:00:00. > :00:25.Critics say plans to regulate the practice have been watered down.
:00:26. > :00:28.A new bill to regulate lobbying is stuck in the 19th century,
:00:29. > :00:36.Electronic communications haven't been included - we'll ask why.
:00:37. > :00:38.Far's the spik o' the Mearns in the new adaptation
:00:39. > :00:49.It seems Doric was too expensive for the director.
:00:50. > :00:53.A Holyrood committee was told today that Scottish government plans for a
:00:54. > :00:57.new lobbying law seem stuck in the 18th or 19th centuries, before the
:00:58. > :01:05.And there are complaints, too, that the draft legislation doesn't
:01:06. > :01:07.cover contacts with senior civil servants, or special advisers.
:01:08. > :01:09.But the lobbying industry welcomed it as balanced.
:01:10. > :01:24.Whether its controls on smoking, the debate about fracking or minimum
:01:25. > :01:29.pricing for alcohol, the lobbyists are at work. Industry says they want
:01:30. > :01:34.to share their expertise, opponents to say it is big business trying to
:01:35. > :01:38.buy influence. So the Scottish Government plans a new law to make a
:01:39. > :01:41.law being more transparent, the legislation came under scrutiny at
:01:42. > :01:46.Holyrood today. This does strike a balance. As you
:01:47. > :01:49.know, we started from a position of not seeing the overwhelming public
:01:50. > :01:54.case, we have to say, for legislation in this area. There is
:01:55. > :01:57.not an overwhelming public problem, but we accept a case has been made
:01:58. > :02:02.and if there is good to be legislation, this is a decent and
:02:03. > :02:06.balanced starting point. But the standards committee heard
:02:07. > :02:09.evidence that what is proposed to seems much weaker than similar laws
:02:10. > :02:15.around the world. It doesn't include telephone calls,
:02:16. > :02:19.for example. It doesn't include more importantly written communications.
:02:20. > :02:23.It is something that we found, or is found, looking at this, quite
:02:24. > :02:29.striking. I had never seen this sort of wording before and it kind of
:02:30. > :02:34.pains me to say that even the UK recognises that lobbying takes place
:02:35. > :02:38.by way of written communication. So is any legislation better than
:02:39. > :02:42.none? I would welcome the fact there is
:02:43. > :02:45.going to be ready to lead back for gelation in this area and it would
:02:46. > :02:48.really hope that the Government has slightly more ambition than we see
:02:49. > :02:55.in the current bill. It is what to cost a lot of money, for instance,
:02:56. > :02:59.to create a register and police this thing, so better to have a good
:03:00. > :03:03.system that is pleasing and monitoring. Just focusing as fairly
:03:04. > :03:07.as the current Government is proposing is a missed opportunity
:03:08. > :03:10.actually a night hopefully we will see stage one and stage two of the
:03:11. > :03:14.screening of this that we may get a wider scope in a better reach for
:03:15. > :03:17.the proposals. But the lobbyists say we shouldn't
:03:18. > :03:22.believe myths about their power over policy and politicians.
:03:23. > :03:27.Contrary to probably what a lot of expectations are, what we do is
:03:28. > :03:31.fairly boring. It is a lot of research and analysis. We provide
:03:32. > :03:34.briefings on committee hearings and things like that and support our
:03:35. > :03:37.clients in terms of what they are seeking to do in terms of
:03:38. > :03:44.contributing to a debate. In terms of the bill, we would be calling for
:03:45. > :03:48.a level playing field across the board, so that any rules and
:03:49. > :03:52.regulations apply so anybody who engages with the politicians,
:03:53. > :03:56.in-house consultants, in-house practitioners, charities, third
:03:57. > :04:01.sector, trade unions, management consultancies and law firms.
:04:02. > :04:06.But not monetary group spend much has produced a report on lobbying in
:04:07. > :04:13.Holyrood. It says that it can be beneficial, can lead to better
:04:14. > :04:16.policymaking. But it warns that too often introduces a rate the system
:04:17. > :04:19.that leads to bad decisions benefiting the few. The Scottish
:04:20. > :04:23.Government legislation being scrutinised today had its origins
:04:24. > :04:27.and a member 's bill, but the MSP behind that says the draft he does
:04:28. > :04:31.not go far enough. In fact, he says it is a travesty.
:04:32. > :04:37.I think if you look at some of the glaring examples, the bill appears
:04:38. > :04:40.to be living in the 18th or 19th century and have to realise that the
:04:41. > :04:44.telephone and computer has been invented. That we do things like
:04:45. > :04:47.conference calls and the like and that there was a whole new range of
:04:48. > :04:52.modern communications, other than people turning up in top hat and
:04:53. > :04:58.tails to speak to one another face-to-face over tea and crumpets.
:04:59. > :05:02.The committee to be near Stewart Stevenson made clear today that
:05:03. > :05:04.members want to see the new law beefed-up as a through Parliament.
:05:05. > :05:09.Here with me now the SNP MSP George Adam.
:05:10. > :05:16.Thank you very much for speaking to us tonight. We heard Neil Findlay
:05:17. > :05:20.saying the bill is a travesty. Why do you think the Scottish Government
:05:21. > :05:23.decided to exclude electronic communication in this modern age? It
:05:24. > :05:26.seems slightly unbelievable. When we are taking the evidence
:05:27. > :05:32.originally in the committee, there was obviously to find a balance it
:05:33. > :05:34.wouldn't make it more difficult for organisations, third sector
:05:35. > :05:38.organisations and some of the companies and making sure that MSPs
:05:39. > :05:42.and also ministers could do their business as well, so there was to
:05:43. > :05:46.find some kind of balance between that. Obviously, the bill is at
:05:47. > :05:51.stage one, yesterday was the first part of evidence for that. So as a
:05:52. > :05:54.convener Stewart Stevenson said, there are various members on the
:05:55. > :05:57.committee who are of the mind to look at that as the bill goes
:05:58. > :06:00.through the system. I was like to ask you that. Do you believe the
:06:01. > :06:03.bill might survive in its present form? Stewart Stevenson made his
:06:04. > :06:06.views clear that it perhaps should be beefed-up.
:06:07. > :06:10.Haven't been on the committee myself and been through all the evidence,
:06:11. > :06:13.yesterday was the first one I was actually on the committee, but when
:06:14. > :06:17.you went through everything, you actually look at what was already
:06:18. > :06:21.said in the Scottish Government, since Neil Findlay brought in his
:06:22. > :06:24.member still in 2013, the Scottish Government brought in June 2013
:06:25. > :06:27.because they have the resource to make the bill stronger because they
:06:28. > :06:32.agreed with Neil that there was an issue. So one of the things when you
:06:33. > :06:37.look at is that the Government has listened all the way along, so as we
:06:38. > :06:39.go through process, do have quite strong characters within that
:06:40. > :06:43.committee, even though I am no longer there, I think cross party
:06:44. > :06:47.there was an agreement that we will look at making it stronger. The bill
:06:48. > :06:50.is already stronger than what we have in Westminster, which is a good
:06:51. > :06:55.thing, but the only thing without is that the Westminster one quite weak
:06:56. > :06:59.when we looked at other areas. Canada is an exemplar for it,
:07:00. > :07:02.America is a disaster area for lobbying. You pay money, you get
:07:03. > :07:05.what you want, as far as America seems to be.
:07:06. > :07:08.In Scotland it is important that is strong because we are going to get
:07:09. > :07:11.new powers commit to the Parliament. Neil Findlay was point you this
:07:12. > :07:15.morning that the graft is going to go up and the spin watch report
:07:16. > :07:18.there was a quote that lobbyists have described it as a dream, all
:07:19. > :07:23.the new powers. So this important that perhaps it is beefed-up.
:07:24. > :07:26.I think that is part of the reason why the Government from the start,
:07:27. > :07:29.they could see that eventually they would get the extra powers and that
:07:30. > :07:33.is why they have been so supportive of getting the new bill. And to work
:07:34. > :07:35.with everyone to make sure we can make the bill as strong as we
:07:36. > :07:39.possibly can. From what I have done during my time in the committee, is
:07:40. > :07:43.seen from colleagues working on it, I think that we will get there
:07:44. > :07:50.eventually to see it. Personally, if you ask me, to conclude the
:07:51. > :07:53.electronic mails with a lobbyist, I would say it is a good way to go was
:07:54. > :07:57.well. Unlike Neil, I don't think I have ever seen anybody with top hats
:07:58. > :08:02.and skills to lead back tails discussing business, but I see the
:08:03. > :08:06.point of view that he is making. -- top hat and tails. Let the
:08:07. > :08:07.parliament go through the process and make that difference.
:08:08. > :08:11.Thank you very much. Now, a new film adaptation of
:08:12. > :08:14.the novel Sunset Song The classic tale of Chris Guthrie's
:08:15. > :08:18.struggle with the land in the Howe of the Mearns
:08:19. > :08:20.is well known. The book is famous for the lyrical
:08:21. > :08:23.Doric dialect but the director, Terence Davies, picked a Lancashire
:08:24. > :08:26.woman to play Chris and most of the rest of the cast express themselves
:08:27. > :08:29.in their Central Belt accents. The director says
:08:30. > :08:40.the he couldn't afford Raise your glasses folks, the best
:08:41. > :08:44.man has a toast. I've never seen a sweeter bride or
:08:45. > :08:52.knowing a better friend than the room.
:08:53. > :09:16.Look at my hands. Read with the scrubbing,.
:09:17. > :09:16.You're daft, the place is fine. What more do you want?
:09:17. > :09:34.Less dirt. And when she had thought it would be
:09:35. > :09:44.a thing they wouldn't understand together. -- wouldn't be a thing.
:09:45. > :09:50.The sights and sounds of son sex song starring Agyness Deyn. --
:09:51. > :09:50.Sunset Song. So why is Doric so difficult
:09:51. > :09:52.on screen? I'm joined now from London
:09:53. > :09:55.by accent coach Elspeth Morrison and in Aberdeen broadcaster
:09:56. > :10:00.Robbie Shepherd. Good evening.
:10:01. > :10:04.First of all, we don't want to be critical of the film, it was
:10:05. > :10:09.wonderful to see it, wonderful to see the sights and sounds, but it is
:10:10. > :10:14.difficult to get Doric on screen. What you make of the Central belt
:10:15. > :10:18.accents in the film and Agyness Deyn, an English model and actress,
:10:19. > :10:23.in the starring role? Well, as you say yourself, it's
:10:24. > :10:29.difficult, but the point is, I think there is too much been made of that.
:10:30. > :10:32.I haven't seen the film yet, I heard that clip just now, but what we
:10:33. > :10:38.should be looking for is the director's approach to it, it is the
:10:39. > :10:45.whole of the landscape of them are to the picture, the weather, the
:10:46. > :10:48.hard-working conditions. -- the Mearns. What I heard just now was
:10:49. > :10:54.not bad. Likewise, it is pretty difficult to
:10:55. > :11:05.imitate a good Doric accent. No, you never imitate a! , on, come
:11:06. > :11:14.on! In the Holocaust of the Northeast, he was in the different
:11:15. > :11:19.places, my homeland and down at the the Mearns. Each of these areas have
:11:20. > :11:23.their own actions. It is difficult to try and home and exactly on the
:11:24. > :11:29.one. He did it himself and his book, wrote in a sort of English
:11:30. > :11:33.way, to be understood. I am not quite so critical as you thought I
:11:34. > :11:37.might be. High praise from Robbie, actually.
:11:38. > :11:41.Maybe someone like Agyness Deyn has managed extremely well to try and
:11:42. > :11:47.imitate the Doric accent? Yes, actors do their absolute best
:11:48. > :11:51.to be authentic. But I think audiences, really what they are
:11:52. > :11:57.looking for often is clarity, truth of character, people have got to
:11:58. > :12:00.understand what is going on. If an accent is extremely strong were
:12:01. > :12:04.extremely unfamiliar, basically your audience is going to switch off.
:12:05. > :13:36.extremely unfamiliar, basically your think we have maybe seen
:13:37. > :13:40.extremely unfamiliar, basically your authentic and he sounded
:13:41. > :13:44.fantastically Orkney, but the audience was saying they thought it
:13:45. > :13:48.was a made up accent. But it was a real accent and I think Doric might
:13:49. > :13:51.have that same sort of a fact as well. Perhaps Robbie might have some
:13:52. > :13:56.thoughts. And what is the authentic Doric?
:13:57. > :13:59.What are the key aspects of Doric? Often people in the rest of Scotland
:14:00. > :14:07.are truly aware of other Scottish regional accents.
:14:08. > :14:24.I was smiling because in my early days of broadcasting I was in the
:14:25. > :14:29.studios of Beechgrove. We were debating what is the perfect
:14:30. > :14:39.Scottish accent? This professor mentioned a person a certain person
:14:40. > :14:45.doing a television series. But I blurted out, he is an actor! That
:14:46. > :14:53.has got to get it to that frame to be understood. She over --
:14:54. > :15:03.overemphasised the cockney accent there. Be natural in your Doric
:15:04. > :15:10.Tyron tongue -- tongue. It is so flowing with all the words. Lewis
:15:11. > :15:17.and Ibn uses all the words to flow his stories -- Lewis Grassic Gibbon.
:15:18. > :15:27.Click on Bihar a hard job for actors trying to imitate. It is too
:15:28. > :15:34.expensive to get voice coaches. We are very pricey. We are very
:15:35. > :15:39.skilled at what we do and if people haven't heard an accent before, it
:15:40. > :15:47.takes a while for them to get hold of it. It takes some of them -- some
:15:48. > :16:02.are more talented than others at picking up the air of it. They tend
:16:03. > :16:07.to do it and asked a interpretation, some English actors.
:16:08. > :16:12.They get the rhythm is wrong. It can take wrong. On the whole, only Scots
:16:13. > :16:22.actors can do Scots accents. There is that fair?
:16:23. > :16:24.Very fair. Is it in danger of being ironed out across the north-east?
:16:25. > :16:35.That we losing that regional richness?
:16:36. > :16:42.I'm often asked this question. The language of my youth, but it is the
:16:43. > :16:49.language of today and I am 80 years old. Remember people came into the
:16:50. > :16:55.city and the dialects get missed out. The further out you go in the
:16:56. > :16:59.country, it is great to hear the genuine tongue and it is so easily
:17:00. > :17:01.understood. It has been a pleasure to speak to
:17:02. > :17:04.you both. Thank you for joining me. Storm Abigail is sweeping
:17:05. > :17:07.across the UK, with gusts Tonight, Lochaber Mountain Rescue
:17:08. > :17:11.Team went to the aid of a hill walker who was
:17:12. > :17:14.attempting to climb Ben Nevis. Just before we came on air, I spoke
:17:15. > :17:18.to the meteorologist Eddie Graham, who'd struggled through
:17:19. > :17:32.the gales to our Stornoway studio. What is the situation now in
:17:33. > :17:44.Stornoway with Storm Abigail? Stornoway is used to having a gale
:17:45. > :17:48.in the winter season but this is the first one. We saw some thunder and
:17:49. > :17:56.lightning as well and since about 7pm, the wind has picked up from the
:17:57. > :17:58.south west. Things are not flying yet but it is not to be a night to
:17:59. > :18:05.be outdoors. This is the first time Met Office
:18:06. > :18:09.have named a storm. Is it a bit of a gimmick?
:18:10. > :18:14.No, I think it is a very good idea. Cast your main back 20 or 30 years.
:18:15. > :18:20.A storm of this severity would almost certainly have resulted in
:18:21. > :18:26.deaths. A storm of 90 mph would have resulted in deaths of up to a dozen
:18:27. > :18:30.people. Over the past 20 and 30 years, we have seen improvement in
:18:31. > :18:36.weather forecasting and also alerting the public. The use of
:18:37. > :18:40.names definitely adds to helping the public become aware of the severity
:18:41. > :18:48.of these storms. They are big killers. How can the
:18:49. > :18:53.public take precautions? I always say to stay indoors if the
:18:54. > :18:59.wind is gusting over 70 mph. It can potentially be dangerous. Trees can
:19:00. > :19:04.fall, slates can come off roofs. You don't want to be a victim of an
:19:05. > :19:11.injury from flying debris. We have had a pretty bad weather
:19:12. > :19:15.year so far. I suppose this is an autumn storm. Any predictions for
:19:16. > :19:19.the winter? You are right. It has been an awful
:19:20. > :19:25.year, particularly on the West Coast of Scotland. Essentially, winter
:19:26. > :19:32.never let up. We saw it continued into the summer months. The period
:19:33. > :19:39.for May June and July, certainly in Stornoway, was the worst on record
:19:40. > :19:44.and that is over 145 years of data. It wasn't quite so bad for the East
:19:45. > :19:52.of Scotland which tends to be sheltered. All I can say is that it
:19:53. > :19:58.is swings and roundabouts. They'd be we are in a pattern and will come
:19:59. > :20:01.out of it in a few years' time. As for the winter, though believe what
:20:02. > :20:06.you see in the tabloid newspapers about massive blizzards. We simply
:20:07. > :20:14.don't know. There is a rough indication towards the first part of
:20:15. > :20:19.winter are being wild westerly wind and frontal systems but what often
:20:20. > :20:24.happens in our part of the world in winter is that the weather quite an
:20:25. > :20:30.stone -- quiet and is done. Let's look at some of
:20:31. > :20:33.the other main news stories today. I'm joined in the studio by
:20:34. > :20:36.Paul Sinclair, a former Daily Record political editor
:20:37. > :20:37.and ex-Labour adviser He's a former political
:20:38. > :20:41.editor of The Scottish Sun. He's now
:20:42. > :20:56.an SNP communications adviser. Thanks both for coming in. First,
:20:57. > :21:04.the HM Revenue Customs announcement. Job losses expected in
:21:05. > :21:10.Scotland as they close thousands of posts.
:21:11. > :21:15.We are becoming a more digital organisation. Last year, over 85% of
:21:16. > :21:23.people sent tax returns in digitally. We had 1.1 billion online
:21:24. > :21:27.transactions last year saw becoming a modern digital organisation.
:21:28. > :21:29.They employ 8000 people. It is disconcerting for the people who
:21:30. > :21:33.work for them. Very disconcerting. Even I used to
:21:34. > :21:39.work at portcullis house in Glasgow. Let's take the man at his
:21:40. > :21:45.word that this is about modernisation. But we won't know if
:21:46. > :21:50.there are well be compulsory redundancies and that is important.
:21:51. > :21:57.This is like Monday, Cumbernauld and East Kilbride, there has to be
:21:58. > :22:04.something put in place -- places like Dundee. What is to be done with
:22:05. > :22:09.those communities thereafter? All part of a modernisation recess
:22:10. > :22:17.or are they trying to cut costs? I agree with Paul but it is clearly
:22:18. > :22:25.a modernisation process but the loss of 2000 jobs is frankly enormous.
:22:26. > :22:33.This is part of saving money but this is cutting people that bring
:22:34. > :22:37.him in money. We are talking about a series of buildings disappearing and
:22:38. > :22:42.the estates will be decimated. Some of these facilities and his comrades
:22:43. > :22:47.were only built 15 years ago. They are huge and state-of-the-art. Will
:22:48. > :22:53.be closed down now? I know Nicola Sturgeon was speaking to people this
:22:54. > :22:59.afternoon about it but I don't know what was said.
:23:00. > :23:05.They may be valuable estate but HMRC are saying they are modernising and
:23:06. > :23:11.people are saying it is difficult to get in touch with them.
:23:12. > :23:16.If this is modernisation, let us not be against it but let us not go back
:23:17. > :23:20.to the 80s were with cleared towns and employment centres. This is the
:23:21. > :23:24.right thing long-term the taxpayer, that is one thing. Let's make sure
:23:25. > :23:28.there are no redundancies and do something with the buildings that
:23:29. > :23:35.involves employment. It was a pretty stormy affair at
:23:36. > :23:41.Holyrood earlier. The single police force is there one
:23:42. > :23:45.major area they have undertaken and they have got it wrong. I she still
:23:46. > :23:52.have full confidence in her justice minister?
:23:53. > :23:56.Yes, I do. I am more than happy to allow the Scottish people to judge
:23:57. > :24:01.my government on its record. Perhaps that's why we see today that 58% of
:24:02. > :24:06.Scotland intends to vote for us again next year.
:24:07. > :24:10.I think the people want to hear about less about the poles and a bit
:24:11. > :24:16.more about what she is going to do to support the police.
:24:17. > :24:23.A pretty bad tempered affair. Was it difficult for the First Minister?
:24:24. > :24:26.I think Kezia Dugdale was asking the question again and again and not
:24:27. > :24:32.moving it on. There was the sense that Nicola had irritation towards
:24:33. > :24:36.the end because she thought she had answered the question and it kept
:24:37. > :24:42.coming back. I suspect that is a deliberate tactic of Kezia Dugdale,
:24:43. > :24:46.who I like and who I think in time could become a good leader of the
:24:47. > :24:50.Labour Party. But she has to learn and just picking and picking at it
:24:51. > :24:55.in order to wind the clock up is not a productive way to carry out
:24:56. > :25:00.something that is meant to be an analysis of government policies.
:25:01. > :25:03.What is your view on policing in Scotland?
:25:04. > :25:08.I think people think the government have done a good job in delivering
:25:09. > :25:14.justice in many ways. I can hear all laughing. There were two fundamental
:25:15. > :25:19.things you need to remember. Crime is at its lowest level in 41 years.
:25:20. > :25:23.As it is in North America and Western Europe.
:25:24. > :25:28.It has gone to a very low level and we have 1000 or officers on the
:25:29. > :25:38.beat. Clearly there are problems with woolly Scotland that need to be
:25:39. > :25:41.sorted. -- police Scotland. It is a work in progress and we will get
:25:42. > :25:46.there. Labour supported the creation of a
:25:47. > :25:50.single police force for Scotland and is the First Minister pointed out,
:25:51. > :25:54.polls suggest 58% support for the SNP at Holyrood next year.
:25:55. > :25:58.I don't think the Labour Party supporter did being done badly.
:25:59. > :26:03.Nicola is a very good performer but there will be a point where the
:26:04. > :26:08.little sideways nod of the head and Biglia of contempt and reference to
:26:09. > :26:14.the polls will not work. I think Kezia Dugdale was writes to keep
:26:15. > :26:22.hammering away today. From Nicholas performance, one, I think going to
:26:23. > :26:28.the polls is a bit cheap. Two, when Tony Blair was only difficult
:26:29. > :26:35.position he would actually stand up and say yes, it is not good enough.
:26:36. > :26:43.The record of Police Scotland is not good enough.
:26:44. > :26:50.Labour have had their review of Police Scotland but there could be
:26:51. > :26:54.teething problems. I think there are more than teething
:26:55. > :27:02.problems when people are lying dying in the side of the road.
:27:03. > :27:05.Lord Smith has been speaking about the Smith Commission which passed
:27:06. > :27:08.stage three in the House of Commons on Monday night.
:27:09. > :27:12.I believe what is now going to be in the statute book, what has gone
:27:13. > :27:19.through the House of Commons and will go the house of lords, yes I
:27:20. > :27:23.do. Arguments rage about whether Smith
:27:24. > :27:30.has been delivered or not. What do you think?
:27:31. > :27:38.You question whether Smith has been delivered but it depends on where
:27:39. > :27:41.you come from. It is subjective. If you want to see that it has hasn't
:27:42. > :27:46.been delivered then you can see that. I think there are some areas
:27:47. > :27:52.where there is still work to do but in a way Smith is now history. That
:27:53. > :27:59.is pre-election when the SNP won 56 of 59 seats. It is before the Tories
:28:00. > :28:04.getting back. The real emphasis is on looking at the Scotland Bill and
:28:05. > :28:09.how we should move forward and make that shipshape.
:28:10. > :28:14.We are in a different place after the general election.
:28:15. > :28:20.Whether we agree whether it has been delivered or not, and I am closer to
:28:21. > :28:25.that it has been, the essence is that the SNP do not want these
:28:26. > :28:28.powers. John Swinney said he did not want to mitigate the bedroom tax
:28:29. > :28:33.because he did not want to let Westminster off the hook. They have
:28:34. > :28:38.had it easy because of the devolution settlement. You get some
:28:39. > :28:42.money and spend it and then Miller runs out you blame Westminster. Now
:28:43. > :28:45.they are going to have to make tough choices on taxation and I don't
:28:46. > :28:51.think John Swinney really wants to. I keep on coming. -- thank you both
:28:52. > :28:52.for coming. Shelley will be back
:28:53. > :28:58.at the same time on Monday night.