25/04/2017 Reporting Scotland

Condemnation of the Conservatives at Holyrood over their support

The Craig Whyte fraud trial hears that Rangers directors discussed

the possibility of administration months before Mr Whyte took over.

Food bank use has risen to record levels -

according to one of the main providers of the service.

From the cold waters of the west coast to your face cream -

could seaweed be the crop of the future?

And, the hunt for the best place to golf in Scotland.

The Scottish Conservatives have been strongly condemned by MSPs

from other parties for their support of the so-called "rape clause".

In a debate at Holyrood the First Minister described

it as "abhorrent", but the Conservatives said

Nicola Sturgeon had the power to change it in Scotland.

Our political correspondent Andrew Kerr has the story.

Enough is enough. The First Minister pressing on with this policy in

Edinburgh. The on two children receiving benefits, has a clause for

a child conceived through rate. The implication of this policy as the

rape clause illustrates are abhorrent. In a very need to provide

an exemption for the two child cap for women who have been raped shows

the callousness of these cuts in the first place. The Conservative leader

tried to strike a conciliatory note. I know there are among us here who

have been subject to sexual violence ourselves and to find the issue and

even the word difficult to articulate. If the government here

doesn't like it, they can change it, she said. The First Minister and her

ministers uses words like shameful and she has the power to act. If you

use a strong words and chooses not to act, that indeed would be

shameful. But the First Minister wasn't for mitigating the effects.

Let's forget the sticking plaster approach, let's devolve the control

of tax credit and universal credit and let's devolve the budgets that

go with them and then let's make our own decisions in this Parliament.

The Labour leader read out a letter from a pass rape victim. It is a

sickening state of affairs. But it is not the author of that letter or

any other rape victim who should feel shame. It is those on the Tory

benches here and in Westminster who refuse to act. If a policy nerve

Billy McClure and associates that a woman has to prove they have been

raped, such policy has no place in a civilised society.

And the Green said Ruth Davidson's mask had slipped. Ruth Davidson has

spent years trying to convince voters that Tories are the nasty

party no longer. But when you cut through the bravado, you can see

that Ruth Davidson is another crew member of other cruel party. It was

a difficult afternoon for the Conservatives, although the First

Minister has denied playing politics with the issue.

MSPs have voted on the issue in the last few minutes

and Andrew Kerr joins us now from Holyrood.

The MSPs have been in the chamber voting. They voted 91-31 backing an

amended Nicola Sturgeon motion, calling for the cap to be lifted and

for the rape clause to be scrapped as well. It has been a very

difficult afternoon for the Conservatives, with Holyrood

rounding on them today. The debate is framed around the rape clause,

but the cap and the child tax credit is quite fair and taxpayers would

support it. They feel the issue has been politicised by the SNP and in

fact Nicola Sturgeon has been accused of demonising the

Conservatives. I asked the First Minister about that this morning and

she said that charge cannot be levelled at the SNP. She said they

had been campaigning against the rape clause since the day it was

introduced and they will continue to do so. Thank you very much.

Labour says that powers which come back from Brussels after Brexit

will be expected to go to devolved bodies -

The party's Brexit spokesman, Keir Starmer, made the commitment

as he launched Labour's strategy this morning.

Our correspondent, Nick Eardley is at Westminster tonight.

What are the details of these proposals? When the UK leads the EU,

powers will come back from Brussels. There has been heated debate about

where they should go. In devolved areas, agriculture and the

fisheries. The Scottish Government and the SNP want those powers to

automatically come back to Edinburgh. The current Conservative

government at UK level says many will, but some might come back to

the parliament behind me if that system, as they judge it, would work

better. Today, Labour made its first campaign pledge and evolution. Keir

Starmer says the party's manifesto, which will be published next month

will contain a pledge on this, which was said there will be a presumption

for any powers coming back from Brussels on devolved areas, will go

to Edinburgh rather than London. It is the first of a number of pledges

we will be analysing over the next few weeks, all part of the pitches

the parties will be making to Scottish voters. Thank you very

much. Rangers's board of directors

discussed the possible collapse of the club,

months before it was That's according to the former

finance director who was giving The jury's also been hearing

about the club's dispute Our correspondent

David Henderson reports. Craig Moore, scoring for Rangers, 17

years ago. Today, a jury heard about the way the Ibrox club had paid him

and some team-mates and the dispute its part with the tax authorities.

Giving evidence for a second day, Rangers' former finance director,

Donald McIntyre. He was questioned Rangers' former finance director,

about the health of the club's finances in the months before it was

sold to Craig Whyte. The court heard Rangers were facing a tax bill for

more than ?2 million and another tax claim for much more, as much as ?50

million. Because of the use of EBT is, or employee benefit trusts which

were used by the club to pay players. The defence advocate,

Donald Findlay, called this a nuclear missile heading towards

Rangers. Craig Whyte bought Rangers in May 2011 and he faces a fraud

charge. The Crown says he falsely claimed he had the money needed to

fund the deal. Today, the court heard Rangers board of directors had

discussed the possibility of the club folding and going into

Administration in the months before that deal took place. Mr Findlay

said the Donald McIntyre, like it or not, by the time Mr Whyte is trying

to buy the club, the club was already heading for potential

financial disaster. Mr McIntyre replied, we weren't contemplating

the club being brought to its knees without the outcome of the EBT case.

Later, you told the prosecution, he believed the Rangers owner, Sir

David Murray, would have wanted to sell his controlling stake to

someone who could take the club forward. This was the sale of a

major Scottish institution, was that of importance to the seller? Yes,

came the reply, a major consideration. Craig Whyte denies

the charges against him and the trial continues.

A former manager of Celtic boys club has been detained and charged

in connection with alleged historical sexual offences.

It's understood 81 year-old Frank Cairney will appear

One of Scotland's biggest hospitals was forced to raise a major alert

after 36 patients waited for up to 17 hours in the accident

A memo sent to staff at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary last

Thursday, raised safety concerns for patients urging

Our health correspondent, Lisa Summers is outside

We know this happened in the days after the Easter bank holiday

because hospitals are busier than normal, perhaps because people

cannot get to see their GP or perhaps it because it takes longer

to get a care package in place. The managers who would have been

prepared that this incident seems to have taken them by surprise. They

said 20 patients, arrived at A within a short space of time and

they didn't have the capacity in the rest of the hospital to admit those

patients. They. They say they managed to get the situation under

control within a matter of hours and it should be said that overall, this

A Department is often the busiest in Scotland and it is generally

performed pretty well when it comes to the target of seeing 95% of

patients within the four hour period. But I do think it shows what

the small margins are you are dealing with. It takes a few extra

patients and the hospital is effectively in gridlock. It raises

patients and the hospital is wider questions about how effective

the community side of health care is, particularly during bank

holidays. Thank you very much, Lisa. Police are investigating

a suspicious package delivered Police set up a temporary

cordon around the Townhead area in Kirkintilloch,

although it has since been removed. The package has been taken away

for examination by police. One of the main providers

of foodbanks in Scotland says use Figures from the Trussell Trust

suggest that low income has become the single biggest reason

for a referral to one Here's our political

correspondent, Glenn Campbell. The amount of food distributed by

food banks in Scotland last year, was enough to feed the entire

population of Dundee for three days. For many using a food bank, it is a

last resort. I didn't want to have to use a foodbank. But I didn't know

where else to turn, to be honest. I had already asked friends and family

for enough money to help get me through. There are 52 food banks in

Scotland operated by the Trussell Trust, which says it issued 145,865

packages of three-day emergency food supplies last year. The charity says

that is up 9% on the year before and that low income often linked to

problems with benefit payments, is the main reason for foodbank use.

The decision maker will send you a letter to the post. You'll have to

wait for that. My kids will have to start school tomorrow. The movie,

Eye, Daniel Blake highlighted problems with the system. And its

director, in Aviemore today, is convinced welfare reform is leaving

people hungry. It is no surprise food banks are handing out even more

food, a record high. The policies of this government producing poverty,

the horrific sanctions regime through people's lives into chaos

when their Social Security is stopped. The increase in foodbank

Ute Police and Crime Commissioner use has been sharp in Glasgow. But

the Department for Work and Pensions says the reason for foodbank use are

complex and it would be misleading to blame changes to the benefit

system for growing demand. There are a huge variety of different causes

as to why people are suffering from low income. But 80% of people in

Scotland who use food banks use them only once. We're not talking about

people relying on food banks over a long period of time. Foodbank use

has gone down in some parts of the country. But in Scotland, as a

whole, the number of people seeking emergency food aid continues to

grow. The Scottish Conservatives

have been strongly condemned for their support

of the so-called "rape clause." Ruth Davidson said the SNP had

the power to change it in Scotland. The woman who built a multi-million

pound business after being turned down for a job at Tesco

receives an OBE. Trials are under way near Oban

to create one of the UK's first Harvesting wild seaweed has been

happening in our waters for centuries, but researchers say

there's huge potential to create an industry as we have the ideal

habitat to cultivate the crop. Our environment correspondent,

Kevin Keane, reports. Between the islands of Lissemore and

the mainland, sits this small seaweed farm. Here, scientists are

trialling the commercial use of seaweed in the hope of stimulating a

whole new industry. This is seaweed in the hope of stimulating a

materials, you can see. These materials were seeded in October and

the seaweed is almost ready for harvest. It seems the cold waters

around Scotland are ideal for harvest. It seems the cold waters

seaweed with just the right levels of nutrients. But less than 1% of

the world's commercial production is farmed here. This entire site is

just 100 metres by 100 in the sand all of the seaweed like this is just

below the surface of the water. But as small as it is, all of this can

produce anything up to 100 tonnes of seaweed. Much of the current use is

in beauty products, most of that comes from overseas or in harvested

wild seaweed. But demand is high. It is in pretty much everything you

turn your hand to now. Nine times out of ten, there isn't an awful lot

you will be able to pick up in the beauty industry that doesn't have an

extract of seaweed in it. Researchers at the Scottish

Association of Marine science at Oban are studying the Celts to see

which grows best and they are trying to work out how this process can be

mechanised to make it commercially viable. We're working on a number of

different projects and they are aimed mainly at production but

working with companies who are using it for food or for companies

interested in using it for animal fodder as well. So there is many

different uses for this crop. It is hoped the work it can help Scotland

tap into this industry, which globally is said to be worth ?4

billion a year. Enter Exports of farmed salmon

from Scotland rose 17% by value last year, but there was another steep

drop in the volume The year also saw a big recovery

in exports into the European Union, The industry has also issued

a warning about the impact on jobs if tariffs are introduced

and on the wider industry if migrant A woman who built a multi-million

pound business in Scotland after being turned down for a job

by Tesco has received an OBE Indian-born Poonam Gupta

started her company, PG Paper, She's been recognised

for her contribution How are we doing with the

shipments... Poonam Gupta runs hers How are we doing with the

growing fwris her office in Greenock. We deal with a variety of

paper products. From office paper, tissue papers, newspapers, papers

for magazines and catalogues, restaurant brochures. It is exported

to countries around the world. Success didn't come easy shech moved

from India to Scotland in 2002 after marrying her husband, but struggled

to find work. I went to Tesco to try to get a job, even at the till, if I

corks to keep busy. Everywhere I was went I was told I didn't have any

experience in the UK and or I was over qualified for the job. And,

after a while I just decided that I'm going to do it for myself. I'm

going to run my own business. I'm going to do it for myself. I'm

business is now a successful company and Poonam is keen to share her

success through charity work. I have adopted children in India, girls,

who want to study and who want to get education, but their parents

can't afford it. Is Mrs Gupta for services to business and to charity.

At a ceremony at Buckingham Palace today she was awarded her OBE. She

feels excited and honoured to be today she was awarded her OBE. She

recognised in such a way. This country is the reason I have a

career. I never felt ever that I was, you know, discriminated against

for being an Indian or being a woman. I've always had everybody's

support and it was just so exciting anded I'm so grateful. Rachel Bell,

Reporting Scotland. Scotland have been drawn

against Switzerland and Poland in qualifying

for the Women's World Cup in 2019. Albania and Belarus

are also in Group 2. Some of the squad were on hand today

to launch new dedicated girls' football centres and to highlight

this summer's European Championship in the Netherlands, which precede

the World Cup qualifying campaign. I think it's a really good draw. We

could have had, kind of, the worst teams. Switzerland are a good team

but certainly a team that we are very familiar with. So, yeah, I

think overall its with a good draw. Still on a sporting theme,

Scotland is well known across the world as the home of golf

and a few courses could lay claim But what is the nation's

favourite hole? The tourism organisation,

Visit Scotland, held a poll of 3,000 Golf attracts thousands of visitors

to Scotland every year, including the occasional Hollywood big hitter

like this star of Marvel's Avengers series. Is this one of your

life-long ambitions? It's on the bucket list. Being here it's fun to

be able to see it and walk the course that's been walked for over

200, 300 years. A A huge economic driver. New figures last week show

that golf tourism is Scotland is up, it's a significant increase in the

last eight or nine years. Every visitor will have their own

favourite golf hole but Visit Scotland commissioned a poll to find

out the best in a number of categories. For example, this

spectacular 12-hole at Kings Barnes has been voted the best par-a 5. And

this is the best opening hole. The postage stamp in Troon where earny

Els holed in one a few years ago, the finest par-3. Which is the

nation' favourite hole. According to the poll, it's this one. One of the

most iconic in world golf. COMMENTATOR: This for a three. The

18th on the old course at St Andrews where many an Open Championship has

been won by many a great player like Seve.

COMMENTATOR: Do you think he enjoyed that one? It's such an iconic golf

hole. The history and tradition of the game. They can follow in the

footsteps of the great champions that have walked over the bridge. Of

course, you don't have to be a great champion to play Scotland's finest

hole. David Currie, Reporting Scotland. A calm day it was.

Just before the weather, some incredible video

of a Caledonian MacBrayne ferry being struck by a freak wave.

The company say the incident happened yesterday in the Minch

as the ferry, the MV Loch Seaforth, travelled between

Calmac describe the wave as unusual and say it was caused by high winds.

They say it was ably handled by the ship's master and the vessel's

Easing down through the course of the week. It's been a wintry start

to the week so far weather wise. Actually, if you have had the

sunshine still quite chilly even if you haven't had the snow. Change a

foot because we cut off the cold, Arctic wind and we scoop up west or

south-westerly air coming in from the Atlantic. So milder.

Temperatures will recover over the next few days. Not tonight. We have

the cold Arctic air. It will be a cold one with a widespread frost and

showers around, mainly for northern parts of the mainland and down the

coast. That could give rise to icy patches for eastern parts. Most of

us a dry and clear night. Rural parts of the north-east minus three

to five. A cold start tomorrow but a bright and sunny one. Showers coming

in on the winds. Mostly of rain. Through the course of the day the

cloud will tend to increase. It's not too bad. Mid afternoon, 4.00pm,

temperatures, eight, nine, ten Celsius. More cloud compared with

the morning, some brightness will come through at times. Further north

cooler, still a number of showers. Really, anything wintry confined to

the highest hills and mountains. The winds lighter tomorrow, not feeling

as cold. Thicker cloud for the Northern Isles. As we head through

the latter stages of Wednesday to Wednesday night the rain will edge

southwards and the cloud will thicken. Not as cold as this coming

nightle. Thursday, well, still some showery outbreaks of rain. Elsewhere

will be cloudy, temperatures, 10, 11, 12 Celsius. On Friday, weather

wise, fairly similar, cloudy, some brightness, a few showers. In the

south, perhaps just about creeping into the low teens. That's the

forecast for now. Tropical. Thank you, Christopher.

Now, a reminder of tonight's main news:

The Scottish Conservatives have been strongly condemned for their support

Ruth Davidson said the SNP had the power to change it in Scotland.

Our next main news is the late bulletin just

Until then, from everyone on the team, right across the country,