08/09/2014 Reporting Scotland

Tonight, with just nine days to go to the referendum we're bringing you

a specially extended Reporting Scotland.

The No campaign deny they're panicking over

the latest opinion polls and tonight set out a timetable

But the Yes campaign say it shows the momentum's with them

and only independence will give Scots control of their own affairs.

There's market jitters as the City reacts to suggestions of a surge

Meanwhile we'll also be hearing from people and campaigners

We are alive in Galashiels looking at what independence would mean for

How Scotland's footballers put on an impressive performance

Former prime minister Gordon Brown has set out a timetable

for boosting the Scottish Parliament's powers

It's expected to be backed by all the pro-union parties.

It follows a poll at the weekend which suggested that

the Yes campaign was ahead for the first time.

That appears to have prompted a fall in the value

of the pound against the dollar, and a drop in the share prices of

Tonight Yes campaigners described their opponents as being

For the latest, let's cross to our Political

Correspondent, Glenn Campbell who is at Loanhead in Midlothian.

Gordon Brown will tell his audience that work should begin on September

the 19th to agree and deliver more powers for the Scottish Parliament

if there is a No vote in the Independence Referendum. He has

taken this initiative after difficult weekend for the Yes

campaign bat for the No campaign. Alistair Darling was Chancellor in

the economic crisis and now he is being tested again. One survey

suggested the Yes campaign may have edged ahead. Separation is an

irreversible risk to the NHS. We need more powers to the Scottish

Parliament within the United Kingdom. But the Yes campaign says

independence as the only way to guarantee a big shift in power from

Westminster to Edinburgh. If people come to the conclusion that the best

way to preserve the NHS is to vote yes. I am optimistic and confident.

Today the Welsh Nationalists lent their support in the hope that a Yes

vote could lead to independence for Wales. We have been told since the

1980s that there is no alternative to neoliberal politics. What has

taken place in Scotland shows me that there is an alternative. In

London that Mears said Scottish independence would be an act of self

mutilation. There is a great future for the Scottish people. They can

have that and they can have written as well. In the end they will step

back from the purse and wants to keep Britain. All sides will chase

the undecided voters between now and polling day. Better Together hope

that by setting out a timetable that will shore up their support. Yes

Scotland sooner is nothing new on offer from the prounion parties.

Whether you support a No vote or you plan to back the Yes campaign there

is nothing boring about the final days of this campaign.

Gordon Brown will spell out in more detail has proposed timetable for

the delivery of new powers. He wants of the UK parties to reach an

outline Agreement by St Andrew's Day. He wants the draft legislation

to be available by Burns night at the end of January 2015. Ideally he

was like this legislation asked straight after the next UK general

election no matter which party is in Government across the United

Kingdom. Within the last hour we have had reaction from Downing

Street which says it is content with what is described as a Labour

initiative. Ed Miliband said he would move fairly swiftly to deliver

more powers in the event of a No vote. Those who are arguing for

independence say that is the only package of power that would

guarantee the sort of change that they think Scotland needs to grow

the economy and build a fairer society. Gordon Brown is arguing

that there is another way. This timetable has long been

planned, hasn't it? It has. We know there are three

distinct offers. There are substantial overlaps on powers for

the Scottish Parliament. Is this padding? Not necessarily. But the

weekend has concentrated minds. Both sides of the campaign might be level

pegging. The timing is by no means an intentional. The timing is

deliberate. They want to pull the people of Scotland back from what

supporters of the union seaward be an error. The advocates of

independence say this will not convince the Scottish people. They

argue that the Scottish people already know what these offers on

the table from the three parties are, and they have already discarded

them. We are now going to go to

Westminster. Reaction to the weekend survey results appears to have focus

the minds of politicians and Westminster.

It is your understanding that the survey suggesting Scotland's Mike

bought in favour of independence has come as a shock.

That is fair comment. The survey has put a jolt of electricity into the

campaign in Scotland and also down here as well. The London papers are

focusing on one story. It is the Scottish referendum and the

constitutional implications that could follow from that. In the

building behind me that people deny that they are shocked or spooked by

the latest survey. They say they always expected the opinion polls to

tighten. They see it will focus peoples minds very closely on what

lies ahead in the next ten days. It is your understanding that we can

expect more visits from politicians and campaigners South of the border

to Scotland. That is the sense that I get.

Downing Street has made it plain, although they will give no time

frame, that David Cameron will make another visit to Scotland. Downing

Street is also acutely aware that as far as the union campaign is

concerned that can be a double edged sword having English Tory MPs going

up to Scotland. They will very much take their cue from the campaigners

in Scotland as to how much support and resources are given. The Yes

campaign see the momentum is with them. Downing Street say they remain

convinced that the No campaign will be victorious. Not everyone in

Westminster shares that view. Back now to apparent market

reaction. The value of the pound has fallen

today, along with a number Our economics correspondent

Colletta Smith is with me. What's happened today

on the currency market? The pound lost value early this

morning. People with stocks of sterling have been selling them off.

That seems to be in response to the YouGov survey which put the Yes

campaign in the lead. Although investors new that the referendum

was on the cards they were operating on the assumption that it would be a

No vote. This morning they walk up to the possibility that it may be a

Yes vote. This is not a reflection on the strength or otherwise of an

independent Scotland. It is purely the views of investors on the

strength of the pound. There is a lot of uncertainty at the moment

around the issue of sterling. When some people start to sell a currency

others join in. It is a snowball effect. There could be some

significance of traders follow. This happens all the time in the market.

It is the first time there has been a direct response to what is

happening here in Scotland in the sterling market.

How will this affect people's pockets?

For people who are going on holiday in the next couple of weeks you will

get less of Your Money in other currencies. Anybody buying and goods

from other countries will get less for their money also. More

significant is the impact on Scottish companies. At the cause of

play Lloyds, standard life, Royal Bank of Scotland have all close at

the bottom of the list. It puts them at the bottom of the pile today. It

is not good news for those companies.

With the campaign now in its final stages we will be live in

communities across the country every night until the eve of the

referendum. Tonight we had in Galashiels. You have been stealing

from voters and campaigners. I have seen passion, two years, and

converted voters. We are doing it to Scotland, finding out what

independence would mean for different parts of the country.

Tonight we had in Galashiels. These children are learning judo. The

Borders is very close, obviously, to England. People travel to England to

work and for shopping. For people here it is a difficult decision.

This is one area where the No campaign feels confident. We were

filming as one emotional daughter walked into the campaign shop to ask

questions. -- as one emotional voter.

She felt she would lose a sheer custody. There was passion on both

sides. Michael Brewer had some support.

He decided to try to convert a Yes vote. -- Michael Moore had some

support. Michael Moore says the Borders have a unique bond with the

rest of the UK. People in Scotland are having this fierce debate. I

hope in the end people across the country will see what is special

about the UK and recognise that if we turn our backs on the rest of the

UK that is a once-in-a-lifetime choice. For that reason I hope

people will stick. As with other small towns the main street in

Galashiels struggling. Many shops are empty or closing. It is hoped

that this will be a new transport hub as part of the new borders to

Edinburgh rail link. The discussion in this cafe is whether or not more

powers for Holyrood would help or hinder further development. My

father fought in the British Army dualling the war. There might be

plasters or minuses. There is now a new shop in town urging local people

to vote yes for a different future. The local MP takes every opportunity

to convert those who support the No campaign. I am different. I am

European. So am I. You are discriminating. But then... Batters

it. . A total convert. This person says voting yes there is not about

turning your back on the border. It is issued history. You become good

neighbours. You become partners. There is no hostility about it. It's

another late England. This could also be the making of the North of

England. The battle for the Borders is not over yet.

We thought we would bring together both sides of the campaign. These

two people are going through shoe leather. What are people talking

about on the doorstep? The campaign is hotting up. People are willing to

engage on the doorstep. They are talking about things like border

control. With those being so close to the border, Carlisle, Newcastle.

They are talking about their livelihoods and their pensions. It

is important to them. This must make your job difficult as a yes

campaigner. Concerns that people have are largely the same. That is

why we in the Borders are experiencing a massive momentum

towards the Yes campaign. People genuinely believe that the best

people to decide our future are the people who live here in Scotland.

There are local charges as well. Some people talk about the

cross-border issues. I can fast our House where it was said that they

rely on penguins because the supermarket is across-the-board. --

rely on England. You are a businesswoman and an

employer, what are people saying to you about their concerns?

We employ 40 people and businesses in tourism so we rely on people

coming up to stay with us from the north-east and the north-west. In

that sense, we are wondering about the currency and the transaction

increases that me we might incur. Our employees are worried about

their livelihoods. We have just recovered from the economic

recession in 2008 and are back to where we wear and are pleased about

that and we don't want to risk becoming independent because our

employees and asked as business people feel that could be really

risky and actually cause job losses. Can you see that risk?

I can see why people have concerns, that is why we need to get out on

top to be ball on the doorstep. That is why our groups are out every day

talking to people because actually this isn't so much of a risk, it is

an opportunity of a lifetime to do something different, to take

control. The borders are not on the radar of Westminster but they will

be in an independent Scotland. I have seen a lot of passion today,

in fact I've seen tears from someone who was very worried about their

future. Do you think there is a way, you can see how close the

races, a way for Scotland to come together.

100%. There is an elderly woman who is a member of Better Together and

said to me, I have never lost a friend of politics and I do not

intend to. There is no danger of that. After the votes, we will all

be in it together. I think the borders is a small

community and we all get on and we all have to get on because we come

across each other on a day-to-day basis. The businesses here are

really important as local employers and of course we will get on

whatever happens, however I do think the referendum has put Scotland on

the map and we will get more powers from West Minster and that is a very

strong opinion to have. Certainly many people here are

continuing the debate and we will be back in the next half an hour to

talk to two politicians from the area about that very question of

more powers. Still to come: We meet the woman who

is in charge of the referendum count.

In sport, Scotland may have lost to Germany but the performance,

including that goal against the world champions, believes there is

growing belief. It's 100 days since Edinburgh's

trams started operating and bosses have revealed the line has carried

1.5 million passengers in that time. They say passenger numbers

and revenue levels are Here's our transport correspondent,

David Miller. They've proved to be costly and

controversial and, whatever your view, Edinburgh's trams are here to

stay. The trams have become a familiar

straight on the streets of the capital but many questions about

this project remain. Not least have the people of this city finally

learns to love them? For seven years, this was a complete

catastrophe but it is good, I like it. It is quite smooth.

Now that it is here, I am using it and think it is so poor. It is a

pity it is not growing across the city.

Bosses say 130,000 passengers used the trams on their first week of

operation. On average, 90,000 passengers use them every week.

We all -- we are already seeing investment because the trams are

here. We've seen property prices rise in commercial terms along the

route. The council hopes the trams will be

paying their own way within five years and says today's figures

suggest that target can be met. There have been problems in the

first 100 days but bosses insist the standard of service overall has been

good. The key focus as we move forward is

reliability and making sure the service runs as well as it possibly

can for the rest of the year. We will continue to refine processes

and give the best possible service. The darkest days for the tram

project may be over but there are plenty of challenges ahead. Not

least the completion of the track to meet and a looming public inquiry

into what went wrong. Police are investigating

the alleged rape It happened

in this supermarket car park in Police say the woman was attacked

after flagging down a silver saloon They're keen to trace the driver,

described as Asian, in his late 20s or early 30s and wearing jeans

and a dark coloured T-shirt. Any assault, particularly when it

has a sexual element, is traumatic to the victim. It is of the utmost

important that we carry out as many enquiries as we can to identify the

individual responsible for this. A look at other stories

from the across the country. Almost half the congregation

of the Church of Scotland in Tarbert in Harris has voted to leave over

the issue 97 members said they would split

from the Kirk The breakaway group is understood to

be planning to set up a new The Drambuie Liqueur Company has

been bought out by the Drambuie is being added to

William Grant's other brands. The company says it hopes to attract

a new generation of consumers. The Harris Tweed Authority has

settled a dispute with an American retailer

after it sold chairs that wrongly Euromarket Designs advertised

Harris Tweed and Harris Herringbone The Harris Tweed Authority said it

has secured a financial settlement and

assurances from the retailer that it A second wave of postal votes being

sent out ahead of the referendum is expected to start

dropping on doormats from tomorrow. People who were already permanent

postal voters, or who applied for one between mid-August

and the 3rd September deadline, Scotland's biggest council, Glasgow,

says it's giving its second batch Drivers are being warned of travel

disruption around the Forth Road Bridge this weekend for the finale

of 50th anniversary celebrations. The bridge will be closed completely

between 10pm and 10:30pm on Saturday 13th

for a fireworks display, with And voting of a different kind gets

underway today, in the contest to The entrants include a Scots pine

at the Loch of the Lowes Nature Reserve, which has been

the chosen nesting site of Lady A sweet chestnut in Cumbernauld

planted by Mary Queen of Scots, and Scotland's oldest tree,

the Fortingall Yew, The public vote runs

for the next seven weeks. The Scotland striker Steven Naismith

says the performance last night against Germany has reinforced the

players' belief they can beat all A 2-1 defeat by the world champions

tells only part of the story And the Scots' efforts even had

the manager believing they could From Dortmund, here's our senior

football reporter, Alasdair Lamont. The centre of Dortmund on Monday

seemed almost eerily quiet in the absence of the thousands of Scotland

supporters who had flocked here over the last few days. Their journey may

have ended in defeat but at times last night Scotland showed they

could mix it with the world's best. When Ikechi Anya raced through to

cancel out Thomas Muller's opening goal. Momentum seemed to have swung

the Scott's way. At 1-1, I felt we could win. I've

seen players with no fear before and the longer it went on we posed more

threat. We should be proud of what we did.

Ironing out defensive mistakes like the ones that brought Germany the

goals is also imperative. With a double-header against Georgia and

Paul Ince to come, the players are in a positive state of mind.

-- Poland. This is the toughest game you will

get in the group and every other game we think we can definitely take

three points from and that is our name so we will look back, take the

positives and work on the games next month.

As the dust settles, the consensus seems to be that Scotland remain on

an upward spiral, despite last night's defeat.

Having tested the metal of the world champions, Gordon Strachan's men now

more accurate gauges of their ability to qualify lie just around

the corner. Former Rangers defender Arthur Numan

says his former club is ''one big Former Rangers defender Arthur Numan

says his former club is "one big mess" and believes there should be

more transparency for supporters. Numan was back in Scotland helping

to launch a football initiative for school children but the Dutchman had

plenty of thoughts on his old club. He says he doesn't know who to

believe anymore and has concerns Supporters, to me and asked what is

going on because I don't even know who is in charge. That is the

problem with Rangers. It is about time that the supporters also know

what is happening, who is in control, with the money is going to.

Now, a look at what else is happening across Scottish sport.

Hibernian manager Alan Stubbs says the international break was

Stubbs says it's given the players he brought in

on deadline day a chance to get to know their new team-mates.

We need to hit the ground running with them which is important but

sometimes it does take time. The sooner that we can get them and we

are all firing on also wonders, the better. -- cylinders.

Dundee have signed striker David Clarkson after a success trial

The player, who started his career with Motherwell, has returned to

Scottish women's Champions Glasgow City have signed

American under 23 international Morgan Marlborough on loan.

She joins from American Soccer League side Kansas

Ireland have beaten Scotland by 7 wickets and with 80 balls remaining

Scotland were 172 all out with Michael Leask top scorer on 50.

But the home side reached their victory target with ease.

And there are more sports stories, plus all the latest news, 24 hours a

Their meeting at Craiglockhart Hospital in Edinburgh

inspired some of the most famous poems of the First World War.

Now, a new play about Wilfred Owen and Siegfried Sassoon is to be

Our arts correspondent Pauline McLean reports.

A meeting of minds. Wilfred Owen and secrete Sassoon were soldiers being

treated here. But they were also poets and it was here together that

they wrote some of their finest work -- Siegfried Sassoon.

It was their responsibility to the men that really comes out. That

passion is what led them to write the poetry as a protest, if you

like, against the war. Both men were treated and returns to

the front. Siegfried Sassoon was shot in the head and survived while

Owen was killed just before the Armistice. But there poetry in

jurors and 100 years on moderately more David trends think it is still

relevant. It still speaks to people today

because of you look at the world around you and how conflicts spring

up everywhere, I say if we don't even remember our mistakes and

poetry, how can we learn from them? Poetry is a really timeless Way of

ringing emotions and experiences which are still more or less the

same today to life. No prayers, nor bells, nor any voice

of morning... None more so than Craiglockhart,

where there French at first began almost a century ago.

Let us take a look at what the weather has in store.

Little going on in the way of wet weather. Here is the satellite

picture from today. Thicker cloud the further north you are. Pinning

down the detail and wear the cloud does break will be the biggest

casque this week. -- biggest task. Although it is dry tonight, they

could be places. -- it could be chilly in places. Temperatures in

towns and cities roundabout 7-9 Celsius. To start the day tomorrow,

a dry start with some sunshine around. As we head through to words

lunch time, the cloud tends to build. Further north, it will be

brighter than today. By mid-afternoon, the warmest time of

the day, very little wind but a bit of a breeze round the coast. Further

north, brighter than today but still a fair amount of cloud. Maybe, just

maybe, a little bit of rain, but competence on that is actually quite

low. It will be quite chilly overnight tomorrow night. This

slight southerly drift will help to raise temperatures a little. As we

head through to watch Thursday, more of the same. Generally dry but,

given the sunshine, will and winds very light indeed. Dry, settled and

benign, is the summary. We are staying because you are

watching a specially extended Reporting Scotland bringing you the

latest on the referendum campaign. Still to come - we meet the person

in charge of the entire referendum process. And we look at how the

referendum campaign feared in Quebec. Now let us return to our

political correspondent who has been listening to the speech of Gordon

Brown and the announcement that in the event of a No vote there with

the extra powers for the Scottish Parliament. What is your analysis of

what was said? Gordon Brown is just beginning to

speak here. He does so at the start of a six-day Scottish to which is

designed to shore up Labour support for the union as the referendum

campaign enters its final days. He is embarking on this journey with

opinion polls narrowing and the Yes campaign apparently gaining ground

and in the school knowledge that many traditional Labour supporters

are tempted by the independents offer. -- and in the complete

knowledge. Things that I hold dear as a left-wing person and as a Scot

are under threat. People who voted Labour should vote yes. To counter

the potential for more Labour supporters to vote yes Gordon Brown

is stressing the idea that there would be further powers devolved to

the Scottish parliament in the event of a Mac. All three major UK parties

are promising that. Gordon Brown is now proposing a rapid timetable for

delivery. People want a Scottish Parliament with stronger powers. I

am proposing that we set a timetable and publish proposals that can be

legislated on but in October. A Bill would be ready to go forward in

January. You have said that Unionist campaigners are signed up to this,

including to the rapid timetable. I wonder if you've what extent

Gordon Brown has bounced the other parties on this issue. He has told

Newsnight in a separate interview that he has been pushing the

Conservatives on this for some time. He has a nice as timetable tonight.

Within an hour or two Downing St said that it welcomes what it cold a

Labour initiative and that it was content with the timetable. The

leaders of the three main UK parties in Scotland well come together and

support this timetable. But they are clocking about a timetable, a

process. We are still no dealer on what that would deliver. We have the

competing sets of proposals from the major UK parties. They would still

need to come together on this process and A.D. Exactly what powers

would come to Holyrood if there was a No vote. That is why those who are

arguing for independents say there are no guarantees and there is

nothing new in what is being proposed.

Let us look in more detail at one of the key issues. The health service

is Scotland's biggest expense. Out of the budget of ?26 billion, nearly

12 billion is spent on health. How will this be affected by the way we

fought. Our correspondent has been finding out what independence make

mean for our health service. Devolution means that only as

Scottish Government and privatise anything in Scotland. Why has this

issue dominated the debate? Because it affects the way people are likely

to vote. With the NHS PC if Scotland went

independent or stayed in the UK? I am not sure. I think they are

getting more money if they go independent. Will that affect the

way you bought? Probably. Will that affect the way you bought? We are

not big enough. Would that affect the way you thought? I have already

voted. We do not want to break it over a one stupid argument. Would

that affect the read you thought that the NHS? Yes it would. I would

like to keep it the weirdos. There is some collaboration with the UK.

-- I would like to keep it as it is. In transplants, it suits everyone to

have as big a pool of organs as possible. But all of that would not

be possible without medical research.

Dolly the sheep is now in a museum. She was the first animal to be

successfully cloned. One of many world first for which Scottish

scientists are famous. But a lot of money from medical research comes

from UK bodies or European grants. This professor is part of an

international trial to see if cooling the brain can help reduce

brain damage from strokes. He employs several people. He is now

concerned. Our major grants across the period 20 independence would

occur. I am trying to find out what would happen to that floor of money.

Nobody can reassure me that the money would continue, let alone

could be applied for more. Does that money disappear? Nobody can tell

me. 50 miles away and bulging waistlines are under scrutiny. This

nutritionist has some of the best researchers in the world. He has a

different view about the effect of independence. We do not have any

funding from UK bodies. I am confident that the funding would be

re-routed. We will continue to collaborate with English and Welsh

centres as well as French, German and Swedish centres. This is an area

of Glasgow that has life expectancy lower than the Gaza Strip. Some say

that independence would improve the life of people here because there

would be more control over people's lies.

Some say that independence itself would improve the health of people

living in places like this, and all of us, because we would feel

Some countries have seen better health after independence -

but only if it's improved standards of living.

So again, it all comes down to whether you believe

independence will bring prosperity or problems for Scotland.

It's expected that this referendum will have Scotland's

So will the polling stations be able to cope?

How will those votes be counted and announced?

And when will we get the final result?

The person best equipped to answer all of those is the woman

This person is preparing to make yesterday. She has been in the top

job in Falkirk council for 16 years. At some point on September the 19th

she will take centre stage and announced the future of the country.

This is the same as any other electoral process. It is just a bit

more intense. Even though you have vast experience there must be added

pressure? At the moment I am not feeling that pressure. It is fine at

the moment. The referendum day will be intense. The referendum day will

be intense. Account will be intense. At Falkirk, in common with local

councils around the country, postal ballots are already being verified,

ready for the count. What I be looking at here? These are

empty ballot boxes. These are only some of the ballot boxes. There is a

palpable sense that this thing is going to happen. This is one of my

favourite stages of an election, when there is a lot still to be

done, but yes it is going to happen. The system seems to have ground to a

halt here. In 2007 Scotland's computer voting system suffered a

meltdown resulting in nearly 150,000 spoiled ballot papers. With the

referendum turnout expected to surpass 80% merely and her team are

confident of the process in 2014. We are focused. The best way to

ensure that your vote count is to put one across in the box next to

the cancer you chose. If you sign the ballot paper the vault cannot

count. -- next to the option you choose. If you sign the ballot paper

the fault will not count. Focus on putting one cross in the box next

jury option you choose. There is expected to be a tipping point at

some point in the night. It is possible that if we get the final

verification numbers, the total number of papers has to, that people

would be able to work out at a certain point that only one side

could win. Can you estimate when you can make that announcement?

Breakfast time. With extra polling stations and most that employed to

handle the expected queues of photos training sessions like these are

underway for tens of thousands of people. A polling station shift can

be a lonely existence, but perhaps not on September the team.

How are you viewing this particular referendum? It will be quite

exciting. We have never been involved in a thing like this

before. It is totally different for us. It is a new experience. You have

the final declaration. You are on the world stage. There will be

pressure. It is important that it is clear. It will be -- it may be a

close result, but it is important that it is clear. It is important

that the result is accepted as an accurate result. Is it true that

whatever you say is legally binding, even if you get it wrong? It is

true, but it will not happen. That is how the votes will be

counted and the result announced next week. People are still

deciding. Let us go back to our correspondent.

Welcome back to the judo class in Galashiels.

What is your question? My question is are birds the

economic report -- about the economic report and about ons and

finance. What is yours?

About health care and education the kids. I too youngest ones will be

coming into the education system. It is OK just now but...

In the future, you are worried about how it will go?

I will come first to yourself. We are talking about the pound and have

seen the fluctuations in the market today. It is making some voters

slightly fearful. How would it work in a currency union? You confident

things be OK? First of all, there will be a

currency union because it is in the interests of UK business as well as

Scotland. 500 million would-be exchange rate charges, it's not

going to happen. We know that there will be a currency union. It is just

a scare tactic. But today the pounds has had a small

fall in value and people are concerned.

I think that has got more to do with what Barack Obama is saying about

intervention in Syria and Ukraine. These are international matters that

will have more effect on international companies than

Scotland. It is more to do with decisions like Barack Obama's

strategy over Syria. I think the reduction in the sure

ball you made to Scottish companies today, the change in the currency,

is an indication of the concern that is there. It is nothing to do with

Syria, this is an extraordinary opposition by Yes Scotland. Across

Scotland, major employers like RBS and the financial services sector

are seeing the consequences of significant. We know the race is now

very tight. Introducing an argument that it is down to Syria as

preposterousness. It is not preposterousness.

International companies react to international events. These are

international companies, not Scottish companies. They may have a

brass plate in Scotland but that is all. Markets go up and down for a

variety of reasons. The idea that the thought of a 1% increase in the

Yes vote for Scotland has affected that is nonsense. The markets go up

and down all the time. Quickly to another subject. The

final subject was about the NHS. This man works within the NHS and

this has become a real battle ground. This is a devolved issue so

why is it a problem for Scotland at the moment? Why would Scotland have

to have a private health care system, as is being scaremonger by

your campaign? It is not scaremongering. We don't

have total financial control of the NHS and any cuts put through the

health service and the rest of the UK will impact directly on the money

that comes to Scotland. What is happening in England as American

companies providing and actually seen to charge to reduce public

expenditure. When you have got Virgin providing health care in

England... We have got little time.

They are privatising health care downside. I was brought up in an NHS

family. My dad was an ambulance driver. I feel very strongly about

this. None of these scare stories was raised in Scottish Parliament

over the last two years. I think we need to have a more balanced

argument with health. Asked Unison. I am going to leave

this year. Obviously a number of issues still to be discussed.

Meanwhile, as Scotland prepares to vote on independence, many people

in the mostly French-speaking province of Quebec in Canada will be

Quebec has held two referendums on sovereignty,

both times voters chose to remain in Canada, but the last vote, nearly

Nick Bryant reports from Quebec City.

A pageant through the streets of old Quebec city. Retelling the proud

story of the settlement that was once called new France. The British

conquest in the mid-18th century meant that Quebec became part of

Canada. But the province has retained its Franco Fawn character.

Even though it has never achieved independence. This man sees himself

as a Quebec are first and a Canadian second.

Are we going to be still with the Canadian dollar? Are we going to

trade with our neighbours Ontario? With the Americans consider us if we

decided to separate. Those are big concerns.

In the decade-long struggle, Quebeckers have... The lesson from

Quebec for Scotland is an independent

it is quite unbelievable. They just had the new parliament in

1987 and now they are already have a referendum to be a free country. To

me, if it would work this time, it might next time.

From those protecting the French language to immigration, Quebec has

achieved a great deal of art on me. Despite two separate referenda,

despite the fact the last poll was almost 20 years ago, the question of

independence hasn't really been settled and it hasn't gone away. In

Canada, they even have a phrase to describe this long protracted

hostage is no struggle. They call it the never-ending referendum. All the

celebrations of Quebec's distinct culture, there is no current

appetite for a third referendum. That struggle may be more a part of

its past than its future. And for a final thought,

let's go back to our political How important is the timetable for

more powers for the Scottish Parliament?

It depends which side you believe. The advocates for independence .2 a

report by Ed Balls that says he would not have as manifesto dictated

by David Cameron or anyone else. They argue that Gordon Brown's

proposals, to be backed up by the Conservatives and the Liberal

Democrats, strengthen the guarantee, strengthen the belief, the offer, of

alternative powers and an alternative to independence. The SNP

say it is overheated and the voters should be underwhelmed. As ever, the

voters will decide. Can expect a surge in campaigning

over the next nine days. Stand-by for a surge. Talking of

surges, I think there might be a left for the campaign in another

poll tomorrow. We will watch out for that.

That is it. Goodbye.