11/02/2016 Scotland 2016

The secrets of the universe unravelled - with the help

Gravitational waves have been detected for the first time.

We hear from a Scottish scientist who helped make it happen.

What we have just seen is the first observation of gravitational waves.

With Cornton Vale Women's Prison set to close, what's the point

in sending anyone to jail for short sentences?

And MSPs get their first chance to change Scottish income tax -

All day, life, the universe and everything has dominated

An international collaboration of scientists has, for the first

time, discovered gravitational waves.

And if you don't really understand what that means,

Suffice to say it's a really big deal -

the culmination of decades of work for, among others,

scientists based at the University of Glasgow.

In a moment I'll be speaking to one of the team about the significance

But first our Science Correspondent Ken McDonald, on what it all means.

Einstein was right again. It has taken essentially for science to

catch up or if you look at it another way 1.3 billion years. We

have detected gravitational waves. We did it. We have discovered two

remarkable things. For the first time gravitational waves being

emitted by an object in the cosmos. We have discovered that they come

from a peer of black holes. For a long time we have suspected that

black holes exist but this is the first direct evidence that they

exist and they can merge together and in the process give of

gravitational waves. More than 1 billion years ago something

cataclysmic happened. Two massive black holes spiralled and collided

releasing the energy of 100 billion Chilean sons. Albert Einstein had

predicted something that big would create ripples in the fabric of

space and time. Gravitational waves. Getting from theory to proof has

taken one century and a massive international effort. The ripples

are so small they stretch and squeeze space and time by less than

the width of an atom. The team split a laser beam and sent it to .5

miles, at right angles. Normally they cancel each other out but when

the bubble passed through planet Earth one arm of the beam was

stretched and the other squeezed. That treated an interference

pattern, the first detection of gravitational waves. The build two

detectors. One to corroborate the other, at opposite ends of the

United States. They are called advanced Ligo. Key parts of the

technology were built here in Scotland. This incident the TB need

is phenomenal. We are looking at changes of the million millionth the

width of a human ear. That has eluded us until now. -- human here.

We have turned Ligo into advanced Ligo. Glasgow University as part of

a UK consortium has had a key role in that upgrade. Here in the

laboratory the first working gravity wave receivers have been set up.

They have been building gravitational wave detectors at

Glasgow University for half a century. What you expect is that

when I gravitational wave comes in and interact it will make one arm

increase in length, the other armed increase in length and there will be

a tiny signal. He was right and saw once again was this man.

Gravitational waves provide a new way of looking at the universe. The

ability to detect them has the potential to revolutionise

astronomy. When you consider that these black holes actually spiralled

in over 1 billion years ago and the signal has been travelling to us

since then and be turned on our detectors at just the right time to

detect it arriving. We will now be able to use gravitational waves to

look through stars and galaxies and across the universe. It means a

completely new branch of science has been born. Gravitational astronomy.

Joining me now is Professor Kenneth Strain from the Institute

for Gravitational Research at Glasgow University who designed

some of the equipment used to detect the gravitational waves.

Quite a day for you. It has been the most exciting day of my wife. We

take 30 years for a result like this.

# And exciting day of my life. We upgraded the initial detectors to

advanced Ligo. The improvement that was particularly significant for the

event that we have seen came mainly through changing the way we hold

these matters. This fourth column at L shaped instrument where we send

light beams up and down these for colour matter long arms. We have two

suspend that is never too influences from the ground like a bar striving

by or anything like that. One of the big contributions we made was to

change the way those mothers are held, from being held on steel

wires, two very fine glass fibres developed in Glasgow. -- change the

way those matters are held. It has taken 15 years for this. The fibres

are 0.5 mil meter diameter. Each one can carry a 70 telegram person.

Considering they are made of glass that is amazing.

Considering they are made of glass science or might it actually make

some difference to our everyday lives? There are some technological

spin offs with all big science projects. We make lasers that are

millions of times more stable than any reason is that you can buy off

the shelf. Chemists have been using the techniques we have developed to

analyse chemicals for several years. The UK has a good optical industry,

making optical components for manufactured goods. We have been

working with some of those companies to extend the range of products that

they can make. What about Glasgow and Scotlandpos-macro? Will you

continue to have a rule? We are going to be operating and

commissioning Ligo. This was the first time it was such on. Although

it is more sensitive than the previous step it still has a factor

of a feud to go before it reaches design sensitivity. We think we will

get there at 2018. We will be running for a six-month period later

this year and then there will be more upgrading and then running for

longer periods to do more science. And Glasgow scientists are involved

in the entire process, of the steps along the way. Mind blowing. Thank

you for coming in and congratulations.

Scotland has the second highest female prison population in Europe.

This was described as unacceptable. The Government's confirmed

that the closure of Scotland's women's prison, Cornton Vale,

will begin this summer. A new and smaller national women's

prison will be built nearby And five regional units

will be created to house up It is hoped this will transform the

way Scotland deals with women in custody.

This centre in Glasgow supports women who have been in or are at

risk of ending up there. It confronts issues such as addiction

and mental health. It is the sort of service the Justice Secretary says

we need more of to keep female offenders also to their families and

reduce their chances of reoffending. Some people may think we are a soft

option. But the women tell us that is not the case. They say it is

easier to go into prison. They get their heads down, get on with the

time and they leave again. That is why they are going back to a

revolving door. In here we get people to look at their behaviour.

It is like putting a big mirror in front of them. We ask them to look

at what they have been doing and try to get them to look at the future to

see if they can make better choices and improve the quality of their

life. This person is trying to make that change. She spent plenty of

time in Cornton Vale but says it did not provide the shock to the system

she needed. When you lead a life of drugs and booze it is scarier ying

homeless than being in jail. That is a fight for survival out on the

street. In the jail you get three meals per day and a roof over your

head. I would say that being on the street is more difficult than being

in a jail. The women say prison does nothing to solve their underlying

problems. The problem is that I had when I first went in I knew when I

watch out the door I was going to drink again. That did not change

anything. But in here has changed a lot of things for me. When I get out

I will not touch drink again. They teach us about how to be

responsible. The women here question whether the justice system cheats

men and women equally. I find that female offending is maybe less

severe claims, prostitution, shoplifting, fraud. It is all to

fund their addiction or that of their partner. Where you may find a

male counterpart would be bailed or get a deferred sentence a female

would find themselves within the prison system. The Government agrees

to many women who commit low-level offences go to jail but how close

are we to replicating the work done here across the country. #

Joining me now from our London studio is Juliet Lyon,

Are women treated more harshly? Women have different characteristic,

in terms of they are more likely to have mental health needs or have

addictions that men who end up in prison. They are more likely to have

committed more minor offences, as the person you spoke to said, it is

more likely to be shoplifting or handling stolen goods, prostitution,

those kind of crimes, and consequently it is very difficult to

measure about whether they are more harshly treated or leniently, the

research shows they are treated more differently. How significant do you

think this move is to close down the prison. The big single thing was the

cancellation of the Inverclyde contract, which was when the Justice

Secretary arrived and decided that the big new prison that was to be

built, which would have soaked up all the budget for anything to do

with women's justice, that wasn't necessary, even though it would have

been architecturely beautiful, it was going to be a terrible waste of

taxpayers' money. Did you think that was a bold move? That decision to

cancel that contract was immense, I think. Now closing Cornton Vale with

the reputation it has had, despite it has had some good stuff and

governors over time, but in the end you don't need a prison that big,

and that is what has been decided. It will shrink to 80 women, and

really, if you are looking at who goes into the prison system, in

Scotland, and indeed, in England and Wales, too, you find about

three-quarters of the women are only serving six months or less. But they

do tend to be petty persistent offender, so coming back and back.

That is is what has to stop. Why, if it is such a radical move, do you

think it has taken politicians so long to come round to this way of

thinking? I think there is a good question. There was a review

conducted a few years back when it was clear this needed to happen.

Maybe people felt there would be criticism, yes, I think most people

understand that what you want from a justice system is fewer victims,

less crime, you have a very good model already in the drop in youth

crime. A 70% drop in Scotland in the number of under 18 years going into

custody. That has been a big success, there is no reason at all

why that shouldn't work for women. I think, you know, the difference for

me is when I go into women's prison, I find women being treated like

girls but also behaving like girl, no responsibilities, not having to

pay bills, not having to worry about thing, when you talk to women at

centre 218 or at the Willow Centre you find something different. You

find women who are taking responsibility for their lives, for

their children, trying to break addictions, trying to get out of

debt, trying to find somewhere safe to live and keep it. All the things

that will make a really big difference. What about men?

Shouldn't the same principles an fly them? Men serving short sentences?

Again, you know it is a good question, the Justice Secretary has

been clear about this, he thinks this kind of system could apply to

men and I think it could. Round about 60% of men, again are serving

short sentence, six months or less, they could well make use of this

kind of system. It just would make a lot more sense. Prison is a very

expensive thing. It should be reserved for the most violent

offenders. Thank you.

For the first time they voted to set a Scottish rate of income tax.

Earlier, in First Minister's Questions, the topic raised

temperatures so high that the Presiding Officer sent MSPs

The First Minister was repeatedly heckled, as Labour and the Lib Dems

called on the SNP to support an extra penny on income tax

Today this Parliament will have to set the Scottish rate of income tax

for the first time. The First Minister will have the chance to use

these powers to stop these cuts. Will she finally take it?

Manufacture There is... Presiding officer, we know how desperate

Labour are, by the volume of the insults they like to sling. Across

the chamber. Labour's policy is written on the back of a fag packet.

The lack of detail frankly is embarrassing, but then it is a

policy put forward by a party that knows it is a one million miles away

from being a credible opposition, let alone a credible alternative

Government. So it is very clear from the Resolution Foundation, from

spice, from the House of Commons library, from Professor David Bell

that Labour's proposals are fair and they are workable. That is why

council leader after council leader has backed it. That is why union

leader after union leader said it is fair. She mentioned David Bell, here

is what they said about Labour's rebate. This part of the proposal

would require a comprehensive data sharing arrangement between HMRC and

local authorities in Scotland. It would impose an administrative

burden on local authorities, there are questions as to whether such an

arrangement would be possible under the Scotland act. Labour is

perpetrating a con trick on the lowest paid workers in our society.

Right now SNP run Aberdeenshire Council are in their budget meeting.

?3 million worth of cuts to education are on the table. But it

is not too late for the First Minister to call a halt. Will she

pick up the phone, or does she want her council to make those cut? This

afternoon this Parliament votes on the income tax resolution. One penny

gives ?475 million for education, for Scotland's children. It is the

power to stop the cuts. So she has the power. Why won't she use it? It

is no surprise to me that the leader of a party that spent five years in

coalition with the Conservatives doesn't care about people on low

wages. Joining me now to discuss that some

of of the day's other news are are the of the day's other news

are journalist Katie Grant Fiery stuff there in the chamber

today. I mean the question, yet again, was whether to raise the

rates of income tax. It was a Czech chance to change things, do you

think it was a missed opportunity. Possibly but for me the most

interesting aspect seems to be how the idea of raising tax by a penny

can be painted as if it is not progressive. I think that shows the

current climb we are living in, the rules of the game have changed. Also

is the fact I mean, I watched a clip of this. I have stopped watching it.

It can't stand them applauding themselves, you know, it is so, it,

it shows a lack of awareness, I mean fair enough there is a lot of people

who buy into the political party for whatever reason. I am not one of

them. I am not emotionally attached to these people. I just see record

levels of inequality. I see prisons full of kids with drug problems, the

highest paid people in this country are sitting applauding bad jokes,

and obtuse observation, it is a joke, a farce. The behaviour was

rowdy today, rowedier than usual. I agree with Loki about the applause.

I is ridiculous, they applaud everything. It is grossly overdone.

I think today there were two uncomfortable truths for the SNP.

One is that we can see now they are very happy to blame, for the cuts to

go ahead provided they can blame other people. So they blame

Westminster or the councils and they are responsible for the council tax

freeze. The other thing is it will remain in Scotland, Scotland will

remain one of the best places, probably in the world to be middle

class, because not raising taxes benefits the middle classes more

than anything else. John Swinney when on and on about the poor. More

taxes raised from the rich which he didn't bother to mention. So too two

uncomfortable truths. The SNP can see that their economic, you know

all their talk about equality doesn't really translate into much

action. So, lock yessy, do you think the SNP are under pressure here? The

First Minister is maintaining the position that, to raise income tax

by a penny would hurt people on incomes over ?11,000? I think that,

they are a wee bit vulnerable but something you need to understand

about the SNP, the message they have, they are a core principle so

when people look into politics, they see it in the SNP, they have this

one thing they won't budge on. So the other stuff is negotiable. The

kind of movement that is formed round that very can chews principle

is Saivet with social media, it is very informed, it, so for the SNP

having to do anything, a response was already formulated on the

ground, which, you had wings over Scotland, ginger Doug and they shred

opposition at the gates. Labour need to come up with a message that

inspires people enough, that that sort of action happens round them,

because just now they have, the old guard politicians out, it is not

very inspiring. I think Dugdale is competent. It's a hard time to be an

opposition leader but somebody from Labour needs to apologise for the

last ten, 15 years before they make any ground in Scottish politics. As

Kezia Dugdale pointed out, the penny on income tax could be progressive,

do you think she has managed to sell this idea of a ?100 cash back to

those on lower incomes? No Not really. The penny thing I think was

a misnomer, it harks back to the SNP campaign very unsuck ful campaign

for a penny for Scotland. It is not going to work for them it won't work

for the Labour Party. The Labour Party are in slight disarray, there

seems to be, they have to come up with some kind of policy and that

perhaps they thought was a good one. It is not imaginative. She does

having anything to carry it off. I doubt it will play very well for

them. Another twist in the fiscal framework negotiations, don't let

your eyes glaze over, this is important. Scottish ministers say

that current Treasury proposals would cost Scotland ?3 billion, if

as expected Scotland's population grows more slowly than England. So

now the Treasury is offering ?4.5 billion of compensation, so, is that

an admission then that the Treasury's original proposal was

unfa irto Scotland? No doubt. Who would expect the British Treasury to

do anything other than play hard ball? One good thing we have got if

we are worried about a plateau, poverty is an aphrodisiac, hopefully

everything will get back on it like bunnies. I love the idea that

somehow Westminster was responsible now from the Scottish population.

There is is a serious point. The Scottish Government is saying we

don't have control of immigration, so if our population doesn't grow as

quickly, how should, how we we take the hit for that I mean, basically I

think the figures are, that Scotland shouldn't be disadvantaged, and the

4.5 whatever billion pounds is supposed to help deal with that. One

of the interesting things about Scotland, it is no, we concentrate

on the money but one of the interesting things about Scotland is

that is it has been a place where people go away, and then possibly

run, so we need to look at Scotland, how we live here, if we had 10

million people here Scotland would be a different sort of place. I

think that we, you know, we should stop looking at the money and start

looking at how we live in Scotland, that we have gone away, we have come

back with broader outlooks, also I think one of the troubles with

Scotland is that we really suffer through the alpoppy syndrome. Let us

move on finally to Cornton Vale, the closure, we heard Juliette from the

Prison Reform Trust saying it was a radical move by the Scottish

Government, do you think it is? Yes, I mean, because it's the kind of

thing that is risky, in terms of public opinion but people who work

in that sector, they know what work, Cornton Vale, I believe costs 12

million a year for a couple hundred inmates and 80% of the women in

there have been in there before. What else do you need to know to say

that system isn't working. When people go in for short-term, the

system is, the current system is in a reactive posture, so it is not in

a preventative posture. People are flung in the jail and when they are

supposed to be reintegrated into society, very often the support they

receive in the prison and how that is integrated is far more advanced

than is what is waiting for them in terms of public service when they

come. This increases the risk of reoffending, this places more strain

on the families and the community in approximate imthe I to the offender

so it becomes difficult. Having them closer to their family, able to take

advantage of the assets of themselves and their families round

them makes it more efficient, as well as common-sense I believe. Do

you this this should apply to female prisoners or Monday It should be

equally to men, if part of the prison process is supposed to be

rehabilitation, then what is the point of banging people up for 23

hours a day and letting them out and expecting their lives to be any

different? But as well as buildings, there needs to be a huge investment

in people, in services. OK, thanks very much for both you coming in

tonight. We leave you tonight with a glimpse

of a remarkable new interactive documentary - "'Hieronymus Bosch,

The Garden of Delights".