03/05/2016 Reporting Scotland

and on BBC One we now join the BBC's news teams where you are.

Tonight, on Reporting Scotland: A childminder tells the Liam Fee

murder trial that she contacted social services about the toddler

The Higher English exam paper is replaced at short

notice after concerns the original was leaked.

Also on the programme, with just two days to go until the election,

we'll be taking the temperature of the economy and hear

what the parties are promising to encourage economic growth.

Delight in the highlands as the air route from Inverness to Britain's

And, as Dundee United wave goodbye to the premiership,

how long can Mixu Paatelainen hang on as manager?

A childminder has been telling the Liam Fee murder trial

that she contacted social services a year before the toddler died

because she thought somebody was hurting him.

Heather Farmer told the court she had become increasingly

concerned about Liam after noticing bruises on his body.

Rachel and Nyomi Fee deny murdering the toddler in March 2014.

Lisa Summers reports from the High court in Livingston.

Today, the court heard from Liam Fee's childminder. Heather Farmer

said she had looked after him since the summer of 2012. The court heard

she kept diaries about the children in her care. She said she recorded a

number of developmental stages of Liam, such as speaking, walking and

interrupting, but she also noticed a number of times when he arrived with

bruises on his body. She said by the beginning of 2013, she had become so

concerned about his injuries she contacted social services, saying

she thought somebody was hurting Liam. Under cross-examination, she

acknowledged that social services had visited Rachel Fee's house, the

same day that she called them, and reported back that everything was

fine. The childminder described an occasion in February 2014 when she

said Liam had arrived at her house occasion in February 2014 when she

and well and with a stiff neck. She said she called Rachel and suggested

she make an appointment at the doctor. She said Rachel called back

saying she had made one for later that morning. But Heather Farmer

said she did not believe the child would be taken to see the GP, so she

drove down to the doctor 's surgery with her daughter and waited

outside. She said there was no sign of Liam or Rachel. She said Rachel

had called her later on to say the doctor had said it was his teeth and

she was off to get some Calpol. She said after that incident she said

she could not look after Liam any more and said she could not trust

Rachel any more. Rachel and Nyomi Fee deny murdering Liam and deny

murdering two other children. -- hurting two other children.

BBC Scotland can reveal that part of this year's Higher English exam

paper has had to be replaced at short notice because of concerns

that some questions may have been leaked.

Tens of thousands of candidates across Scotland will be sitting

Our education correspondent Jamie McIvor is outside

the headquarters of the Scottish Qualification Authority in Glasgow.

The exam season gets underway tomorrow. The higher English is

being sat on Thursday, some 35,000 candidates will be taken the exam --

taking the exam, but it will not be the one originally planned. One of

the two question papers has been replaced. The SQA says a potential

issue was identified, so a new paper was drawn up. BBC Scotland

understands the concern is that some of the questions may have been

leaked. In this day and age, with social media, any suggestion of a

leak of an exam question paper has to be taken very seriously indeed.

How do the SQA think it was leaked? Well, there is no word yet on just

what may have happened, Andrew. The organisation says the chief

invigilators are being kept fully informed here. In general, there is

always tight security around exam papers, both here at the SQA, the

printers and at the schools and exam centres. In general, you find that

schools and exam centres hold the exam papers very carefully and only

open them shortly before each exam. The largest teachers union, the EIS

is calling for a full investigation. It is only natural that some

candidates hearing the story may be feeling nervous, the SQA is taking

steps to reassure them. It is making the point that the new paper is in

all exam centres and will be up to standard. For the moment, the story

is either hugely embarrassing or it is a case of what may have been a

potential disaster having been averted.

The crash of a helicopter on Friday off the coast of Norway was probably

caused by a technical malfunction, according to Norwegian authorities.

The Super Puma 225 went down while en route to Bergen

13 people, including 41-year-old Aberdeenshire man Iain Stuart, died.

The helicopter's manufacturers insist the model is safe.

So the campaign for the Scottish Parliament

The leaders of the main political parties have been out and about,

across the country, trying to persuade voters to back them.

The focus today has been on the economy, this

from our political editor Brian Taylor.

The First Minister. Thank you very much. Doing the business. In

Aberdeen, Nicola Sturgeon argues a strong economy is a vital precursor

to paying for public services. She says SNP policies such as rate

exemptions for small business would bolster economic development. I

understand, I see it every single day, but I am First Minister. If we

don't have a strong economy, with good jobs, we will not have the

revenue we need to invest in public services. The economy and jobs,

opportunities for young people is at the heart of everything we want to

do. Spelling it out, playfully. In Glasgow, Labour's Kezia Dugdale took

to the trail. She says the way to boost the economy is to invest in

education, funded by tax. The best thing we can do to drive up

productivity, prepare Scotland for a future economy, is invest in the

schools and knowledge of our people. That is why the Labour Party is the

only one promising to protect education budgets, to spend more in

making sure that every child in the education budgets, to spend more in

country can fulfil their potential. In marine simulator, but she takes

to the skies for real in a coast-to-coast search for votes. She

says the Conservatives have the right approach of the economy. Need

more investment and opportunities, that is why we want to freeze

business rates, to give businesses the certainty that they need. We

want to make sure that Scotland is not the highest taxed part of the

UK, because it will not bring the jobs and investment the country

requires. Willie Rennie, in paradise... Or rather a play centre

that name. Another light-hearted photocall. But he says the Liberal

Democrats are deadly serious about increasing tax to fund education.

People are our best resource. If we can invest in them to get them

skilled, trained and educated, we will be a magnet for companies

across the world to come here, to exploit those great talents and

create business and opportunity, wealth and growth. In Edinburgh and

across Scotland, councils get ready for the election, the big night.

Your job, to fill the ballot boxes. Brian joins me now. We are nearly

there, I suppose at this point the parties are just pushing the

fundamental messages? Yes, that is absolutely right. There is hardly

any time for nuance or subtlety now. That is about the fundamental

closing messages. Of course, this time, in the Scottish Parliamentary

elections, those messages are not just about public spending on health

and the NHS, and the rest. They are about tax, because the Scottish

Parliament has full control of income tax rates and bands for the

first time, starting right now and going forward. If anything, that

will motivate people to turn out and about is a big thought for the

parties as well. They are determined to encourage the vote as much as

possible, to encourage the vote in their direction, but to encourage

the vote generally. And I going to stand here and suggest to people

that they ought to vote? Certainly not, that is their call and people

might have good reasons for staying away, abstaining or not bothering.

might have good reasons for staying But I Sibley say this, it is not

like boycotting a supermarket or sporting organisation, if you stay

away, they will govern without your consent.

The fiancee of a security guard from Argyll who's been held in India

on arms charges for almost three years has met a foreign

office minister as she campaigns for his release.

while on an anti-piracy mission in the Indian Ocean.

Today their families and friends gathered in Carlisle for a rally

Bring our boys home! Families and friends say it is a miscarriage of

justice. Today, they were determined to make their voices heard. Billy

Irving, a former soldier from near Oban, had been working on a US

gunship as a security guard, protecting merchant shipping in the

Gulf of Aden against Somali pirates. It was detained in Indian waters and

the men arrested on illegal weapons charges. In January, the six Britons

were sentenced to five years in prison. Today, supporters of Billy

Irving held a gathering to highlight his case. It is a travesty of

justice. It is important that Obama shows they are supporting her --

Oban. We need to act and that is demonstrated by the support shown,

and also the support shown in Carlisle and other places. Get the

guys home, that is all that matters. A bigger meeting was held in

Carlisle, where the families met a minister from the Foreign Office. It

is frustrating, the law in India takes a long time, the judicial

process grinds extremely slowly. The politicians cannot interfere in that

process in India, any more than we can in the UK as politicians. I'm

completely frustrated. When it first happened, we gave people time, let

them get on with things, did things quietly like they asked. Enough is

enough, these men cannot suffer for five years in prison, they need to

come home. The hope is that an appeal will be heard in the Indian

courts next month. But there are no guarantees. Now, campaigners have

resolved to make as much noise as possible.

A look at other stories from across the country. And Aberdeen oil

industry executive with a previous conviction of embezzlement has

admitted stealing more than ?1.3 million from her employers.

Jacqueline McPhee took the money from her firm, the court heard. An

inquiry has begun into the circumstances involving a death at

the Aberdeen Academy. He was stabbed by a fellow pupil last year. His

killer was jailed for nine years after being found guilty of culpable

homicide. A petition of more than 1000 signatures against a proposed

sport and housing development near Dunblane has been submitted to

Hollywood. -- Hollywood. High profile backers of the multi-million

pound Park of Keir include Judy Murray and Colin Montgomerie. Work

on the controversial Westland Road has started. The council says that

it will ease traffic congestion by creating a link across the

Caledonian Canal. The estimated costs of the road and associated

work stands at ?55 million. The wind generated power produced enough

electricity to meet the needs of over three quarters of Scottish

households last month. Figures released by analysts show that high

wind during April generated enough electricity to power 1.9 million

homes. Celebrations have marked

the re-establishment of a daily air link between Inverness and Heathrow

airport after almost 20 years. The ability of travellers

from the Highland capital to connect through the London hub

is seen as crucial for business travellers and the tourism industry

in the north, as Craig A site that campaigners have been

desperate to see for 19 years, as a British Airways plane touches down

at Inverness airport. The route was axed in 1997, but ever since then

there has been a clamour for its return. I've been waiting for this

flight to be reinstated for years. My darling wife is from Inverness,

we are visiting her parents. We live in west London. The day the flight

disappeared many years ago, disaster. Delighted to have the

route back. You would barely leave the fact that a plane was landing at

an airport would be greeted with so much fanfare. Campaigners insist

that the effect of the connectivity between Inverness and Heathrow

Airport cannot be overstated. That is an airport hub with more than 50

long-haul destinations, and that is important, vitally important, they

say, not just for travellers leaving here, but also for visitors flying

in. We are now connected by one of the world's leading, marketing

airlines, connected to Heathrow, one of the leading, largest hubs, with

such a critical mass of people going through Terminal 5 at Heathrow. It

is reckoned Inverness airport lost 70,000 passengers per year when the

link to the London hub was lost. The airport and airline are hoping to

claw back the business and expand the route further.

Tears of joy and sadness in Dundee last night?

Mixu Paatelainen remains tonight as manager of Dundee United,

But his chairman Steven Thompson has released a statement promising

radical changes at the club, as well as cost-cutting.

He's also apologised for the side's relegation,

which was confirmed at city rivals Dundee last night.

It was painful last night. The realisation for United fans that,

after 20 years in the top flight, their team were going down.

Relegation and a 2-1 defeat at the hands of their derby rivals, as the

final and humiliating nail in the coffin. Relegated at the hands of

their bitter rivals! The big question today was Mixu Paatelainen.

Would he walk away? Don't be stupid! Or would he be pushed? We have some

footballing issues that are there to be sorted out. Only a fool would put

that to waste. The club made a statement at around 4pm, in which

the chairman, Stephen Thomson made Mixu Paatelainen's future no

clearer. There needs to be fundamental change

at all levels in the club, starting at the boardroom. I don't think

there is a coherent strategy for the club going forward. On the park,

results have been terrible, performances have been really poor.

There needs to be a change in the Head Coach's position as well. Under

scrutiny is his league record since taking over in October. In 25 games,

they have won five, drawn four and lost 16. In his statement, the

chairman, Steven Thomson, warned of tough times ahead. The big question

is, what are his intentions for a club in the Championship next

season? Richard Wilson has been following

this story and joins us now, live from Tannadice. There were some

media reports today that Mixu Paatelainen had been sacked. Is this

just a stay of execution? Well, he was here, he met Steven Thomson at

Tannadice today, but he was only on the ground for 25 minutes. It was

clearly a brief meeting, which suggests there was not much for them

to talk about. The sensor on Tannadice is that in all likelihood

Mixu Paatelainen has managed Dundee United for the last time. That will

not be officially confirmed until the legalities out. The chairman

warned of tough times, what does he mean by radical changes? As well as

the manager situation, there are always financial publications of

relegation. They will earn less money in the Championship, they have

a large playing squad, the third-largest wage bill in the

division. One of the first consequences of relegation is going

to be cutting the playing squad, the number of players that are going to

leave Tannadice in the summer, it will have to be a root and branch

review of everything that they do. The big story in English football is

Leicester City, and unfancied club winning the title.

Exactly 30 years ago, it was also the backdrop to one

of Scottish football's most memorable season finales.

Hearts had enjoyed top spot for most of the season and needed just one

point away to Dundee to clinch the title.

This is a lot of street in Paisley, it is derelict now and under lock

and key but in 1986 it was the scene of part of one of the most rheumatic

season finales in Scottish football. season finales in Scottish football.

-- dramatic. To have any chance of winning the title Celtic had to beat

Saint Mirren by at least three goals. We were doing our bit, hoping

Dundee could go and beat Hearts. A draw would be enough for Hearts to

become champions. Such stuff as supporters dreams are made on.

However... There was a virus in the camp, Craig Levine could not play,

there was a change in referee and an Edinburgh referee was in charge who

wanted to make it clear he would not show any favours. For Hearts cruel

wanted to make it clear he would not fate wore a moustache. Swinging in

very dangerously and there is a goal. What a marvellous substitution

this has been, Hearts looking slightly ragged, great chance, 2-0.

News of the goals faltered through to Paisley where Celtic thrashed

Saint Mirren 5-0. The supporters of an unlikely new hero who was back at

dens Park today remembering the day he helped Celtic win the title and

destroy the dreams of Hearts fans and players. I never took any great

delight in that, to see a fellow pro being like that out on their feet,

it was quite disappointing. But that's football.

There were more tears a week later when Hearts lost the Scottish cup

final to Aberdeen. Ten years ago a corner of Midlothian

was transformed by the Hollywood Thousands of tourists descended

on Rosslyn chapel which was central to the story written by Dan Brown

and brought to the screen by director Ron Howard

and leading man Tom Hanks. But a decade later, has

there been a lasting effect? Elizabeth Quigley has been back

to Rosslyn Chapel to find out. Rosslyn Chapel, a place of worship,

wonder and intrigue. Remember this? Key exposed one of the greatest

cover-ups in human history. The da Vinci code by Dan Brown, brought to

life on the big screen by Tom Hanks in 2006. It is true thousands from

across the globe. But ten years or does it still hold the same

attraction? Saw the film again, read the book and I saw the film about a

month ago and I thought let's go. We heard about it from the book or the

film and this is the way we knew about it. I've seen the film three

times in fact. I'm always fascinated to see it again. The Countess of

Roslin remembers when Tinseltown came to stay. For that reason we are

very grateful to the da Vinci code came to stay. For that reason we are

and Dan Brown because what I like to think, this is another moment in the

long history of the chapel. It was built on the 15th century and what

happened at the beginning of the 19th century is similar to what is

happening now. It became derelict and needed attention so Sir Walter

Scott wrote a book which again took one of the legends of the chapel as

its main point and it had a similar effect. He wanted to build a church

to praise God. And it's not just the da Vinci code affect. Around 40% of

visitors to the UK say they were influenced by what they saw on TV or

film. We have had so many amazing iconic scenes in Scotland, the

fourth Bridge included in the 39 steps, the West Sands of St Andrews

featured in chariots of Fire, coming steps, the West Sands of St Andrews

up to the modern day, Glen Coe featured in the James Bond movie sky

fall. And also brave where the inspiration for the castle is up

near Stonehaven. The sparkle of the silver screen shows no sign wearing

off here or across Scotland. Now let's look at the weather.

Good evening, a number of blustery showers across the country today but

also sunshine at times, lovely picture from one of our weather

Watchers in Perth. As we head through the showers will fade, late

sunshine but the cloud will build across the West, threat of rain

across the north-west. For most of the mainland dry night, not as cold

as last night, temperatures in towns and cities of around five, eight

Celsius. We can see it quite clearly pushing across western parts of the

country, high pressure across the near continent, keeping it in the

north-west. For many it will be dry but windy and wet across the

Highlands and Islands. Any rain will be liked and patchy mainly over the

hills, by mid-afternoon it will be breezy, fairly cloudy. Across parts

of North Argyll, the rain setting in and will be heavy and persistent.

Further east it is dry, fairly cloudy, likely around the coast into

Aberdeenshire. Further north towards the far north, Orkney and Shetland a

mixture of cloud and patchy rain. As we head towards the evening the

weather starts to make its way further east and south-east and

overnight journeys down towards the Borders so a spell of light and

patchy rain at times. As one weather for clears a second pushes into the

north-west. A legacy of cloud to start the day in the South East but

many areas dry and bright, some spells of sunshine but the second

point will bring showery outbreaks of rain across the Outer Hebrides.

Captors for many in the mid teens. Friday and the trend for those

temperatures rising continues in the South West 17 degrees possible. Some

bright spells but Tony East Coast it will be chilly.

You're watching a Reporting Scotland election special.

Here's a reminder of tonight's main story: A childminder tells

the Liam Fee murder trial that she contacted social services

about the toddler a year before he died.

And, still to come tonight: Transport is one of the key

battlegrounds of the election - we look at what the voters want.

On the day Nicola Sturgeon and Ruth Davidson were on the campaign trail

in the North East we are talking transport, the health service and

what more can be done for the oil and gas industry with the candidates

vying to be the new MSP for Aberdeen central. In the Holyrood election

trail today as we held earlier today there's been a lot about the jobs

and economy but have the political parties are addressed the challenges

facing the economy and how best to grow it? Our business and economy

editor Douglas Fraser has been to the Forth Valley to find out what

business once from the next five years at Holyrood.

This turf is hard-fought, the Forth Valley is where battles are

re-enacted. It remains that way since the last Holyrood election

there has been a battle for control of Scotland's biggest industrial

plant where unions's facedown and lost. This was the starting place

for the iron industry, 250 years ago the works opened and last its

successor was told by bosses in Switzerland that it is being closed

and work is moving to Slovakia. But another successor is acrylic, not

metal. Manufacturing has shrunk across Scotland. Export markets

falling away, cheap, dish and from Egypt, it shifted its focus to the

great British bathroom, selling on quality, not price. The order book

is very strong, which brings its own challenges, we are trying to bring

the right kind of people in from the pull in manufacturing which gets

smaller every year and try to encourage people that this is a

place they cannot only get a job but try and build a career.

place they cannot only get a job but building is going very strongly

having early clubs to few years back and the economy has diversified.

Call centres and leisure, emerging from the old canal system this

powerful symbol of Scotland is pulling tourists. Yet evidence tells

us economic confidence across Scotland is weak, even this far from

the North Sea and its troubled oil injury. We have always had a lot of

offshore workers living locally and you do hear of contracts changing,

people not having employment any more. So I think that has an effect

on the economy. But the introduction of shale gas we are told is going to

help, coming from America. I will show you the blue. The squeeze on

spending power is being felt in Falkirk were this petite has to cut

its cloth with a change to traditional retailing. The expansion

was good and then the crash happened, online happened, the

retail park in Falkirk happened and it's incredibly tough ever since.

The toughest I have known it and it doesn't appear to be getting any

better. Frustration the politician standing for Holyrood don't get it

about business. They are crippling business, there have been a lot of

empty units in the street, people have wanted to open businesses in

Falkirk, you cannot run a business on a rateable system which is no

Falkirk, you cannot run a business longer fit for purpose.

The rates were set up when Falkirk was a busy town centre. Much of the

campaign has been about higher tax. I accept a small increase in tax if

it goes to the local economy. As far as High Street are concerned,

everything is so rundown, I am sure the majority of people would agree

to that. Local authorities have got to be given more money. If we pay

more in rates is my worry, pay more in income tax. Generally speaking,

the councils have to get an increase in money. A lot of people out there

need that extra help. I would like to see something done where I can

more directly help those people that are more affected by the policies of

austerity. There are many issues not prominent in the Holyrood election

campaign. Among them, economic challenges have been low-key. I

don't think many ideas for growing the Scottish economy have come out

of the debate so far. The political parties have really fixated on

taxation. It is understandable, in a way, because these are new and

important powers. But you get as much tax as the economy is capable

of delivering. If you don't have a growing economy, you cannot expect

to have more tax revenues. At the heart of Scotland and the Scottish

economy, the torch still burns for manufacturing. People here know they

have to adapt and keep changing in response to global pressures and

opportunities. The question at this election is what government can and

should do to help them through taxation, spending and, above all,

education and skills. One of the big issues

for the North East of Scotland is transport and particularly

the road network. Our reporter Steven Duff has

been finding out more Andrew, I am on the top floor of

this huge office development that is towering over union Street in

Aberdeen. It was designed and built, it has to be said, probably when

Aberdeen. It was designed and built, oil and gas industry was doing a lot

better. It is on the former site of the Capitol Theatre, which saw

performances from the Rolling Stones and even The Krankees. I'll be

speaking to the candidates vying to be the MP for Aberdeen Central.

First, a much talked about issue, the state of transport links.

A bypass for Aberdeen, something many thought would never happen. It

was talked about enough, but it wasn't until 2003 that the Labour

and Lib Dem coalition in Holyrood announced it would be built. The SNP

Government pushed ahead, overcoming announced it would be built. The SNP

funding and legal barriers to see it become a reality. And you can't miss

it. The landscape of the north-east, changing dramatically.

The Aberdeen Western peripheral Route is the biggest roads projects

currently underway in the UK. It will cost ?740 million a bypass for

Aberdeen has been spoken about since the end of the Second World War. But

in two years' time, it will become a the end of the Second World War. But

reality, finally. The aim is to take the end of the Second World War. But

the pressure off the city's creaking road network. When the bypass is

finished, 36 miles of new road will have been built. There are

improvements to the notorious roundabout in the north of Aberdeen

and a new bridge across the River Don. Throw in the new UK and

Scottish Government backed city region deal and there are hundreds

of millions of pounds being invested in the north-east. Much needed, as

the oil downturn bites hard on Europe's oil capital. But not

everybody is happy. Summary says you can drive all the way from Turkey,

and when you get here you are onto a single jewel -- dual carriageway. He

is not alone in believing his town gets a raw deal when it comes to

transport links. Thank you, enjoy your fish. The whole transport

network is terrible. You think, as well, Peterhead is the fourth

biggest town in Scotland. They seem to forget that. You are speaking

about a ?1 billion industry as well. When you see the amount of fish in

the market, multiplied as well, the oil industry, it is a busy place.

You are on camera. Look at that! A report released during the election

campaign says new dual carriageway miss to Peterhead and Fraser Brown

are unlikely to attract enough funding to be cost affected. I work

from home, if you need to get down south and you want to get up early

in the morning, it is really bad. It is murder, his nose to tail. If they

can afford a new bridge for Adam Brown not charge people to go across

it, why can't we get a dual carriageway? If you consider the

industry is available in Peterhead? industry is available in Peterhead?

-- for Edinburgh. It is more than 50 years since the

last passenger trains ran through the north-east corner. The same

report that knocked back dual carriageways to Peterhead and

Fraserborough also poo-pooed a real link. But the government says any

future legs to Aberdeen could be considered as part of the city deal.

Ruth Davidson arrived by helicopter today, which might say something

about the transport links. Nicola Sturgeon is here today. I spoke to

the four candidates that want to become the MSP for Aberdeen Central.

We spoke about the Health Service in Aberdeen, the oil and gas industry

and we started with talk of the transport links.

High above Aberdeen, the glorious sunshine, we have persuaded the

candidates to look away from the windows and speak to us. Kevin

Stewart, transport infrastructure. No doubt there is a lot going on.

But there are communities outside Aberdeen that feel like they are

getting a rough deal? Aberdeen and the north-east was neglected for too

long. It has taken the SNP Government to forge ahead with the

Western peripheral Route. There will be improvements at the Halligan.

We're going to see rail improvements south, in southern areas in terms of

Peterhead and Fraserborough, the city deal could help in that regard.

I would urge them to carry out a complete study on those routes. In

particular, I would be interested to see exactly what the results of

those cities are. Sometimes we see transport Scotland failing to take

notice. I think they should look at the economic benefit as a whole. All

of this has happened under the SNP Government? I'm not surprised that

people in Fraserburgh feel neglected, when you get an answer

like that. It is the last thing on his mind. You saw it when thousands

of jobs were lost in Fraserburgh in the fishing industry, very little

came from the Scottish Government. When he talks about the SNP

Government forging ahead, he is talking about the SNP Government

finally, slowly, delivering projects that were put in place by the last

Labour government. For the SNP to boast about the western periphery,

when it is coming in ten years behind the schedule they inherited.

I think that tells you a lot. Parts of the north-east are going to be

doing better under the Conservatives? Absolutely, I agree

that the SNP Government has come in very late. It is partly the previous

Labour administration that is to blame. The periphery route was

planned when I was the original councillor 20 years ago. It could

have been studied them, but never was. Labour Government, did take a

while? Sure, but ten years ago, when Alex Salmond was First Minister, he

said that one of his priorities was to dual the road up to Peterhead.

It's easy for them to make these statements about what they will do

without having to deliver them. I think that the voters will recognise

that. There is no doubt Aberdeen are struggling because of the downturn.

What would the SNP Government be doing if it is re-elected? What we

have already seen as the SNP Government step up to the plate by

putting additional money into the city deal. The UK Government gave us

?125 million comedy Scottish Government ?379 million, recognising

that the north-east needs a boost at this moment in time. The downturn is

affecting everybody. My father is on a three-day week. There is hardly a

household in the region that is untouched by this. I think the city

region deal, the amount of money should be at least matched by the

Westminster Government. They should step up to the plate and at least

match the Scottish Government's contribution. We will see an

investment from Conservative Government at Westminster, the SNP

Government at Hollywood. What do we Government at Westminster, the SNP

get from Labour in Aberdeen? A lot of this is too little and too late.

You about the reaction of the SNP Government to the oil jobs crisis,

you can see how little attention they have given it. He says there

needs to be a little boost. No, it needs a government that takes the

oil crisis seriously. We have a situation, I been talking to people

in the last few days who have lost their jobs in the oil industry.

Nicola Sturgeon saying, gosh, we have a ?12 million into a training

fun. They applied for access. For every one person able to access that

fund, there is another 100 and cannot. The fund can only be

accessed by people with employer contributions. The Westminster

Government can always do more, the SNP has too much the funds. It is

the government in power, and they probably will be in power in

Scotland, it needs a good position to make sure they do the work they

have to do for Scotland. They have been in place for 12 years. Aberdeen

is in dire straits. You go around the city, there are signboards for

sale all over the place. Mentioning the rail network, in this last

Parliament, Alison McGinnis fought really hard for a railway station on

the outskirts of Aberdeen. It has been extremely successful, very well

supported, and has plans to open another one in another part of

Aberdeen. 90% of the electorate in Pinter say they would support a

regional railway station. Pinter say they would support a

briefly, there will be a trauma centre and that is an election

issue? Aberdeen will take a vital part of the major trauma network in

central Scotland. That is not answering the question. I think that

is a no. It will play a major part in Scotland's trauma system. This

should not be eight scare mongering issue, as some have done during this

election. Our duty, it is to make sure that patients here get the best

possible care. There is clinical advice saying that four centres

would be too much? Doctors have been virtually unanimous and loud and

clear, warning against following the route that the SNP are going down,

not to have a major trauma centre in Aberdeen. If they go down that

route, not only will a vital part of the network, he says, not a major

trauma centre, but only will that mean patients and families

travelling to the Centre for emergency care, it will also make it

harder to recruit surgeons and consultants of needs.

Scaremongering? It is not. It is a valid point, we have an excellent

medical School in Aberdeen. We have the right surgeons at the moment to

carry on with the trauma centre. With the SNP policy covering along

as a network, whatever does that mean? I agree with what my

colleagues have said. There is not a guarantee that there is going to be

a trauma centre. We need a commitment from the health Minister,

no doubt about it, no fudging the edges. He says in the paper today

that the north-east was in her edges. He says in the paper today

sights, she ought to support a trauma centre in Aberdeen? Last time

round, 2011, all ten of the seats, the constituency seats in the

north-east of Scotland went to the SNP. There are two counts at

opposite ends of the cities on Thursday nights, and we will find

out who is elected this time. Over the next five years

the Scottish Parliament will gain control of a number

of different welfare benefits. Ian Hamilton has been finding out

what impact the changes might have A million people in Scotland have a

long-term health condition or disability and many leading rural

areas which present a range of challenges. Following the

independence referendum one of the outcomes of the Smith commission was

to transfer some welfare responsibilities from Westminster to

Holyrood. Joy is one of the 380,000 people in Scotland in receipt of

disability living allowance or the new personal independence payment.

She would like the new Scottish Government to take a different

approach. It's a very demeaning process, it is not a tick box

situation, people are not the same, even visual impairment is not the

same. If you are arthritic some days you can do things and other days you

can't. The next Scottish Government will get control over 11 different

benefits. These include personal independence payments, the spare

room subsidy and carers allowance. These will have an impact on people

with disabilities living in Scotland. Not only will the next

Scottish Government be taking over existing benefits, they will be able

to top them up and create new ones. There are expectations amongst the

disabled community that the Scottish Government at best will halt or roll

back some of the more controversial welfare of changes but the Scottish

Government might have very little wriggle room. They will have limited

sum of money and they will have to manage that money in a way they've

never done before. You can't make anybody better off without making

somebody else worse off somewhere else unless you are willing to spend

more money and often a lot more money. Disabled people like joy they

say that when the Scottish Government get control of welfare

benefits they would like them to stop continually reassessing them,

particularly when they have lifelong conditions, and instead take account

of geography and the variable nature of disabilities. The question is

then in five years' time to the welfare systems north and south of

the border be quite different beasts?

Well, with less than two days to go till the election let's get some

I'm joined now from Edinburgh by Nicola McEwen, professor

Thank you for joining as, perhaps it's been a campaign which hasn't

quite set the heather alight. That's true, it's always difficult when the

result in a way looks like a foregone conclusion and even though

there is still quite a lot to play for the campaign, it's been

difficult for the parties to get people excited and it's been

competing for space with the European referendum in June. One

doesn't want to be presumptuous but the polls suggest perhaps what could

happen. I think if the SNP did not win the pollsters which at shop and

go home but there are certain things which are still up for grabs. It's

not clear how much they will win by, the contest for second place between

Labour and Conservatives is where the big uncertainties lie and how

about the small parties and that is still all to play for in a sense. As

voters look at the way things are going, how might that affect

turnout? Ordinarily we would expect turnout to be lower when there is

not a real contest for the winner, when the result seems like a

foregone conclusion but the opinion polls suggest it will be up quite a

bit on the 2011 turnout. Would be quite as high as the turnout we saw

in the referendum or the election last year. -- will not be quite as

high. You think voters are getting a bit tired of the electoral cycles,

after this European referendum? It's hard to tell, they are being asked

to do a lot and participate a lot but there was a real energy in

Scotland created around the referendum campaign about political

participation so there is certainly plenty of opportunity for that.

Finally, just after the referendum I suppose we do see a rather different

politics in Scotland, maybe the dividing line based firmly on the

constitution? That is a career defining line for sure but there

have been other issues at play around the economy and taxis and

have been other issues at play local issues around the country

which will be difficult for the opinion polls to pick up. There are

still some uncertainties about Thursday particularly the regional

vote which is crucial for parties who may not be the eventual winners.

vote which is crucial for parties Thank you for joining us.

This will be the fifth Scottish Parliamentary election.

As usual voters will be faced with two ballot papers.

Here's our political correspondent Glenn Campbell with an explanation

of how the electoral system in Scotland works.

There are 129 members being elected to the new Scottish parliament. They

will be sworn into office here in the debating chamber on May 12. But

how exactly are the elected? On the 5th of May 2016 you will be eligible

to vote in the Scottish Parliament election. If you are aged 16 or over

on election day, I UK, Commonwealth European Union citizen, resident in

Scotland and registered to vote. There are 73 constituency MSP 's,

the number matches the number of Westminster constituencies which

existed when Holyrood was created back in 1999 with the addition of

Orkney and Shetland becoming two separate seats. These constituency

MSP is our electricity first past the post. That means whoever has the

most votes wins. To vote for your constituency member you use the

lilac ballot paper and simply put across next to the name of the

candidate you want to represent your local area. There are an additional

56 MSP is elected by proportional representation. There are seven

elected in each of the two regions across Scotland. The Highlands and

Islands, north-east Scotland, mid Scotland and Fife, central Scotland,

Glasgow, Lothian, West Scotland, and South Scotland. So you actually have

eight MSP is in total. Your second vote helps to choose the regional

list members of the Scottish parliament. It's not a second

preference, you can use it to vote for the same party, or you can

choose to vote differently. You will find all the parties and independent

candidates for the regional list on the peach ballot paper. Once again

you make your choice by marking a single cross next to the person or

party you prepare. And when all the votes are counted, this system is

designed to distribute seats proportional way. That way each

party ends up with a number of seats more closely linked to their overall

share of the vote. We will tell you who is in and who is out and who is

likely to form the next government with live coverage of all the

results through the night once the polls are closed on May five.

A final thought from our political editor, Brian Taylor.

at this stage each party has their checklist;

Wanting to avoid relegation as a united man like you might notice.

Gentleman would not have mentioned that! I continue to battle on as a

supporter and the continues will -- parties will continue to battle for

every single vote. I have been covering elections since Braveheart

was a boy and at some point each candidates think they are going to

win. Then a couple of days out the parties begin to think what have we

forgotten, what leaflet have we not send around, we have we not

targeted, what, which section have we not cajoled or persuaded? They

are in that position at the moment, one of course empathises with them

but it's not about them, it's about the voters and the choice they make

and the outcome it has for Scotland. Briefly, talking to Nicola McEwan,

it's not been a campaign which has set the heather alight. It's been

tepid for three reasons, there is an expectation of a certain victory,

that being the SNP. Perhaps an overhang from the independence

referendum and the European referendum backwash coming from

that, and thirdly the positions have been set out very clearly from the

outset and they remain, doesn't that mean it's not important, it's

bundling oughtn't -- it's fundamentally important. Thank you.

Now here's Shelley with details of Scotland 2016.

Tonight with broadband speed is three times faster in urban areas

are remote parts of Scotland being left in the digital dark age? And

they say the only poll which mattered is on election day but can

opinion polls actually shape the outcome? Join me on BBC Two at

10:30pm. Now, a reminder of

tonight's main news. A childminder has been telling

the Liam Fee murder trial that she contacted social services

a year before the toddler died - because she thought

somebody was hurting him. Rachel and Nyomi Fee deny

murdering the toddler. And Leicester City fans

are still celebrating becoming The team went from relegation

candidates to title winners in England, in what's been described

as the greatest fairytale Graeme Stewart will be

here with the news at 8pm and our late update at 10:30pm -

but from everyone on the programme, do

have a very good evening.