers killed in a car crash in East Lothian. Police are
:27:53. > :27:59.still investigating the accident, in which another teenager was injured.
:28:00. > :28:02.And that's Reporting Scotland. I'll be back with the headlines at 8pm
:28:03. > :28:06.and the late bulletin just after the ten o'clock news. Until then, from
:28:07. > :28:07.everyone on the team here in Glasgow