06/04/2017 Reporting Scotland

The First Minister has told Reporting Scotland that she'd be

willing to meet Donald Trump when he comes to the UK

Nicola Sturgeon said that despite their disagreements,

she wouldn't turn down an invitation from the US President.

She was speaking in New York, as it was confirmed that

Donald Trump's predecessor, Barack Obama, is to

From New York, here's our political correspondent, Glenn Campbell.

Time out to see Scottish ballet dance es performing in New York, but

with every overseas is adventure there is a diplomatic dance too, how

best to engage with a government of your host country for especially

when you disagree with his leader. On this trip the film is not seeing

anyone from the Trump administration. It is not a

deliberate move, it is this trip has been focussed on the business

initiatives. Are you snubbing President Trump or is he snubbing

you? There is no snub either way. President Trump is meeting the

leader of China today. There is no snub involved. This trip is part of

Scotland week. It is about focussing on the business links between

Scotland and America. Before he was President, Donald Trump took a swing

at the Scottish Government over a wind farm he said would destroy the

view from his golf course. What would you do if Donald Trump gets

into pourer? Deal with him or ding him? I think America will ding him

before I do. The First Minister hoped the America people would elect

Hillary Clinton. During the Presidential campaign Nicola

Sturgeon removed Donald Trump as a business ambassador for Scotland,

when he proposed a ban on Muslims entering the United States, and

today, the First Minister has welcomed as fantastic news that his

predecessor, Barack Obama, is to visit Scotland. Let us just say she

has made her preferences in American politics perfectly clear.

On this visit there has been high level political engagement with the

United Nations, rather than with the United States administration. I

think the First Minister and President Trump should look for ways

for our countries to work together and to meet together and get past

any past problems, the American people, the Scottish people have a

long history of friendship, we have a great alliance, and that should be

deepened. If and when he comes to the UK, possibly including a visit

to Scotland, will you see him then? I said on a number of occasions as

First Minister decline to meet the President of the United States, from

is an invitation to meet him. Of course, like many others across the

world will have disagreements with him. No doubt he has disagreements

with me, but that does not stand in the way of the very strong links

between our two country. In diplomacy, you don't get to choose

While the First Minister is in the US, it's been announced

that a former US president is coming to Scotland.

Barack Obama will visit Edinburgh next month for a charity event

arranged by the philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter.

The 44th President of the United States

will address business leaders and local schoolchildren.

Our correspondent Lucy Adams reports.

At this defining moment, change has come to America.

Barack Obama being voted in almost nine years ago

No stranger to British shores in 2014, he waded into the debate

around the Scottish referendum on independence, saying he backed

For Scotland, there is a referendum process in place and it is up

He has left the White House, and in one of his first public event

Trying to get President Obama was difficult.

With a bit of persistence and a lot of good luck,

we are delighted that he has chosen Scotland to deliver what we believe

is one of his first speeches coming out of the White House.

There will be a Q and we know how much the president loves his music.

So we have some great Scottish talent that will perform

He is not the first former US president who has

Two years ago, he drew George Clooney to Edinburgh.

Last year he persuaded Leonardo DiCaprio to come

The dinner in May is expected to draw big crowds.

What I have seen of President Obama is that he is a nice bloke.

Be great to have someone of his stature coming to Edinburgh.

He is expected to face a very different reaction to the man

His coming to Scotland will send a message.

The fact that, I imagine he will be warmly welcomed,

but if Donald Trump were to come here, that would probably

It is not clear if it is the country's golf courses that have

persuaded Barack Obama to come to Scotland, but it is clear

many will be lining up to meet him, including some

of Scotland's high-profile politicians.

The amount of money Scottish councils have raised from parking

charges and penalties has increased by 12% in the last year.

Councils took in a surplus of ?40 million - up from 36 million

the previous year, according to the RAC Foundation.

Edinburgh City Council gained the most, with

There is an invitation to meet him. Of course, like many others across

the world will have disagreements with him. No doubt he has

disagreements with me, but that does not stand in the way of the very

strong links between our two country. In diplomacy, you don't get

to choose your partners. If you want to get a parking space in the middle

of Edinburgh you have to be sharp eyed, give no quarter, and have your

money ready. There's one. So here I am on George street, finally managed

to get a parking space. And now, the next thing I need to

do, is pay for parking. Otherwise, I might get a fine.

Parking here isn't the cheapest either. These kinds of prices have

allowed councils to make some decent profits.

Research published today by the RAC Foundation, Scotland's 32 councils

made more than ?79 million through parking charges and penalties and

once running costs were taken account of the profit that was left

over came to ?40 million. Edinburgh made the biggest profit,

?19.4 million. Followed by Glasgow, with 127.6 million. And in the tyred

place, Aberdeen made 4.9 million. But some councils made a loss.

Including East Dunbartonshire which recorded a deficit of ?500,000. One

Including East Dunbartonshire which expert says the system today runs

very efficiently. It squeezes out people who try and overpark. It

penalised people who park improperly and many of the claims about I have

been punished by a parking warden, are to do with people trying to get

away with it. Back on George Street do drivers think they should be

paying less? Less than what they are charging just now, but I do belief

they have to charge. To keep the traffic at a a minimum. That is

acceptable, I think. Especially when it is such a busy place and you are

trying to get away from having so many cars. You are in the heart of

this lovely city, maybe you do have to pay a bit of a premium, but

having said that, it is a bit of a shock. 3.80 an hour! So a few minor

grumbles there but it looks like parking charges are here to stay.

A trade union, whose members are taking industrial action

at the Faslane and Coulport naval bases, is angry that military

personnel are to be drafted in to take over their duties.

The workers are in dispute with civilian contractor Babcock Marine.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said that

when there was a safety issue, Royal Navy personnel would step in.

Around 800 people a year in Scotland have to have a leg amputated.

Not everyone is suitable for an artificial leg or prosthesis.

A documentary tonight follows some of those who have had

Iona Hay was a small child when she lost her leg,

but the way she's coped since has proved an inspiration.

Just before her sixth birthday, Iona Hay had her right leg amputated

But it didn't hold her back then - or now.

When I wake up in the morning, I remind myself that I do

I just wake up and I am probably still half asleep when I put it on.

I feel like I can do whatever I want.

As she grows, she regularly needs new legs.

Every few months, she visits the biggest centre of its kind

They are very quick to adapt the prosthesis to help.

The support, the physio she has got to help her walk properly and move

It stops some of the problems that can occur.

However well Iona manages with her prosthetic leg,

She will have lifelong treatment in outpatient service

because of the prosthetics and physiotherapy needs.

Obviously she will be seen by the team to have her leg

continually renewed as and when required,

to make sure she can walk in a normal pattern.

Now a teenager, she is being fitted for her 17th leg.

Here is the weather now. Good evening. We have had some

contrast so far today and we will continue with the contrasts not only

for tonight but for the next few days too. Here is the scene earlier,

temperatures reached 17 Celsius in Dundee, making it one of the

hotspots for the UK. Tonight, cloudy in the west and we will have clearer

spells in the east. In the west the cloud nick enough for rain and

drizzle in the north-west, the Highlands, the island and the

northern isle, mist and murk for shell. 8.00 the morning we will see

mist and murk clearing here, and still cloudy and damp in the far

north, the Highlands, islands, Hebrides, further to the east drier

with brighter spells to start the morning. Temperatures widely round

seven to eight degrees, during the course of the day we will continue

seven to eight degrees, during the with that contrast, the best of the

sunshine along the east coast, down to the eastern border, across the

west cloud with showery rain. If we take a wider look at the rest of the

UK. For much of England and Wales and Northern Ireland too, it is

largely dry, there is more in the way of cloud further to the west,

the best of the sunshine further towards the south-east and here

temperatures could reach 15 Celsius and across the parts of the North

East, 14 or 15 degrees too for Scotland. For tomorrow evening it is

similar condition, by the time we reach the weekend. Saturday, cloudy

to start but it will improve especially by the afternoon, some

good sunny spells developing in much of the country in fact, temperatures

widely reaching 14 or 15 Celsius, it of the country in fact, temperatures

will be cloudy for the far north, for the isles and the Northern Isles

too with a freshening south-westerly wind, taking the edge o off the

temperatures. For Saturday night into Sunday we will start to see a

change, the high pressure shifts to the east of us, and it will allow to

cold weather, bringing rain on Sunday, and behind it, Acombing in

from the north-west and it will be colder air, so here is the picture

for Sunday, fairly cloudy condition, rain at times in the north-west,

shifting south-east wards and behind it colder air for necks week.

And that is reporting Scotland. The last programme produced by our

colleague Mike Higgins who is heading off to a well-earned

retirement. Our best wishes to him. From everyone on the late team, and

round the country.