23/02/2017 Reporting Scotland

BBC Scotland has learned that sport here is facing a 20% funding cut

Sport Scotland has yet to decide where the cuts will fall,

but there's concern that elite athletes could suffer.

The Government says that reducing health inequalities

Lynsey Sharp might just get a medal for Scotland.

A memorable moments from the com all those games two years ago. --

Commonwealth Games. Lynsey Sharp, against

the odds, winning silver. Organisers and politicians promised

a legacy, that sport would have the ability to build

on its success. But since then, funding

to Sport Scotland has fallen. First of all, here

is how it is funded. Around 60% is made up

from the Scottish Government, with lottery sales

making up the rest. In the year ending 2015,

total revenue was ?65.1 million, that is divided

up amongst 52 sports. Due to spending reductions and a

drop-in lottery ticket sales, by the end of next year,

that figure will have fallen That is a cut to the budget of over

20% in just three years. The man in charge of awarding

the cash to the sports says It is heartbreaking to me,

because I just know the effort that the governing bodies

and the community around, the volunteers, mums and dads,

have put into this, so to have to say that we are having to cut

money back is, I believe, One way Scottish athletes

are going is down under. Their funding is more or less secure

for the Commonwealth Games For me, I think this will have

a huge impact across the board. In future, it means Scotland will be

playing catch up now. It is almost impossible to catch up

if you fall too far behind The Government responded, saying:

This was Laura Muir recently, breaking records in the 1,000

metres, and perhaps proving why But in terms of the

Government cuts... Clearly, it's not a priority

and they don't value the role of And they need to address that,

and we need to look at funding and how other countries

are increasing their funding The pain is real, but the cause

is not entirely political. Lottery cash is drying up,

and sport Scotland hope Chris McLaughlin,

Reporting Scotland. Snow and high winds caused

by Storm Doris have led to travel disruption,

power cuts and school closures. The M80 was closed for a time this

morning in both directions, after heavy snow led

to treacherous driving conditions. The M80, a difficult drive this

morning in the snow, then add in a lorry or two

jackknife, and the Daily commutes turned

into 3.5 hours long drives. It has taken me, to go

five miles, 4.5 hours. I got caught at Bonnybridge

and I was stuck there Right through Cumbernauld, absolute

mayhem, a standstill in Cumbernauld. The road reopened around 11am,

but the chance of snow had been predicted by the Met office

in a revised weather We had 130 gritters out

on the M80 last night, and we have salt stocks at high

levels, so plenty of preparation. An unpleasant journey, of course,

for those on the M80 this morning. I never like to see disruption

on the transport network. In South Lanarkshire,

traffic was trying to make it up two shots on the M8,

but at least here Near Balfron, this one

ended up in a ditch. I have come from five miles that

way, sat here for two hours, trying Near Balfron, this one

ended up in a ditch. School buses were cancelled in some

places, but roads stayed open. In Aberdeenshire, a few

schools were shut, along with a few in Stirlingshire

and one in Auchterarder. For the M80, the usual

advice for drivers to stay in their vehicles could not

contain this one. The captain of Falkirk Football Club

was determined not to David McCracken braved the elements

to work those muscles, even using the standstill to show

off a few squats. The First Minister has said

that she will "reflect further" on whether Scotland should

introduce whole-life She was replying to a question

from the Conservative leader Ruth Davidson,

who raised the minimum 23 year sentence given to the killer

of the schoolgirl Paige Doherty. It was reduced from 27 years

by Appeal Court judges last week. Our judges do not have the tool

of a whole life tariff at their disposal,

and we say they should. We can wring our hands

and express outrage every time something like this happens,

all we can do something about it. If the Scottish Government

won't act, I can say today that the Scottish Conservatives

will, by pushing ahead with a bill making a case

for the introduction of whole life I give a commitment today

that the Government will continue to reflect about what further

changes we might think appropriate, and that Parliament should act

in the way it thinks best, The budget bill has completed

its passage through Parliament. The government's ?31 billion

package of tax and spending plans was passed at Holyrood,

after the finance secretary secured But the Conservatives

said Derek Mackay had with Scotland now the

highest-taxed part of the UK. 59 Passengers on a Flybe flight

from Edinburgh had to be evacuated after the plane's landing gear

collapsed during touchdown Emergency services were called

to the scene following the incident. The plane ended up with one wing

touching the runway. Flybe said no-one was

injured in the incident. Mayday, evacuating from

the cabin on the runway. The Director General of the BBC says

the corporation's new TV channel for Scotland

is a "statement of intent". Tony Hall appeared before

Holyrood's Culture Committee this morning, following the announcement

that the new channel will begin He was asked whether the proposed

?30 million budget was enough. The 30 million we are talking

about is, in crude terms, You know, if you look

at the BBC Four comparison, there are other things we lay

into it, which are not for content. And 60% of the output

will be new commissions, which I think is a really

very good start. Two years ago, John Barclay was left

out of Scotland's World Cup squad. Now, he'll captain the team

at Murrayfield for their Six Nations match against Wales on Saturday,

replacing the injured Greg Laidlaw. The Scottish six, or rather lack

of it, was big news yesterday. The man who will wear the number

six jersey against Wales It is a huge honour for me,

there is a group of guys who have been working together since he has

been in charge, and before that, It comes to him naturally,

so he doesn't have to force himself as a captain,

it comes naturally, We could call John Barclay Captain

Scarlet, because he plays for the Scarlets in Wales,

but comeback kid might He won the first of his 57 caps ten

years ago against New Zealand but spend a couple of years

in the international wilderness and was not chosen

for the 2015 World Cup. Great for him to force his way back

in, now he is going to run out as captain of the team

against Wales, where The story of my comeback,

or how ever you want to say it, is very much what I can provide now

as captain, and as a player. There is news concerning

the Scottish number 92, the scrum-half jersey will be

sported by Price, who took over The Scots haven't beaten

Wales in ten years. Whatever part Scotland's number six

and number nine play on Saturday, a Scotland win will make

headlines across Britain. Lets get the weather forecast

now from Christopher. thank you very much. Good evening.

Storm Doris well away for us now. It produced a very mount of snow, for

others, nothing at all. Cold, frosty, IC. Met Office be aware

warning in force until tomorrow morning. Few showers but by tomorrow

morning most of those will have cleared away to bright start the

day. It will be a cold start. It is a cold start. They say, the risk of

is especially so on untreated roads and services. Away from the coast,

it will be quite chilly temperatures. Not far off freezing

and if you have snow on the ground probably subzero. One or two

showers, little bit of cloud, but for many dry, bright and sunny

morning. Across parts of Inland Aberdeenshire, we could well start

the day well below freezing here. Similar to up towards parts of the

north. Over the next few hours, we could see temperatures approaching

negative double-digit. A very cold start for the day here.

For many, through the course of tomorrow, it is dry and bright.

Lobby spells of sunshine on offer and it will start to change with

cloud building and rain arriving. That is a warm front. That will

bring rain across western parts of Scotland. Mainly dry and bright. In

the south, 10 degrees. Then the rain spreads its way in across Scotland

tomorrow night. Snow across the mountain tops, but turning back to

rain. The wind is picking up with it, too. Fairly strong

south-westerly. That means Saturday gets off to a wet and windy start. A

soggy start to Saturday in fact. It should improve come the afternoon.

That rain will clear away towards the south and east. Brightening up

and drying up. Temperatures into the double digits. Sunday, the second

half of the weekend, once again another spell of wet weather pushing

in. Drying up across the zero west later. Cooler. That is the focus.

Our next update is during Breakfast at 6:25 tomorrow morning.

But from everyone on the late team here in Glasgow