:00:00. > :00:29.and on BBC One we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.
:00:30. > :00:31.Tonight, on Reporting Scotland: A childminder tells the Liam Fee
:00:32. > :00:33.murder trial that she contacted social services about the toddler
:00:34. > :00:39.The Higher English exam paper is replaced at short
:00:40. > :00:40.notice after concerns the original was leaked.
:00:41. > :00:43.Also on the programme, with just two days to go until the election,
:00:44. > :00:46.we'll be taking the temperature of the economy and hear
:00:47. > :00:48.what the parties are promising to encourage economic growth.
:00:49. > :00:50.Delight in the highlands as the air route from Inverness to Britain's
:00:51. > :00:54.And, as Dundee United wave goodbye to the premiership,
:00:55. > :01:08.how long can Mixu Paatelainen hang on as manager?
:01:09. > :01:13.A childminder has been telling the Liam Fee murder trial
:01:14. > :01:15.that she contacted social services a year before the toddler died
:01:16. > :01:20.because she thought somebody was hurting him.
:01:21. > :01:22.Heather Farmer told the court she had become increasingly
:01:23. > :01:25.concerned about Liam after noticing bruises on his body.
:01:26. > :01:30.Rachel and Nyomi Fee deny murdering the toddler in March 2014.
:01:31. > :01:38.Lisa Summers reports from the High court in Livingston.
:01:39. > :01:44.Today, the court heard from Liam Fee's childminder. Heather Farmer
:01:45. > :01:49.said she had looked after him since the summer of 2012. The court heard
:01:50. > :01:52.she kept diaries about the children in her care. She said she recorded a
:01:53. > :01:57.number of developmental stages of Liam, such as speaking, walking and
:01:58. > :02:01.interrupting, but she also noticed a number of times when he arrived with
:02:02. > :02:06.bruises on his body. She said by the beginning of 2013, she had become so
:02:07. > :02:09.concerned about his injuries she contacted social services, saying
:02:10. > :02:13.she thought somebody was hurting Liam. Under cross-examination, she
:02:14. > :02:17.acknowledged that social services had visited Rachel Fee's house, the
:02:18. > :02:21.same day that she called them, and reported back that everything was
:02:22. > :02:23.fine. The childminder described an occasion in February 2014 when she
:02:24. > :02:27.said Liam had arrived at her house occasion in February 2014 when she
:02:28. > :02:30.and well and with a stiff neck. She said she called Rachel and suggested
:02:31. > :02:33.she make an appointment at the doctor. She said Rachel called back
:02:34. > :02:37.saying she had made one for later that morning. But Heather Farmer
:02:38. > :02:41.said she did not believe the child would be taken to see the GP, so she
:02:42. > :02:45.drove down to the doctor 's surgery with her daughter and waited
:02:46. > :02:49.outside. She said there was no sign of Liam or Rachel. She said Rachel
:02:50. > :02:59.had called her later on to say the doctor had said it was his teeth and
:03:00. > :03:03.she was off to get some Calpol. She said after that incident she said
:03:04. > :03:08.she could not look after Liam any more and said she could not trust
:03:09. > :03:13.Rachel any more. Rachel and Nyomi Fee deny murdering Liam and deny
:03:14. > :03:15.murdering two other children. -- hurting two other children.
:03:16. > :03:18.BBC Scotland can reveal that part of this year's Higher English exam
:03:19. > :03:21.paper has had to be replaced at short notice because of concerns
:03:22. > :03:22.that some questions may have been leaked.
:03:23. > :03:25.Tens of thousands of candidates across Scotland will be sitting
:03:26. > :03:28.Our education correspondent Jamie McIvor is outside
:03:29. > :03:29.the headquarters of the Scottish Qualification Authority in Glasgow.
:03:30. > :03:44.The exam season gets underway tomorrow. The higher English is
:03:45. > :03:51.being sat on Thursday, some 35,000 candidates will be taken the exam --
:03:52. > :03:54.taking the exam, but it will not be the one originally planned. One of
:03:55. > :04:03.the two question papers has been replaced. The SQA says a potential
:04:04. > :04:08.issue was identified, so a new paper was drawn up. BBC Scotland
:04:09. > :04:13.understands the concern is that some of the questions may have been
:04:14. > :04:16.leaked. In this day and age, with social media, any suggestion of a
:04:17. > :04:24.leak of an exam question paper has to be taken very seriously indeed.
:04:25. > :04:30.How do the SQA think it was leaked? Well, there is no word yet on just
:04:31. > :04:32.what may have happened, Andrew. The organisation says the chief
:04:33. > :04:37.invigilators are being kept fully informed here. In general, there is
:04:38. > :04:41.always tight security around exam papers, both here at the SQA, the
:04:42. > :04:47.printers and at the schools and exam centres. In general, you find that
:04:48. > :04:50.schools and exam centres hold the exam papers very carefully and only
:04:51. > :04:59.open them shortly before each exam. The largest teachers union, the EIS
:05:00. > :05:04.is calling for a full investigation. It is only natural that some
:05:05. > :05:08.candidates hearing the story may be feeling nervous, the SQA is taking
:05:09. > :05:12.steps to reassure them. It is making the point that the new paper is in
:05:13. > :05:16.all exam centres and will be up to standard. For the moment, the story
:05:17. > :05:21.is either hugely embarrassing or it is a case of what may have been a
:05:22. > :05:23.potential disaster having been averted.
:05:24. > :05:26.The crash of a helicopter on Friday off the coast of Norway was probably
:05:27. > :05:28.caused by a technical malfunction, according to Norwegian authorities.
:05:29. > :05:31.The Super Puma 225 went down while en route to Bergen
:05:32. > :05:38.13 people, including 41-year-old Aberdeenshire man Iain Stuart, died.
:05:39. > :05:44.The helicopter's manufacturers insist the model is safe.
:05:45. > :05:45.So the campaign for the Scottish Parliament
:05:46. > :05:49.The leaders of the main political parties have been out and about,
:05:50. > :05:53.across the country, trying to persuade voters to back them.
:05:54. > :05:55.The focus today has been on the economy, this
:05:56. > :06:03.from our political editor Brian Taylor.
:06:04. > :06:12.The First Minister. Thank you very much. Doing the business. In
:06:13. > :06:17.Aberdeen, Nicola Sturgeon argues a strong economy is a vital precursor
:06:18. > :06:22.to paying for public services. She says SNP policies such as rate
:06:23. > :06:26.exemptions for small business would bolster economic development. I
:06:27. > :06:30.understand, I see it every single day, but I am First Minister. If we
:06:31. > :06:34.don't have a strong economy, with good jobs, we will not have the
:06:35. > :06:37.revenue we need to invest in public services. The economy and jobs,
:06:38. > :06:43.opportunities for young people is at the heart of everything we want to
:06:44. > :06:53.do. Spelling it out, playfully. In Glasgow, Labour's Kezia Dugdale took
:06:54. > :06:57.to the trail. She says the way to boost the economy is to invest in
:06:58. > :07:02.education, funded by tax. The best thing we can do to drive up
:07:03. > :07:04.productivity, prepare Scotland for a future economy, is invest in the
:07:05. > :07:08.schools and knowledge of our people. That is why the Labour Party is the
:07:09. > :07:10.only one promising to protect education budgets, to spend more in
:07:11. > :07:16.making sure that every child in the education budgets, to spend more in
:07:17. > :07:21.country can fulfil their potential. In marine simulator, but she takes
:07:22. > :07:25.to the skies for real in a coast-to-coast search for votes. She
:07:26. > :07:28.says the Conservatives have the right approach of the economy. Need
:07:29. > :07:32.more investment and opportunities, that is why we want to freeze
:07:33. > :07:35.business rates, to give businesses the certainty that they need. We
:07:36. > :07:39.want to make sure that Scotland is not the highest taxed part of the
:07:40. > :07:44.UK, because it will not bring the jobs and investment the country
:07:45. > :07:48.requires. Willie Rennie, in paradise... Or rather a play centre
:07:49. > :07:54.that name. Another light-hearted photocall. But he says the Liberal
:07:55. > :07:58.Democrats are deadly serious about increasing tax to fund education.
:07:59. > :08:03.People are our best resource. If we can invest in them to get them
:08:04. > :08:07.skilled, trained and educated, we will be a magnet for companies
:08:08. > :08:11.across the world to come here, to exploit those great talents and
:08:12. > :08:16.create business and opportunity, wealth and growth. In Edinburgh and
:08:17. > :08:19.across Scotland, councils get ready for the election, the big night.
:08:20. > :08:28.Your job, to fill the ballot boxes. Brian joins me now. We are nearly
:08:29. > :08:34.there, I suppose at this point the parties are just pushing the
:08:35. > :08:38.fundamental messages? Yes, that is absolutely right. There is hardly
:08:39. > :08:42.any time for nuance or subtlety now. That is about the fundamental
:08:43. > :08:45.closing messages. Of course, this time, in the Scottish Parliamentary
:08:46. > :08:49.elections, those messages are not just about public spending on health
:08:50. > :08:52.and the NHS, and the rest. They are about tax, because the Scottish
:08:53. > :08:56.Parliament has full control of income tax rates and bands for the
:08:57. > :09:00.first time, starting right now and going forward. If anything, that
:09:01. > :09:04.will motivate people to turn out and about is a big thought for the
:09:05. > :09:08.parties as well. They are determined to encourage the vote as much as
:09:09. > :09:12.possible, to encourage the vote in their direction, but to encourage
:09:13. > :09:15.the vote generally. And I going to stand here and suggest to people
:09:16. > :09:19.that they ought to vote? Certainly not, that is their call and people
:09:20. > :09:23.might have good reasons for staying away, abstaining or not bothering.
:09:24. > :09:26.might have good reasons for staying But I Sibley say this, it is not
:09:27. > :09:31.like boycotting a supermarket or sporting organisation, if you stay
:09:32. > :09:37.away, they will govern without your consent.
:09:38. > :09:40.The fiancee of a security guard from Argyll who's been held in India
:09:41. > :09:43.on arms charges for almost three years has met a foreign
:09:44. > :09:48.office minister as she campaigns for his release.
:09:49. > :09:50.while on an anti-piracy mission in the Indian Ocean.
:09:51. > :09:53.Today their families and friends gathered in Carlisle for a rally
:09:54. > :10:10.Bring our boys home! Families and friends say it is a miscarriage of
:10:11. > :10:14.justice. Today, they were determined to make their voices heard. Billy
:10:15. > :10:19.Irving, a former soldier from near Oban, had been working on a US
:10:20. > :10:23.gunship as a security guard, protecting merchant shipping in the
:10:24. > :10:28.Gulf of Aden against Somali pirates. It was detained in Indian waters and
:10:29. > :10:32.the men arrested on illegal weapons charges. In January, the six Britons
:10:33. > :10:37.were sentenced to five years in prison. Today, supporters of Billy
:10:38. > :10:42.Irving held a gathering to highlight his case. It is a travesty of
:10:43. > :10:53.justice. It is important that Obama shows they are supporting her --
:10:54. > :10:57.Oban. We need to act and that is demonstrated by the support shown,
:10:58. > :11:02.and also the support shown in Carlisle and other places. Get the
:11:03. > :11:05.guys home, that is all that matters. A bigger meeting was held in
:11:06. > :11:10.Carlisle, where the families met a minister from the Foreign Office. It
:11:11. > :11:14.is frustrating, the law in India takes a long time, the judicial
:11:15. > :11:18.process grinds extremely slowly. The politicians cannot interfere in that
:11:19. > :11:23.process in India, any more than we can in the UK as politicians. I'm
:11:24. > :11:27.completely frustrated. When it first happened, we gave people time, let
:11:28. > :11:31.them get on with things, did things quietly like they asked. Enough is
:11:32. > :11:35.enough, these men cannot suffer for five years in prison, they need to
:11:36. > :11:39.come home. The hope is that an appeal will be heard in the Indian
:11:40. > :11:43.courts next month. But there are no guarantees. Now, campaigners have
:11:44. > :11:48.resolved to make as much noise as possible.
:11:49. > :11:55.A look at other stories from across the country. And Aberdeen oil
:11:56. > :11:58.industry executive with a previous conviction of embezzlement has
:11:59. > :12:04.admitted stealing more than ?1.3 million from her employers.
:12:05. > :12:10.Jacqueline McPhee took the money from her firm, the court heard. An
:12:11. > :12:14.inquiry has begun into the circumstances involving a death at
:12:15. > :12:18.the Aberdeen Academy. He was stabbed by a fellow pupil last year. His
:12:19. > :12:23.killer was jailed for nine years after being found guilty of culpable
:12:24. > :12:28.homicide. A petition of more than 1000 signatures against a proposed
:12:29. > :12:32.sport and housing development near Dunblane has been submitted to
:12:33. > :12:39.Hollywood. -- Hollywood. High profile backers of the multi-million
:12:40. > :12:42.pound Park of Keir include Judy Murray and Colin Montgomerie. Work
:12:43. > :12:47.on the controversial Westland Road has started. The council says that
:12:48. > :12:55.it will ease traffic congestion by creating a link across the
:12:56. > :13:00.Caledonian Canal. The estimated costs of the road and associated
:13:01. > :13:03.work stands at ?55 million. The wind generated power produced enough
:13:04. > :13:06.electricity to meet the needs of over three quarters of Scottish
:13:07. > :13:12.households last month. Figures released by analysts show that high
:13:13. > :13:13.wind during April generated enough electricity to power 1.9 million
:13:14. > :13:16.homes. Celebrations have marked
:13:17. > :13:18.the re-establishment of a daily air link between Inverness and Heathrow
:13:19. > :13:28.airport after almost 20 years. The ability of travellers
:13:29. > :13:30.from the Highland capital to connect through the London hub
:13:31. > :13:33.is seen as crucial for business travellers and the tourism industry
:13:34. > :13:44.in the north, as Craig A site that campaigners have been
:13:45. > :13:48.desperate to see for 19 years, as a British Airways plane touches down
:13:49. > :13:52.at Inverness airport. The route was axed in 1997, but ever since then
:13:53. > :13:56.there has been a clamour for its return. I've been waiting for this
:13:57. > :14:01.flight to be reinstated for years. My darling wife is from Inverness,
:14:02. > :14:04.we are visiting her parents. We live in west London. The day the flight
:14:05. > :14:08.disappeared many years ago, disaster. Delighted to have the
:14:09. > :14:13.route back. You would barely leave the fact that a plane was landing at
:14:14. > :14:17.an airport would be greeted with so much fanfare. Campaigners insist
:14:18. > :14:21.that the effect of the connectivity between Inverness and Heathrow
:14:22. > :14:27.Airport cannot be overstated. That is an airport hub with more than 50
:14:28. > :14:31.long-haul destinations, and that is important, vitally important, they
:14:32. > :14:37.say, not just for travellers leaving here, but also for visitors flying
:14:38. > :14:42.in. We are now connected by one of the world's leading, marketing
:14:43. > :14:45.airlines, connected to Heathrow, one of the leading, largest hubs, with
:14:46. > :14:50.such a critical mass of people going through Terminal 5 at Heathrow. It
:14:51. > :14:55.is reckoned Inverness airport lost 70,000 passengers per year when the
:14:56. > :14:58.link to the London hub was lost. The airport and airline are hoping to
:14:59. > :15:05.claw back the business and expand the route further.
:15:06. > :15:09.Tears of joy and sadness in Dundee last night?
:15:10. > :15:16.Mixu Paatelainen remains tonight as manager of Dundee United,
:15:17. > :15:22.But his chairman Steven Thompson has released a statement promising
:15:23. > :15:24.radical changes at the club, as well as cost-cutting.
:15:25. > :15:26.He's also apologised for the side's relegation,
:15:27. > :15:33.which was confirmed at city rivals Dundee last night.
:15:34. > :15:38.It was painful last night. The realisation for United fans that,
:15:39. > :15:47.after 20 years in the top flight, their team were going down.
:15:48. > :15:52.Relegation and a 2-1 defeat at the hands of their derby rivals, as the
:15:53. > :15:57.final and humiliating nail in the coffin. Relegated at the hands of
:15:58. > :16:02.their bitter rivals! The big question today was Mixu Paatelainen.
:16:03. > :16:09.Would he walk away? Don't be stupid! Or would he be pushed? We have some
:16:10. > :16:16.footballing issues that are there to be sorted out. Only a fool would put
:16:17. > :16:23.that to waste. The club made a statement at around 4pm, in which
:16:24. > :16:24.the chairman, Stephen Thomson made Mixu Paatelainen's future no
:16:25. > :16:37.clearer. There needs to be fundamental change
:16:38. > :16:43.at all levels in the club, starting at the boardroom. I don't think
:16:44. > :16:47.there is a coherent strategy for the club going forward. On the park,
:16:48. > :16:52.results have been terrible, performances have been really poor.
:16:53. > :16:55.There needs to be a change in the Head Coach's position as well. Under
:16:56. > :17:02.scrutiny is his league record since taking over in October. In 25 games,
:17:03. > :17:07.they have won five, drawn four and lost 16. In his statement, the
:17:08. > :17:12.chairman, Steven Thomson, warned of tough times ahead. The big question
:17:13. > :17:13.is, what are his intentions for a club in the Championship next
:17:14. > :17:20.season? Richard Wilson has been following
:17:21. > :17:24.this story and joins us now, live from Tannadice. There were some
:17:25. > :17:32.media reports today that Mixu Paatelainen had been sacked. Is this
:17:33. > :17:35.just a stay of execution? Well, he was here, he met Steven Thomson at
:17:36. > :17:39.Tannadice today, but he was only on the ground for 25 minutes. It was
:17:40. > :17:42.clearly a brief meeting, which suggests there was not much for them
:17:43. > :17:46.to talk about. The sensor on Tannadice is that in all likelihood
:17:47. > :17:49.Mixu Paatelainen has managed Dundee United for the last time. That will
:17:50. > :17:55.not be officially confirmed until the legalities out. The chairman
:17:56. > :18:02.warned of tough times, what does he mean by radical changes? As well as
:18:03. > :18:04.the manager situation, there are always financial publications of
:18:05. > :18:08.relegation. They will earn less money in the Championship, they have
:18:09. > :18:11.a large playing squad, the third-largest wage bill in the
:18:12. > :18:14.division. One of the first consequences of relegation is going
:18:15. > :18:17.to be cutting the playing squad, the number of players that are going to
:18:18. > :18:19.leave Tannadice in the summer, it will have to be a root and branch
:18:20. > :18:33.review of everything that they do. The big story in English football is
:18:34. > :18:39.Leicester City, and unfancied club winning the title.
:18:40. > :18:42.Exactly 30 years ago, it was also the backdrop to one
:18:43. > :18:43.of Scottish football's most memorable season finales.
:18:44. > :18:47.Hearts had enjoyed top spot for most of the season and needed just one
:18:48. > :18:49.point away to Dundee to clinch the title.
:18:50. > :18:59.This is a lot of street in Paisley, it is derelict now and under lock
:19:00. > :19:01.and key but in 1986 it was the scene of part of one of the most rheumatic
:19:02. > :19:08.season finales in Scottish football. season finales in Scottish football.
:19:09. > :19:11.-- dramatic. To have any chance of winning the title Celtic had to beat
:19:12. > :19:21.Saint Mirren by at least three goals. We were doing our bit, hoping
:19:22. > :19:27.Dundee could go and beat Hearts. A draw would be enough for Hearts to
:19:28. > :19:32.become champions. Such stuff as supporters dreams are made on.
:19:33. > :19:37.However... There was a virus in the camp, Craig Levine could not play,
:19:38. > :19:40.there was a change in referee and an Edinburgh referee was in charge who
:19:41. > :19:47.wanted to make it clear he would not show any favours. For Hearts cruel
:19:48. > :19:52.wanted to make it clear he would not fate wore a moustache. Swinging in
:19:53. > :20:00.very dangerously and there is a goal. What a marvellous substitution
:20:01. > :20:08.this has been, Hearts looking slightly ragged, great chance, 2-0.
:20:09. > :20:15.News of the goals faltered through to Paisley where Celtic thrashed
:20:16. > :20:19.Saint Mirren 5-0. The supporters of an unlikely new hero who was back at
:20:20. > :20:24.dens Park today remembering the day he helped Celtic win the title and
:20:25. > :20:30.destroy the dreams of Hearts fans and players. I never took any great
:20:31. > :20:33.delight in that, to see a fellow pro being like that out on their feet,
:20:34. > :20:42.it was quite disappointing. But that's football.
:20:43. > :20:46.There were more tears a week later when Hearts lost the Scottish cup
:20:47. > :20:51.final to Aberdeen. Ten years ago a corner of Midlothian
:20:52. > :20:58.was transformed by the Hollywood Thousands of tourists descended
:20:59. > :21:02.on Rosslyn chapel which was central to the story written by Dan Brown
:21:03. > :21:05.and brought to the screen by director Ron Howard
:21:06. > :21:07.and leading man Tom Hanks. But a decade later, has
:21:08. > :21:09.there been a lasting effect? Elizabeth Quigley has been back
:21:10. > :21:24.to Rosslyn Chapel to find out. Rosslyn Chapel, a place of worship,
:21:25. > :21:29.wonder and intrigue. Remember this? Key exposed one of the greatest
:21:30. > :21:34.cover-ups in human history. The da Vinci code by Dan Brown, brought to
:21:35. > :21:41.life on the big screen by Tom Hanks in 2006. It is true thousands from
:21:42. > :21:47.across the globe. But ten years or does it still hold the same
:21:48. > :21:51.attraction? Saw the film again, read the book and I saw the film about a
:21:52. > :21:55.month ago and I thought let's go. We heard about it from the book or the
:21:56. > :22:01.film and this is the way we knew about it. I've seen the film three
:22:02. > :22:06.times in fact. I'm always fascinated to see it again. The Countess of
:22:07. > :22:11.Roslin remembers when Tinseltown came to stay. For that reason we are
:22:12. > :22:16.very grateful to the da Vinci code came to stay. For that reason we are
:22:17. > :22:21.and Dan Brown because what I like to think, this is another moment in the
:22:22. > :22:25.long history of the chapel. It was built on the 15th century and what
:22:26. > :22:28.happened at the beginning of the 19th century is similar to what is
:22:29. > :22:34.happening now. It became derelict and needed attention so Sir Walter
:22:35. > :22:38.Scott wrote a book which again took one of the legends of the chapel as
:22:39. > :22:46.its main point and it had a similar effect. He wanted to build a church
:22:47. > :22:52.to praise God. And it's not just the da Vinci code affect. Around 40% of
:22:53. > :22:58.visitors to the UK say they were influenced by what they saw on TV or
:22:59. > :23:03.film. We have had so many amazing iconic scenes in Scotland, the
:23:04. > :23:06.fourth Bridge included in the 39 steps, the West Sands of St Andrews
:23:07. > :23:11.featured in chariots of Fire, coming steps, the West Sands of St Andrews
:23:12. > :23:17.up to the modern day, Glen Coe featured in the James Bond movie sky
:23:18. > :23:24.fall. And also brave where the inspiration for the castle is up
:23:25. > :23:31.near Stonehaven. The sparkle of the silver screen shows no sign wearing
:23:32. > :23:37.off here or across Scotland. Now let's look at the weather.
:23:38. > :23:43.Good evening, a number of blustery showers across the country today but
:23:44. > :23:48.also sunshine at times, lovely picture from one of our weather
:23:49. > :23:51.Watchers in Perth. As we head through the showers will fade, late
:23:52. > :23:58.sunshine but the cloud will build across the West, threat of rain
:23:59. > :24:03.across the north-west. For most of the mainland dry night, not as cold
:24:04. > :24:07.as last night, temperatures in towns and cities of around five, eight
:24:08. > :24:12.Celsius. We can see it quite clearly pushing across western parts of the
:24:13. > :24:16.country, high pressure across the near continent, keeping it in the
:24:17. > :24:23.north-west. For many it will be dry but windy and wet across the
:24:24. > :24:27.Highlands and Islands. Any rain will be liked and patchy mainly over the
:24:28. > :24:36.hills, by mid-afternoon it will be breezy, fairly cloudy. Across parts
:24:37. > :24:41.of North Argyll, the rain setting in and will be heavy and persistent.
:24:42. > :24:48.Further east it is dry, fairly cloudy, likely around the coast into
:24:49. > :24:53.Aberdeenshire. Further north towards the far north, Orkney and Shetland a
:24:54. > :24:57.mixture of cloud and patchy rain. As we head towards the evening the
:24:58. > :25:01.weather starts to make its way further east and south-east and
:25:02. > :25:06.overnight journeys down towards the Borders so a spell of light and
:25:07. > :25:11.patchy rain at times. As one weather for clears a second pushes into the
:25:12. > :25:14.north-west. A legacy of cloud to start the day in the South East but
:25:15. > :25:18.many areas dry and bright, some spells of sunshine but the second
:25:19. > :25:24.point will bring showery outbreaks of rain across the Outer Hebrides.
:25:25. > :25:27.Captors for many in the mid teens. Friday and the trend for those
:25:28. > :25:34.temperatures rising continues in the South West 17 degrees possible. Some
:25:35. > :25:39.bright spells but Tony East Coast it will be chilly.
:25:40. > :25:41.You're watching a Reporting Scotland election special.
:25:42. > :25:44.Here's a reminder of tonight's main story: A childminder tells
:25:45. > :25:46.the Liam Fee murder trial that she contacted social services
:25:47. > :25:50.about the toddler a year before he died.
:25:51. > :25:53.And, still to come tonight: Transport is one of the key
:25:54. > :26:03.battlegrounds of the election - we look at what the voters want.
:26:04. > :26:09.On the day Nicola Sturgeon and Ruth Davidson were on the campaign trail
:26:10. > :26:13.in the North East we are talking transport, the health service and
:26:14. > :26:16.what more can be done for the oil and gas industry with the candidates
:26:17. > :26:25.vying to be the new MSP for Aberdeen central. In the Holyrood election
:26:26. > :26:29.trail today as we held earlier today there's been a lot about the jobs
:26:30. > :26:33.and economy but have the political parties are addressed the challenges
:26:34. > :26:40.facing the economy and how best to grow it? Our business and economy
:26:41. > :26:42.editor Douglas Fraser has been to the Forth Valley to find out what
:26:43. > :26:49.business once from the next five years at Holyrood.
:26:50. > :26:58.This turf is hard-fought, the Forth Valley is where battles are
:26:59. > :27:02.re-enacted. It remains that way since the last Holyrood election
:27:03. > :27:07.there has been a battle for control of Scotland's biggest industrial
:27:08. > :27:15.plant where unions's facedown and lost. This was the starting place
:27:16. > :27:20.for the iron industry, 250 years ago the works opened and last its
:27:21. > :27:30.successor was told by bosses in Switzerland that it is being closed
:27:31. > :27:38.and work is moving to Slovakia. But another successor is acrylic, not
:27:39. > :27:43.metal. Manufacturing has shrunk across Scotland. Export markets
:27:44. > :27:47.falling away, cheap, dish and from Egypt, it shifted its focus to the
:27:48. > :27:57.great British bathroom, selling on quality, not price. The order book
:27:58. > :28:02.is very strong, which brings its own challenges, we are trying to bring
:28:03. > :28:05.the right kind of people in from the pull in manufacturing which gets
:28:06. > :28:09.smaller every year and try to encourage people that this is a
:28:10. > :28:13.place they cannot only get a job but try and build a career.
:28:14. > :28:16.place they cannot only get a job but building is going very strongly
:28:17. > :28:21.having early clubs to few years back and the economy has diversified.
:28:22. > :28:25.Call centres and leisure, emerging from the old canal system this
:28:26. > :28:32.powerful symbol of Scotland is pulling tourists. Yet evidence tells
:28:33. > :28:35.us economic confidence across Scotland is weak, even this far from
:28:36. > :28:42.the North Sea and its troubled oil injury. We have always had a lot of
:28:43. > :28:48.offshore workers living locally and you do hear of contracts changing,
:28:49. > :28:53.people not having employment any more. So I think that has an effect
:28:54. > :28:59.on the economy. But the introduction of shale gas we are told is going to
:29:00. > :29:06.help, coming from America. I will show you the blue. The squeeze on
:29:07. > :29:10.spending power is being felt in Falkirk were this petite has to cut
:29:11. > :29:16.its cloth with a change to traditional retailing. The expansion
:29:17. > :29:20.was good and then the crash happened, online happened, the
:29:21. > :29:24.retail park in Falkirk happened and it's incredibly tough ever since.
:29:25. > :29:29.The toughest I have known it and it doesn't appear to be getting any
:29:30. > :29:36.better. Frustration the politician standing for Holyrood don't get it
:29:37. > :29:40.about business. They are crippling business, there have been a lot of
:29:41. > :29:44.empty units in the street, people have wanted to open businesses in
:29:45. > :29:46.Falkirk, you cannot run a business on a rateable system which is no
:29:47. > :29:53.Falkirk, you cannot run a business longer fit for purpose.
:29:54. > :30:04.The rates were set up when Falkirk was a busy town centre. Much of the
:30:05. > :30:09.campaign has been about higher tax. I accept a small increase in tax if
:30:10. > :30:12.it goes to the local economy. As far as High Street are concerned,
:30:13. > :30:15.everything is so rundown, I am sure the majority of people would agree
:30:16. > :30:21.to that. Local authorities have got to be given more money. If we pay
:30:22. > :30:25.more in rates is my worry, pay more in income tax. Generally speaking,
:30:26. > :30:31.the councils have to get an increase in money. A lot of people out there
:30:32. > :30:34.need that extra help. I would like to see something done where I can
:30:35. > :30:41.more directly help those people that are more affected by the policies of
:30:42. > :30:45.austerity. There are many issues not prominent in the Holyrood election
:30:46. > :30:49.campaign. Among them, economic challenges have been low-key. I
:30:50. > :30:54.don't think many ideas for growing the Scottish economy have come out
:30:55. > :30:58.of the debate so far. The political parties have really fixated on
:30:59. > :31:02.taxation. It is understandable, in a way, because these are new and
:31:03. > :31:08.important powers. But you get as much tax as the economy is capable
:31:09. > :31:12.of delivering. If you don't have a growing economy, you cannot expect
:31:13. > :31:18.to have more tax revenues. At the heart of Scotland and the Scottish
:31:19. > :31:22.economy, the torch still burns for manufacturing. People here know they
:31:23. > :31:25.have to adapt and keep changing in response to global pressures and
:31:26. > :31:31.opportunities. The question at this election is what government can and
:31:32. > :31:32.should do to help them through taxation, spending and, above all,
:31:33. > :31:38.education and skills. One of the big issues
:31:39. > :31:41.for the North East of Scotland is transport and particularly
:31:42. > :31:42.the road network. Our reporter Steven Duff has
:31:43. > :31:55.been finding out more Andrew, I am on the top floor of
:31:56. > :31:58.this huge office development that is towering over union Street in
:31:59. > 0:25:02Aberdeen. It was designed and built, it has to be said, probably when
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Aberdeen. It was designed and built, oil and gas industry was doing a lot
0:25:03 > 0:25:02better. It is on the former site of the Capitol Theatre, which saw
0:25:03 > 0:25:02performances from the Rolling Stones and even The Krankees. I'll be
0:25:03 > 0:25:02speaking to the candidates vying to be the MP for Aberdeen Central.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02First, a much talked about issue, the state of transport links.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02A bypass for Aberdeen, something many thought would never happen. It
0:25:03 > 0:25:02was talked about enough, but it wasn't until 2003 that the Labour
0:25:03 > 0:25:02and Lib Dem coalition in Holyrood announced it would be built. The SNP
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Government pushed ahead, overcoming announced it would be built. The SNP
0:25:03 > 0:25:02funding and legal barriers to see it become a reality. And you can't miss
0:25:03 > 0:25:02it. The landscape of the north-east, changing dramatically.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02The Aberdeen Western peripheral Route is the biggest roads projects
0:25:03 > 0:25:02currently underway in the UK. It will cost ?740 million a bypass for
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Aberdeen has been spoken about since the end of the Second World War. But
0:25:03 > 0:25:02in two years' time, it will become a the end of the Second World War. But
0:25:03 > 0:25:02reality, finally. The aim is to take the end of the Second World War. But
0:25:03 > 0:25:02the pressure off the city's creaking road network. When the bypass is
0:25:03 > 0:25:02finished, 36 miles of new road will have been built. There are
0:25:03 > 0:25:02improvements to the notorious roundabout in the north of Aberdeen
0:25:03 > 0:25:02and a new bridge across the River Don. Throw in the new UK and
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Scottish Government backed city region deal and there are hundreds
0:25:03 > 0:25:02of millions of pounds being invested in the north-east. Much needed, as
0:25:03 > 0:25:02the oil downturn bites hard on Europe's oil capital. But not
0:25:03 > 0:25:02everybody is happy. Summary says you can drive all the way from Turkey,
0:25:03 > 0:25:02and when you get here you are onto a single jewel -- dual carriageway. He
0:25:03 > 0:25:02is not alone in believing his town gets a raw deal when it comes to
0:25:03 > 0:25:02transport links. Thank you, enjoy your fish. The whole transport
0:25:03 > 0:25:02network is terrible. You think, as well, Peterhead is the fourth
0:25:03 > 0:25:02biggest town in Scotland. They seem to forget that. You are speaking
0:25:03 > 0:25:02about a ?1 billion industry as well. When you see the amount of fish in
0:25:03 > 0:25:02the market, multiplied as well, the oil industry, it is a busy place.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02You are on camera. Look at that! A report released during the election
0:25:03 > 0:25:02campaign says new dual carriageway miss to Peterhead and Fraser Brown
0:25:03 > 0:25:02are unlikely to attract enough funding to be cost affected. I work
0:25:03 > 0:25:02from home, if you need to get down south and you want to get up early
0:25:03 > 0:25:02in the morning, it is really bad. It is murder, his nose to tail. If they
0:25:03 > 0:25:02can afford a new bridge for Adam Brown not charge people to go across
0:25:03 > 0:25:02it, why can't we get a dual carriageway? If you consider the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02industry is available in Peterhead? industry is available in Peterhead?
0:25:03 > 0:25:02-- for Edinburgh. It is more than 50 years since the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02last passenger trains ran through the north-east corner. The same
0:25:03 > 0:25:02report that knocked back dual carriageways to Peterhead and
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Fraserborough also poo-pooed a real link. But the government says any
0:25:03 > 0:25:02future legs to Aberdeen could be considered as part of the city deal.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Ruth Davidson arrived by helicopter today, which might say something
0:25:03 > 0:25:02about the transport links. Nicola Sturgeon is here today. I spoke to
0:25:03 > 0:25:02the four candidates that want to become the MSP for Aberdeen Central.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02We spoke about the Health Service in Aberdeen, the oil and gas industry
0:25:03 > 0:25:02and we started with talk of the transport links.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02High above Aberdeen, the glorious sunshine, we have persuaded the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02candidates to look away from the windows and speak to us. Kevin
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Stewart, transport infrastructure. No doubt there is a lot going on.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02But there are communities outside Aberdeen that feel like they are
0:25:03 > 0:25:02getting a rough deal? Aberdeen and the north-east was neglected for too
0:25:03 > 0:25:02long. It has taken the SNP Government to forge ahead with the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Western peripheral Route. There will be improvements at the Halligan.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02We're going to see rail improvements south, in southern areas in terms of
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Peterhead and Fraserborough, the city deal could help in that regard.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02I would urge them to carry out a complete study on those routes. In
0:25:03 > 0:25:02particular, I would be interested to see exactly what the results of
0:25:03 > 0:25:02those cities are. Sometimes we see transport Scotland failing to take
0:25:03 > 0:25:02notice. I think they should look at the economic benefit as a whole. All
0:25:03 > 0:25:02of this has happened under the SNP Government? I'm not surprised that
0:25:03 > 0:25:02people in Fraserburgh feel neglected, when you get an answer
0:25:03 > 0:25:02like that. It is the last thing on his mind. You saw it when thousands
0:25:03 > 0:25:02of jobs were lost in Fraserburgh in the fishing industry, very little
0:25:03 > 0:25:02came from the Scottish Government. When he talks about the SNP
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Government forging ahead, he is talking about the SNP Government
0:25:03 > 0:25:02finally, slowly, delivering projects that were put in place by the last
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Labour government. For the SNP to boast about the western periphery,
0:25:03 > 0:25:02when it is coming in ten years behind the schedule they inherited.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02I think that tells you a lot. Parts of the north-east are going to be
0:25:03 > 0:25:02doing better under the Conservatives? Absolutely, I agree
0:25:03 > 0:25:02that the SNP Government has come in very late. It is partly the previous
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Labour administration that is to blame. The periphery route was
0:25:03 > 0:25:02planned when I was the original councillor 20 years ago. It could
0:25:03 > 0:25:02have been studied them, but never was. Labour Government, did take a
0:25:03 > 0:25:02while? Sure, but ten years ago, when Alex Salmond was First Minister, he
0:25:03 > 0:25:02said that one of his priorities was to dual the road up to Peterhead.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02It's easy for them to make these statements about what they will do
0:25:03 > 0:25:02without having to deliver them. I think that the voters will recognise
0:25:03 > 0:25:02that. There is no doubt Aberdeen are struggling because of the downturn.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02What would the SNP Government be doing if it is re-elected? What we
0:25:03 > 0:25:02have already seen as the SNP Government step up to the plate by
0:25:03 > 0:25:02putting additional money into the city deal. The UK Government gave us
0:25:03 > 0:25:02?125 million comedy Scottish Government ?379 million, recognising
0:25:03 > 0:25:02that the north-east needs a boost at this moment in time. The downturn is
0:25:03 > 0:25:02affecting everybody. My father is on a three-day week. There is hardly a
0:25:03 > 0:25:02household in the region that is untouched by this. I think the city
0:25:03 > 0:25:02region deal, the amount of money should be at least matched by the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Westminster Government. They should step up to the plate and at least
0:25:03 > 0:25:02match the Scottish Government's contribution. We will see an
0:25:03 > 0:25:02investment from Conservative Government at Westminster, the SNP
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Government at Hollywood. What do we Government at Westminster, the SNP
0:25:03 > 0:25:02get from Labour in Aberdeen? A lot of this is too little and too late.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02You about the reaction of the SNP Government to the oil jobs crisis,
0:25:03 > 0:25:02you can see how little attention they have given it. He says there
0:25:03 > 0:25:02needs to be a little boost. No, it needs a government that takes the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02oil crisis seriously. We have a situation, I been talking to people
0:25:03 > 0:25:02in the last few days who have lost their jobs in the oil industry.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Nicola Sturgeon saying, gosh, we have a ?12 million into a training
0:25:03 > 0:25:02fun. They applied for access. For every one person able to access that
0:25:03 > 0:25:02fund, there is another 100 and cannot. The fund can only be
0:25:03 > 0:25:02accessed by people with employer contributions. The Westminster
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Government can always do more, the SNP has too much the funds. It is
0:25:03 > 0:25:02the government in power, and they probably will be in power in
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Scotland, it needs a good position to make sure they do the work they
0:25:03 > 0:25:02have to do for Scotland. They have been in place for 12 years. Aberdeen
0:25:03 > 0:25:02is in dire straits. You go around the city, there are signboards for
0:25:03 > 0:25:02sale all over the place. Mentioning the rail network, in this last
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Parliament, Alison McGinnis fought really hard for a railway station on
0:25:03 > 0:25:02the outskirts of Aberdeen. It has been extremely successful, very well
0:25:03 > 0:25:02supported, and has plans to open another one in another part of
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Aberdeen. 90% of the electorate in Pinter say they would support a
0:25:03 > 0:25:02regional railway station. Pinter say they would support a
0:25:03 > 0:25:02briefly, there will be a trauma centre and that is an election
0:25:03 > 0:25:02issue? Aberdeen will take a vital part of the major trauma network in
0:25:03 > 0:25:02central Scotland. That is not answering the question. I think that
0:25:03 > 0:25:02is a no. It will play a major part in Scotland's trauma system. This
0:25:03 > 0:25:02should not be eight scare mongering issue, as some have done during this
0:25:03 > 0:25:02election. Our duty, it is to make sure that patients here get the best
0:25:03 > 0:25:02possible care. There is clinical advice saying that four centres
0:25:03 > 0:25:02would be too much? Doctors have been virtually unanimous and loud and
0:25:03 > 0:25:02clear, warning against following the route that the SNP are going down,
0:25:03 > 0:25:02not to have a major trauma centre in Aberdeen. If they go down that
0:25:03 > 0:25:02route, not only will a vital part of the network, he says, not a major
0:25:03 > 0:25:02trauma centre, but only will that mean patients and families
0:25:03 > 0:25:02travelling to the Centre for emergency care, it will also make it
0:25:03 > 0:25:02harder to recruit surgeons and consultants of needs.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Scaremongering? It is not. It is a valid point, we have an excellent
0:25:03 > 0:25:02medical School in Aberdeen. We have the right surgeons at the moment to
0:25:03 > 0:25:02carry on with the trauma centre. With the SNP policy covering along
0:25:03 > 0:25:02as a network, whatever does that mean? I agree with what my
0:25:03 > 0:25:02colleagues have said. There is not a guarantee that there is going to be
0:25:03 > 0:25:02a trauma centre. We need a commitment from the health Minister,
0:25:03 > 0:25:02no doubt about it, no fudging the edges. He says in the paper today
0:25:03 > 0:25:02that the north-east was in her edges. He says in the paper today
0:25:03 > 0:25:02sights, she ought to support a trauma centre in Aberdeen? Last time
0:25:03 > 0:25:02round, 2011, all ten of the seats, the constituency seats in the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02north-east of Scotland went to the SNP. There are two counts at
0:25:03 > 0:25:02opposite ends of the cities on Thursday nights, and we will find
0:25:03 > 0:25:02out who is elected this time. Over the next five years
0:25:03 > 0:25:02the Scottish Parliament will gain control of a number
0:25:03 > 0:25:02of different welfare benefits. Ian Hamilton has been finding out
0:25:03 > 0:25:02what impact the changes might have A million people in Scotland have a
0:25:03 > 0:25:02long-term health condition or disability and many leading rural
0:25:03 > 0:25:02areas which present a range of challenges. Following the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02independence referendum one of the outcomes of the Smith commission was
0:25:03 > 0:25:02to transfer some welfare responsibilities from Westminster to
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Holyrood. Joy is one of the 380,000 people in Scotland in receipt of
0:25:03 > 0:25:02disability living allowance or the new personal independence payment.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02She would like the new Scottish Government to take a different
0:25:03 > 0:25:02approach. It's a very demeaning process, it is not a tick box
0:25:03 > 0:25:02situation, people are not the same, even visual impairment is not the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02same. If you are arthritic some days you can do things and other days you
0:25:03 > 0:25:02can't. The next Scottish Government will get control over 11 different
0:25:03 > 0:25:02benefits. These include personal independence payments, the spare
0:25:03 > 0:25:02room subsidy and carers allowance. These will have an impact on people
0:25:03 > 0:25:02with disabilities living in Scotland. Not only will the next
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Scottish Government be taking over existing benefits, they will be able
0:25:03 > 0:25:02to top them up and create new ones. There are expectations amongst the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02disabled community that the Scottish Government at best will halt or roll
0:25:03 > 0:25:02back some of the more controversial welfare of changes but the Scottish
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Government might have very little wriggle room. They will have limited
0:25:03 > 0:25:02sum of money and they will have to manage that money in a way they've
0:25:03 > 0:25:02never done before. You can't make anybody better off without making
0:25:03 > 0:25:02somebody else worse off somewhere else unless you are willing to spend
0:25:03 > 0:25:02more money and often a lot more money. Disabled people like joy they
0:25:03 > 0:25:02say that when the Scottish Government get control of welfare
0:25:03 > 0:25:02benefits they would like them to stop continually reassessing them,
0:25:03 > 0:25:02particularly when they have lifelong conditions, and instead take account
0:25:03 > 0:25:02of geography and the variable nature of disabilities. The question is
0:25:03 > 0:25:02then in five years' time to the welfare systems north and south of
0:25:03 > 0:25:02the border be quite different beasts?
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Well, with less than two days to go till the election let's get some
0:25:03 > 0:25:02I'm joined now from Edinburgh by Nicola McEwen, professor
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Thank you for joining as, perhaps it's been a campaign which hasn't
0:25:03 > 0:25:02quite set the heather alight. That's true, it's always difficult when the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02result in a way looks like a foregone conclusion and even though
0:25:03 > 0:25:02there is still quite a lot to play for the campaign, it's been
0:25:03 > 0:25:02difficult for the parties to get people excited and it's been
0:25:03 > 0:25:02competing for space with the European referendum in June. One
0:25:03 > 0:25:02doesn't want to be presumptuous but the polls suggest perhaps what could
0:25:03 > 0:25:02happen. I think if the SNP did not win the pollsters which at shop and
0:25:03 > 0:25:02go home but there are certain things which are still up for grabs. It's
0:25:03 > 0:25:02not clear how much they will win by, the contest for second place between
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Labour and Conservatives is where the big uncertainties lie and how
0:25:03 > 0:25:02about the small parties and that is still all to play for in a sense. As
0:25:03 > 0:25:02voters look at the way things are going, how might that affect
0:25:03 > 0:25:02turnout? Ordinarily we would expect turnout to be lower when there is
0:25:03 > 0:25:02not a real contest for the winner, when the result seems like a
0:25:03 > 0:25:02foregone conclusion but the opinion polls suggest it will be up quite a
0:25:03 > 0:25:02bit on the 2011 turnout. Would be quite as high as the turnout we saw
0:25:03 > 0:25:02in the referendum or the election last year. -- will not be quite as
0:25:03 > 0:25:02high. You think voters are getting a bit tired of the electoral cycles,
0:25:03 > 0:25:02after this European referendum? It's hard to tell, they are being asked
0:25:03 > 0:25:02to do a lot and participate a lot but there was a real energy in
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Scotland created around the referendum campaign about political
0:25:03 > 0:25:02participation so there is certainly plenty of opportunity for that.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Finally, just after the referendum I suppose we do see a rather different
0:25:03 > 0:25:02politics in Scotland, maybe the dividing line based firmly on the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02constitution? That is a career defining line for sure but there
0:25:03 > 0:25:02have been other issues at play around the economy and taxis and
0:25:03 > 0:25:02have been other issues at play local issues around the country
0:25:03 > 0:25:02which will be difficult for the opinion polls to pick up. There are
0:25:03 > 0:25:02still some uncertainties about Thursday particularly the regional
0:25:03 > 0:25:02vote which is crucial for parties who may not be the eventual winners.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02vote which is crucial for parties Thank you for joining us.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02This will be the fifth Scottish Parliamentary election.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02As usual voters will be faced with two ballot papers.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Here's our political correspondent Glenn Campbell with an explanation
0:25:03 > 0:25:02of how the electoral system in Scotland works.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02There are 129 members being elected to the new Scottish parliament. They
0:25:03 > 0:25:02will be sworn into office here in the debating chamber on May 12. But
0:25:03 > 0:25:02how exactly are the elected? On the 5th of May 2016 you will be eligible
0:25:03 > 0:25:02to vote in the Scottish Parliament election. If you are aged 16 or over
0:25:03 > 0:25:02on election day, I UK, Commonwealth European Union citizen, resident in
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Scotland and registered to vote. There are 73 constituency MSP 's,
0:25:03 > 0:25:02the number matches the number of Westminster constituencies which
0:25:03 > 0:25:02existed when Holyrood was created back in 1999 with the addition of
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Orkney and Shetland becoming two separate seats. These constituency
0:25:03 > 0:25:02MSP is our electricity first past the post. That means whoever has the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02most votes wins. To vote for your constituency member you use the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02lilac ballot paper and simply put across next to the name of the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02candidate you want to represent your local area. There are an additional
0:25:03 > 0:25:0256 MSP is elected by proportional representation. There are seven
0:25:03 > 0:25:02elected in each of the two regions across Scotland. The Highlands and
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Islands, north-east Scotland, mid Scotland and Fife, central Scotland,
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Glasgow, Lothian, West Scotland, and South Scotland. So you actually have
0:25:03 > 0:25:02eight MSP is in total. Your second vote helps to choose the regional
0:25:03 > 0:25:02list members of the Scottish parliament. It's not a second
0:25:03 > 0:25:02preference, you can use it to vote for the same party, or you can
0:25:03 > 0:25:02choose to vote differently. You will find all the parties and independent
0:25:03 > 0:25:02candidates for the regional list on the peach ballot paper. Once again
0:25:03 > 0:25:02you make your choice by marking a single cross next to the person or
0:25:03 > 0:25:02party you prepare. And when all the votes are counted, this system is
0:25:03 > 0:25:02designed to distribute seats proportional way. That way each
0:25:03 > 0:25:02party ends up with a number of seats more closely linked to their overall
0:25:03 > 0:25:02share of the vote. We will tell you who is in and who is out and who is
0:25:03 > 0:25:02likely to form the next government with live coverage of all the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02results through the night once the polls are closed on May five.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02A final thought from our political editor, Brian Taylor.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02at this stage each party has their checklist;
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Wanting to avoid relegation as a united man like you might notice.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Gentleman would not have mentioned that! I continue to battle on as a
0:25:03 > 0:25:02supporter and the continues will -- parties will continue to battle for
0:25:03 > 0:25:02every single vote. I have been covering elections since Braveheart
0:25:03 > 0:25:02was a boy and at some point each candidates think they are going to
0:25:03 > 0:25:02win. Then a couple of days out the parties begin to think what have we
0:25:03 > 0:25:02forgotten, what leaflet have we not send around, we have we not
0:25:03 > 0:25:02targeted, what, which section have we not cajoled or persuaded? They
0:25:03 > 0:25:02are in that position at the moment, one of course empathises with them
0:25:03 > 0:25:02but it's not about them, it's about the voters and the choice they make
0:25:03 > 0:25:02and the outcome it has for Scotland. Briefly, talking to Nicola McEwan,
0:25:03 > 0:25:02it's not been a campaign which has set the heather alight. It's been
0:25:03 > 0:25:02tepid for three reasons, there is an expectation of a certain victory,
0:25:03 > 0:25:02that being the SNP. Perhaps an overhang from the independence
0:25:03 > 0:25:02referendum and the European referendum backwash coming from
0:25:03 > 0:25:02that, and thirdly the positions have been set out very clearly from the
0:25:03 > 0:25:02outset and they remain, doesn't that mean it's not important, it's
0:25:03 > 0:25:02bundling oughtn't -- it's fundamentally important. Thank you.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Now here's Shelley with details of Scotland 2016.
0:25:03 > 0:25:02Tonight with broadband speed is three times faster in urban areas
0:25:03 > 0:25:02are remote parts of Scotland being left in the digital dark age? And
0:25:03 > 0:25:02they say the only poll which mattered is on election day but can
0:25:03 > 0:25:02opinion polls actually shape the outcome? Join me on BBC Two at
0:25:03 > 0:25:0210:30pm. Now, a reminder of
0:25:03 > 0:25:02tonight's main news. A childminder has been telling
0:25:03 > 0:25:02the Liam Fee murder trial that she contacted social services
0:25:03 > 0:25:02a year before the toddler died - because she thought
0:25:03 > 0:25:02somebody was hurting him. Rachel and Nyomi Fee deny
0:25:03 > 0:25:02murdering the toddler. And Leicester City fans
0:25:03 > 0:25:02are still celebrating becoming The team went from relegation
0:25:03 > 0:25:02candidates to title winners in England, in what's been described
0:25:03 > 0:25:02as the greatest fairytale Graeme Stewart will be
0:25:03 > 0:25:02here with the news at 8pm and our late update at 10:30pm -
0:25:03 > 0:25:02but from everyone on the programme, do
0:25:03 > 0:25:03have a very good evening.