:00:00. > :00:00.of a few showers. That's all from the BBC
:00:00. > :00:08.Tonight - armed police on the streets of Scotland. Clashes in
:00:09. > :00:11.Parliament over officers routinely carrying guns in our towns and
:00:12. > :00:14.Also on Reporting Scotland: we're live as the Kirk discusses
:00:15. > :00:19.A fishing boat with two people on board is missing off the
:00:20. > :00:30.The new town experiments of the past are back, as works begins on the
:00:31. > :00:47.first new town in almost half a century.
:00:48. > :01:04.And an old war-hero touches down at Prestwick airport.
:01:05. > :01:11.The Justice Secretary says he has no plans to review the
:01:12. > :01:14.deployment of armed police after concerns were raised in Parliament
:01:15. > :01:17.about officers routinely carrying guns on Scotland's streets. Kenny
:01:18. > :01:20.MacAskill says 275 officers with firearms are "routinely available",
:01:21. > :01:23.a position he said he will not review despite opposition MSPs
:01:24. > :01:25.claiming the change should have been subject scrutiny. Our Political
:01:26. > :01:44.Reassuring or alarming? That is the pivot around which this row moves.
:01:45. > :01:49.The armed response vehicle has not changed but the way these armed
:01:50. > :01:52.officers work was. Before the merger, most firearms officers were
:01:53. > :02:06.deployed on a case-by-case basis. Now, armed officers are on
:02:07. > :02:16.Scotland?s high streets. Hundreds of officers had been given blanket
:02:17. > :02:18.permission to carry guns while on everyday duties. They do not meet
:02:19. > :02:23.the allowance of a senior officer to fire them. This deserves scrutiny.
:02:24. > :02:29.I think that 275 officers operating on a shift base, given that Scotland
:02:30. > :02:34.is one third of the landmass of the United Kingdom, is probably a
:02:35. > :02:37.proportionate response. Policing by consent, keeping people
:02:38. > :02:42.safe. That is the model of Police Scotland. They say that armed
:02:43. > :02:51.officers traditionally carry firearms but politicians want to
:02:52. > :02:53.know why armed officers will be carrying their side arms on high
:02:54. > :02:57.speeds and Scotland. Last year, firearms officers in Scotland
:02:58. > :03:05.attended 1300 high-risk incidents. Bayard police officers and it is
:03:06. > :03:11.only right that they should contribute to local policing in
:03:12. > :03:19.addressing the greatest concerns of the community. They carry firearms
:03:20. > :03:22.and there has been no negative reaction to it until this point.
:03:23. > :03:24.Police said their aim is to be fast and efficient, not fast and furious
:03:25. > :03:31.and to use these officers for general policing in between
:03:32. > :03:34.high-risk incidents. But the question is how comfortable will you
:03:35. > :03:36.be with armed officers on your High Street.
:03:37. > :03:39.The former moderator of the Church of Scotland has called for
:03:40. > :03:42.assurances that there will be a place for faith groups in an
:03:43. > :03:45.independent Scotland. Lorna Hood was speaking as the General Assembly met
:03:46. > :03:47.for a debate on independence.Our Referendum Correspondent Laura
:03:48. > :03:53.Bicker has been watching the debate and joins us now.
:03:54. > :04:03.Lorna Hood said car I recall that she was concerned that in the
:04:04. > :04:09.document the SNP released, the White Paper, there are only a few lines
:04:10. > :04:15.dedicated to faith groups. I heard from a spokesman of the First
:04:16. > :04:18.Minister who says he has met with church leaders and faith ministers
:04:19. > :04:22.and has reassured Lorna Hood that these groups will have a place in an
:04:23. > :04:30.independent Scotland. But these fears reflect why this debate is
:04:31. > :04:31.happening at the General Assembly. The Church of Scotland is trying to
:04:32. > :04:35.prove they have a place when it comes to Scottish politics. When
:04:36. > :04:40.politics and religion mix, the fallout can be fierce. Think of
:04:41. > :04:45.Thatcher. You have had your cause under the
:04:46. > :04:55.banner of a historic church... Her address in 1988 80 known as the
:04:56. > :04:58.sermon on the Mount. You have witnessed the complex relationship
:04:59. > :05:02.between church and state and I believe it has given the lie to
:05:03. > :05:06.those among us who say that religion and politics have nothing in common.
:05:07. > :05:13.The General Assembly is often seen as filling a democratic deficit in
:05:14. > :05:19.Scotland, as speaking for the people. But as congregations fall,
:05:20. > :05:27.its voice has diminished in recent years. It is still keen to play a
:05:28. > :05:32.part in 2014. When my grandchildren ask me what I did in the referendum
:05:33. > :05:38.I will say that I worked to make a real ethic of neighbourliness in
:05:39. > :05:42.every street and home and our nation. I want to vote yes and leave
:05:43. > :05:46.the Parliamentary union because they do not believe the UK is capable of
:05:47. > :05:51.making the journey of reform it badly needs to make.
:05:52. > :05:55.In this building, it was time to hear from the floor.
:05:56. > :06:03.Well I have a different nationality? If I stay here after the referendum?
:06:04. > :06:09.Small can be beautiful. We are a small nation. But small can be
:06:10. > :06:14.beautiful because we care... Whatever the outcome, the Church of
:06:15. > :06:20.Scotland and all of us here as Christians must strive to keep
:06:21. > :06:28.energy, respect and togetherness, despite our political differences.
:06:29. > :06:33.I would like assurance, although we have had some from politicians in
:06:34. > :06:39.the form of words, but assurance of...
:06:40. > :06:43.This was billed as a respectful dialogue, not a heated debate. The
:06:44. > :06:49.Kirk is trying to listen and reflect the communities it represents and
:06:50. > :06:55.promises to heal any division the referendum may cause. There was no
:06:56. > :06:55.vote at the end of this discussion. The Church
:06:56. > :07:00.vote at the end of this discussion. The of Scotland is remaining neutral
:07:01. > :07:05.in this debate. But there was passion. It was robust discussion
:07:06. > :07:09.and if the aim was to represent the debate happening in communities in
:07:10. > :07:15.Scotland, then tonight that is what the Church of Scotland has done.
:07:16. > :07:19.A fishing boat with two people on board has failed to return to an
:07:20. > :07:22.Aberdeenshire harbour - and a major search is under way. The 16ft
:07:23. > :07:25.creel-boat had been expected back at Gourdon - and our reporter joins us
:07:26. > :07:38.As you say, the small boat was due back at about 10am and did not
:07:39. > :07:45.arrive. At midday, the Coast Guard had a report of it being overdue.
:07:46. > :07:48.That sparked a search, an RAF helicopter has been making its way
:07:49. > :07:53.up the coastline and there have been life boat patrols and a large
:07:54. > :08:02.contingent of small fishing boats from the local harbour. There has
:08:03. > :08:08.been no contact with the men and no sight of their boat. The search was
:08:09. > :08:13.extended to eight miles out to sea by the coast guard. Small boats
:08:14. > :08:18.cannot go out that far to see. A review will be made of the search
:08:19. > :08:21.this evening. I have to say that throughout the afternoon there have
:08:22. > :08:26.been a lot of worried relatives and friends here.
:08:27. > :08:27.East Kilbride, Glenrothes, Cumbernauld, Livingston,
:08:28. > :08:29.Irvine...coming soon, Shawfair. Construction has begun on Scotland's
:08:30. > :08:32.first new town in almost half a century. Julie Peacock has been
:08:33. > :08:48.It may just be a muddy field, but in a couple of years this will be
:08:49. > :08:55.Scotland?s newest time. This is the train station and there will be
:08:56. > :09:01.shops and schools as well as 4000 new homes. Shop here is the biggest
:09:02. > :09:06.project since the new towns of the 1960s. But will people come?
:09:07. > :09:12.The area is attractive, with the new Waverley line there are only three
:09:13. > :09:18.stops to the Waverley Station in Edinburgh. We know there is a demand
:09:19. > :09:23.for housing, particularly family housing. Fuel-efficient,
:09:24. > :09:31.attractively designed housing which is affordable for many.
:09:32. > :09:34.Have a century ago, new towns were seen as the answer to the post-war
:09:35. > :09:41.housing shortage. They promised modern, urban living. But it did not
:09:42. > :09:46.always turn out that way, with criticisms that they are soulless
:09:47. > :09:53.and lack communities. But there are still plenty of fans of new towns in
:09:54. > :09:57.Livingston. It has been excellent to have shops on our doorstep.
:09:58. > :10:04.Facilities for children are excellent. I love it here. You know
:10:05. > :10:10.everyone. There isn't really a heart as in
:10:11. > :10:13.older times, but people live together and they are good schools
:10:14. > :10:18.here. This is a town that will not be
:10:19. > :10:23.built in one day. Developers say it could take 15 years before Shawfair
:10:24. > :10:27.is completely finished. The construction of the first homes gets
:10:28. > :10:30.under way in the next couple of months. The newest residents will
:10:31. > :10:34.get their teeth early in the New Year.
:10:35. > :10:38.A new tax system for an independent Scotland could cost many hundreds of
:10:39. > :10:42.millions of pounds to set up. That's according to a report by ICAS, the
:10:43. > :10:44.professional body for Scotland's chartered accountants. the Scottish
:10:45. > :10:47.Government says a new tax system would be more efficient and would
:10:48. > :10:50.save money over time. Our business correspondent David Henderson is
:10:51. > :10:57.Jackie, right now Scotland shares a tax system with other parts of the
:10:58. > :11:03.UK - but if Scotland vote for independence in September's
:11:04. > :11:06.referendum - all that would change over time. the Scottish Government
:11:07. > :11:10.plans a new tax authority called Revenue Scotland. Now change on that
:11:11. > :11:13.scale inevitably comes with a price tag. How much? Well Scotland's
:11:14. > :11:16.chartered accountants have given an estimate. They stress they're not
:11:17. > :11:21.taking sides in the debate - but they say look to New Zealand - a
:11:22. > :11:24.country with about the same population as Scotland. There,
:11:25. > :11:27.recent changes to the tax system cost ?750 million pounds. But the
:11:28. > :11:33.accountants say the price tag here could be even higher because
:11:34. > :11:38.Scotland would inherit complex challenges - and the scale of change
:11:39. > :11:53.It needs legislation, it needs a website, you need to be able to do
:11:54. > :12:01.online filing. You need compliance checks. People to ensure people pay
:12:02. > :12:05.taxes on time. There is a lot to a tax system. It is linked to welfare.
:12:06. > :12:13.It is highly complex. The chartered accountants say we
:12:14. > :12:17.don't know the operating costs of a new tax system - and that we should
:12:18. > :12:20.know. The Scottish government's White Paper on independence says the
:12:21. > :12:23.running costs would be a small proportion of Scotland's Budget. But
:12:24. > :12:26.the accountants ask - does that means a few hundred million pounds a
:12:27. > :12:30.year - or a few billion pounds. They say it's not clear. Well the
:12:31. > :12:33.Scottish government's told us this misses the point - because a new tax
:12:34. > :12:37.system could be far better and cheaper to run than the one we've
:12:38. > :12:45.got right now. The people of Scotland are already
:12:46. > :12:52.contributing towards the tax system of the United Kingdom. We have the
:12:53. > :12:55.infrastructure in Scotland today. We would adapt and transformed that tax
:12:56. > :12:59.infrastructure and the opportunity we have as the Government of the
:13:00. > :13:03.small and independent country is to deliver a more efficient and
:13:04. > :13:04.effective taxation system compared to the very compensated system that
:13:05. > :13:08.exists the UK. The UK government's also piled into
:13:09. > :13:12.the debate today. They've told us this report shows there would be
:13:13. > :13:15.hidden charges from setting up a tax and benefits system, if Scotland
:13:16. > :13:19.voted to leave the UK. And it says Scotland's already part of a strong
:13:20. > :13:22.and stable tax and benefits system within the UK, and there's no need
:13:23. > :13:31.to change this. Workers onboard the Piper Bravo oil
:13:32. > :13:34.platform in the North Sea have undergone medical tests after an
:13:35. > :13:37."unknown substance" was found on board. Operators, Talisman Sinoptic
:13:38. > :13:40.Energy UK, say they operate a zero tolerance approach to illegal
:13:41. > :13:44.substances and say Police Scotland Two people were treated in hospital
:13:45. > :13:53.after breathing in smoke during a major fire in a block of flats in
:13:54. > :13:57.the Parkhead area of Glasgow. Part of the structure collapsed. Up to
:13:58. > :14:00.forty firefighters tackled the blaze Three people are still being treated
:14:01. > :14:04.for serious injuries following an accident on the M74 in Lanarkshire
:14:05. > :14:08.yesterday. Six cars and two lorries were involved in the collision at
:14:09. > :14:13.the Raith Interchange. Aberdeen councillors have approved a
:14:14. > :14:16.multi-million pound plan to repair tower blocks in the Seaton area of
:14:17. > :14:19.the city. They'd been warned that hundreds of flats would no longer be
:14:20. > :14:23.fit for use if water leaks were It's claimed one of Aberdeenshire's
:14:24. > :14:30.most prominent landmarks should be given greater protection from
:14:31. > :14:32.development. A group dedicated to preserving the Bennachie hill range
:14:33. > :14:35.will consider the calls following a series of wind farm applications in
:14:36. > :14:46.the area. It's a striking piece of engineering
:14:47. > :14:50.but it's not won too many plaudits Resurfacing of the Kessock Bridge
:14:51. > :14:54.in Inverness has meant major However, hold-ups no more,
:14:55. > :15:06.Jackie O'Brien? Well, as you'll see, traffic is
:15:07. > :15:11.moving slowly again tonight. But this has been a major headache for
:15:12. > :15:15.Highland travellers. We are being told it could've been worse had some
:15:16. > :15:22.any people not opted for alternative transport jawing the resurfacing.
:15:23. > :15:26.The Kessock Bridge, part of the Highlands Main archery, is a crucial
:15:27. > :15:30.link for the thousands who use it everyday. But since February, a
:15:31. > :15:35.major resurfacing project has forced the closure of a lane on each
:15:36. > :15:39.carriageway. The end is insight, as traffic restrictions started to be
:15:40. > :15:44.lifted today on one of the biggest bridge maintenance projects ever
:15:45. > :15:50.undertaken in Scotland. We have completely resurfaced both
:15:51. > :15:54.carriageways. Whilst we have been doing that, we've taken the
:15:55. > :15:59.opportunity to replace all the safety barriers with new, stronger
:16:00. > :16:04.barriers. We work, in its second year, has created serious disruption
:16:05. > :16:09.during peak travelling times with motorists subject to delays of over
:16:10. > :16:15.45 minutes in some cases. Really horrendous, really bad, like. 45
:16:16. > :16:21.minutes, it could be more sometimes. It had to be done although it is
:16:22. > :16:26.annoying. Motorists and employers are being praised for their patience
:16:27. > :16:32.and for reducing delays by car sharing and for Altrincham work
:16:33. > :16:37.patterns to avoid worst affected times. We've seen big increases in
:16:38. > :16:44.people using trains, car sharing, cycling and using buses. That has
:16:45. > :16:49.been a real success. The bridge will open fully tomorrow
:16:50. > :16:52.morning. The good news is that no major repairs are expected here for
:16:53. > :16:54.another 30 years. So they say!
:16:55. > :16:57.The BBC says its coverage of the Commonwealth Games will be
:16:58. > :17:01.It will bring audiences all the action on TV, radio,
:17:02. > :17:10.Here's our Commonwealth Games reporter, Lisa Summers.
:17:11. > :17:18.BBC says it is going to base itself here on the banks of the Clyde. It
:17:19. > :17:23.is going to be bringing in a flatpack temporary studio which will
:17:24. > :17:28.overlook one of the key venues for the games. And it says its coverage
:17:29. > :17:34.will be the most comprehensive ever for a Commonwealth Games. 300 hours
:17:35. > :17:40.alone on TV, huge number of hours on radio Five Live, BBC Scotland will
:17:41. > :17:46.be covering it intensely. And there is massive coverage over all the
:17:47. > :17:52.interactive services. There will be massive interest and huge take-up.
:17:53. > :17:57.Just like the Olympics, the games will be presented by Gary Lineker,
:17:58. > :18:00.Hazel Irvine and Clare Balding. They will be joined by Olympic medallists
:18:01. > :18:06.such as Sir Chris Hoy and Rebecca Adlington. Coverage starts at 6am
:18:07. > :18:11.and goes on till 10pm. You can use your phone or tablet to get updates
:18:12. > :18:13.24 hours a day. There is even an app so you can get alerts on any
:18:14. > :18:17.medallist on any country. Well, the new Scotland rugby head
:18:18. > :18:21.coach may not have even been in the country to make his first squad
:18:22. > :18:25.announcement, but one of his six new call-ups says the New Zealander Vern
:18:26. > :18:28.Cotter has an excellent reputation which goes before him
:18:29. > :18:30.in the rugby world. The squad selected will contest
:18:31. > :18:42.their four-match summer tour. Vern Cotter is the man chosen to
:18:43. > :18:46.lead Scotland into a new era and the praise has started before he has
:18:47. > :18:52.even taken charge. He gets under way with a gruelling summer tour
:18:53. > :18:55.spanning the -- three continents, spanning America, Canada and South
:18:56. > :19:01.Africa. He has also made an impression on the players. It will
:19:02. > :19:06.be really good to get some coaching, I hear he is a very good
:19:07. > :19:11.coach from some of the players I know. They cannot speak any highly
:19:12. > :19:16.of him. He's one of six uncapped players selected in a list of 43 who
:19:17. > :19:22.have been included in the squad Alex Allan, Kevin Bryson Finn Russell,
:19:23. > :19:30.and Grayson heart have also been called up. The head coach says he
:19:31. > :19:33.has been included a mix of battle hardened and promising new talent to
:19:34. > :19:39.see how players step up to the challenge. As a part form -- it is a
:19:40. > :19:45.platform for youngsters like these to show off their wares. With the
:19:46. > :19:49.World Cup next year, I can show them what I can do. It is a great
:19:50. > :19:54.opportunity. Among the other changes, the excursion has been
:19:55. > :19:57.split into two with different squads covering North America and the
:19:58. > :20:05.Southern Hemisphere. Although nine players will be involved in the tyre
:20:06. > :20:11.schedule. A mix of the old and the new for Scotland to kick off next
:20:12. > :20:13.month looking to improve on a dismal Six Nations campaign.
:20:14. > :20:16.The Hamilton Accies manager Alex Neil says the synthetic surface
:20:17. > :20:19.at New Douglas Park gives his team the advantage going into the first
:20:20. > :20:22.leg of the Premiership play off against Hibs tomorrow night.
:20:23. > :20:24.Accies, who finished second in the Championship, host Hibs,
:20:25. > :20:27.who finished second bottom in the top flight.
:20:28. > :20:32.Now a look at what else is happening across Scottish sport
:20:33. > :20:36.including news of another massive sporting event coming to Scotland.
:20:37. > :20:45.Hopefully we can take advantage of that and see what we can do. The
:20:46. > :20:49.players know all about it. We have been training all week. We have been
:20:50. > :20:53.moving great. They've been looking after us very well. We've done our
:20:54. > :21:01.preparation and it is down to the games now. A look at what else is
:21:02. > :21:02.happening across Scottish sport, including news of another massive
:21:03. > :21:06.sporting event. The prestigious BBC Sports
:21:07. > :21:11.Personality of the Year is coming to Scotland for the first time. An
:21:12. > :21:14.audience of 12,000 will be in Glasgow including last year's
:21:15. > :21:19.winner, Andy Murray, who might change his usual training programme
:21:20. > :21:25.to be there. Hopefully, I'll be able to make it this year. I might make a
:21:26. > :21:29.few changes to my training, maybe go to Australia a little bit earlier
:21:30. > :21:34.this year. So that I can come back for it this time. Olympics over
:21:35. > :21:40.medallist Michael Jamieson has had a massive vote of confidence from
:21:41. > :21:47.Rebecca Adlington. She is certain he will wind gold in Gaza. Yes. I am
:21:48. > :21:56.sure I am not putting pressure on him, I'm sure he will think, I'm
:21:57. > :22:02.glad she's rooting for me. He has got great mental strength,
:22:03. > :22:07.unbelievable. Laura Marling will compete in the diamond event in July
:22:08. > :22:12.in Glasgow. She says the experience will be invaluable in her
:22:13. > :22:19.preparations for Glasgow 2014. It's going to be amazing, just to compete
:22:20. > :22:27.in front of the Scottish crowd. I'm really excited. Somebody has already
:22:28. > :22:30.recognised me, and said well done so it's nice to have encouragement.
:22:31. > :22:33.More sports stories plus all the latest news on the BBC Scotland
:22:34. > :22:39.website. That is it for tonight. She's over 70 years old, saw action
:22:40. > :22:43.in World War II, and is well on her way to completing a 3,000 mile
:22:44. > :22:46.journey from New York to France. Whiskey Seven,
:22:47. > :22:48.a military transport plane, touched down en-route at Prestwick
:22:49. > :22:51.Airport in Ayrshire this afternoon. And our reporter Suzanne Allan
:22:52. > :23:03.was there to meet her. 13 tonnes of metal gracefully glides
:23:04. > :23:06.into land. This plane has no bathroom, no fixed seats and no
:23:07. > :23:12.in-flight movie. The crew have been flying six hours in a plane that is
:23:13. > :23:18.0 degrees inside. For them, it is magical. It is an absolute honour.
:23:19. > :23:22.We've gone back 70 years in time, we have recreated what the generation
:23:23. > :23:28.before us did by flying fists aeroplane across the Atlantic. -- by
:23:29. > :23:35.flying these aeroplanes across the Atlantic. Strong enough to carry a
:23:36. > :23:39.bulldozer, she mostly ferried cargo and troops, dropping them into the
:23:40. > :23:44.heart of the action. This plane still has so many original features,
:23:45. > :23:49.it is like stepping back in time. The shell is about an eighth of an
:23:50. > :23:54.inch thick, so it is very thin. It's not much in the way of creature
:23:55. > :24:03.comforts. This warhorse is off to France. It'll re-enact its role on
:24:04. > :24:07.the D-day landings in June. The weather now.
:24:08. > :24:17.The warmest day of the year for some. Thank you. If you had the
:24:18. > :24:23.sunshine, it was hot. If you had the cloud, it was cold. The cloud broke
:24:24. > :24:30.25 degrees. Elsewhere, quite cool, especially across the East. On the
:24:31. > :24:39.raider, a fuchsia hours working their way up. -- on the radar.
:24:40. > :24:42.Perhaps some rumbles of thunder, but going into the central belt,
:24:43. > :24:51.becoming confined to the far north-west. Some although cloud up
:24:52. > :24:55.towards Shetland, but not a cold night. The rain in the north-west is
:24:56. > :24:59.with us for most of the day and it will be quite windy. Elsewhere, it
:25:00. > :25:08.is not looking too bad. It's reasonably dry with sunshine raking
:25:09. > :25:12.through. It will be warmer for many tomorrow than it was today.
:25:13. > :25:20.Certainly in the east of the country with temperatures up to the
:25:21. > :25:25.mid-teens. So, heading through the afternoon, some light showers, but
:25:26. > :25:30.the main event for any rain is in the north and west. It is quite
:25:31. > :25:37.windy with a strong northerly. Dry in Orkney, with low cloud continuing
:25:38. > :25:44.here, and it will be cool. Into the evening, holding on the cloudy and
:25:45. > :25:47.damp conditions. Heading through Thursday, the next area of low
:25:48. > :25:52.pressure works its way up from the south. It is a messy story, but here
:25:53. > :25:58.is what is going to happen. It is wet in the south-east through the
:25:59. > :26:04.Borders, and elsewhere, largely dry, fairly cloudy. It is going to be
:26:05. > :26:10.cooler, which continues on Friday. There will be a call northerly. A
:26:11. > :26:15.drastic reduction in temperature by next weekend.
:26:16. > :26:18.It looks pretty horrible behind me now. I hope it looks better where
:26:19. > :26:20.you are. Good night.