The Herald

Alcohol Abuse Puts 1100 Young Drinkers in Hospital

ALCOHOL abuse is endemic among young people, with more than 1100 under the legal age having to be admitted to hospital last year with a drink-related condition. The Herald has obtained figures which reveal, for the first time, the number of under-18s across Scotland whose drinking is so serious they have been admitted to hospital after attending accident and emergency departments.

'It's Worse with Kids in Summer When They Are Drinking Outside' Drunkenness, Injuries and Violence in the Emergency Ward Background

THE nurse bangs on the door of the lavatory, calling out the young man's name. When the door is pushed open he can be seen lying semi-conscious on the floor. He is helped to his feet by the doctor and nurse, but cannot walk unaided, so is led to a bed. It is 12.45am yesterday, in the accident and emergency department of Monklands Hospital in Airdrie, and the young man wearing the football shirt has just collapsed after drunkenly taking an overdose of paracetamol.

Another Hitch for Borders Rail Link

PLANS for a Borders rail link with Edinburgh face another postponement after planners admitted for a second time that they had failed to notify all the homeowners affected along the route. When 134 people were found last year to have been left out of the required notification that their property was on the rail route, the plan was delayed by six months.

Dewar Was 'On Verge of Tax Deal' for Holyrood

DONALD Dewar, the chief architect of devolution, was close to clinching a deal which would have given the Scottish Parliament a share of income tax, VAT and customs and excise duty to pay for services, according to a political rival. However, the intervention of Gordon Brown meant that the plan was limited to the current system of a Treasury block grant.

Tetchy Prince Wonders Where British Compassion has Gone

THE Prince of Wales's resentment towards the public simmered to the surface during an off-camera interview with a BBC reporter. Prince Charles, who is today visiting tsunami-hit areas of Sri Lanka, reportedly claimed he been shown no compassion by the British public because of his relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles.

Boy, 10, Dies After Snowball Accident

A10-YEAR-OLD boy has died after being engulfed and trapped by a giant snowball he had helped to make with a friend. The boy, who has not been named by police, was killed after the snowball rolled down a slope and hit him as he played in a field near his friend's home at Torphins, near Banchory, on Saturday.

Whistleblowing Panorama Fails to Unmask the Real Bigots Review

Panorama: Scotland's Secret Shame. BBC1, 10.15pm. PANORAMA had a problem even before the opening credits rolled.

Charity Says More Children in Asylum Cases Are Locked Up for Convenience

MORE children are being detained for immigration purposes and facing increased risks as a result, according to a report published today. The study, by Save the Children, blamed the situation on gaps in government policy and practice.

Further Hitch for Border Rail Link Plans

PLANS for a Borders rail link with Edinburgh face another postponement after planners admitted for a second time that they had failed to notify all the home-owners affected along the route. When 134 people were found last year to have been left out of the required notification that their property was on the rail route, the plan was delayed by six months.

Muslim Group Attack On Sarwar Over Terror Laws Labour Mp 'Jeered' at Mosque Meeting

SCOTTISH Muslim leaders have targeted Mohammad Sarwar, Britain's first Muslim MP, for his defence of the government's highly controversial plan for anti-terror control orders. The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) and iWitness, a new monthly newspaper for Scottish Muslims, claimed the Glasgow Govan Labour MP was "heckled and jeered" at a meeting attended by 200 people.

Where's the Big Yin's Banjo?Museum Mislays Half of Byrne's Connolly Work

IT is a feeling familiar to most of us. You know you have put something valuable in a "safe" place; it is just that you can't remember exactly where. For more than a decade, a portrait of Billy Connolly, painted by John Byrne, has taken pride of place in the People's Palace, Glasgow.

Divided Reactions On 'Scotland's Shame'

THE Panorama documentary, screened across the UK, received a mixed reaction. Joseph Devine, Bishop of Motherwell, said he viewed with "concern" comments by Brian Quinn and David Murray, the respective chairmen of Celtic and Rangers, that the problem of sectarian chanting at Old Firm games was practised by a minority. "Panorama showed this clearly was not the case, " Bishop Devine said, adding that "the onus is on both Rangers and Celtic to do more".

Catwoman Turns On the Tears for Razzie Award

HALLE Berry, who famously broke down in tears when she received her Oscar, turned on the waterworks yet again when she walked on stage to receive another film award yesterday. But this time the tears were fake, and the prize was for losing rather than winning.

120,000 Bill to Clear Up Enterprise Muddle

A NATIONAL advertising campaign will be launched today to clear up growing confusion over a 40m initiative to increase children's awareness of enterprise. The Scottish Executive is to spend pounds - 120,000 on a campaign of radio and local newspaper adverts highlighting its Enterprise in Education programme, called Determined to Succeed.

Clarke Expected to Cave in On Terror Law Row Opposition Insists That Only Judges Issue Control Orders

OPPOSITION politicians last night predicted Charles Clarke would cave in to pressure and agree to a judge deciding on when to issue the government's proposed control orders to restrict the movement of British and foreign terror suspects. The Tories and Liberal Democrats appear confident the home secretary will make the vital concession today when the Prevention of Terrorism Bill is further debated in the House of Commons.

Sewel Attacks 'Questionable' Use of the Mechanism He Created

LORD Sewel, the creator of a controversial device allowing MSPs to give Westminster the power to pass specific laws on their behalf, has attacked its use as "constitutionally questionable and confusing". The former Scottish Office minister has said the use of the mechanism should be limited, controlled by the parliament rather than the executive, and MSPs should follow the progress of law through Westminster.

First Minister Feels That What the Papers Say Will Damage Public Life

JACK McConnell has attacked the press for its negativity and personal attacks on politicians, warning that reporting of Holyrood will dissuade young people from entering public life. The first minister's comments follow a week in which Cathy Jamieson, his justice minister, had her family problems prominently aired, with the allegation that she had given money to her nephew, Derek Hyslop, at a time when he was wanted by police for a killing for which he was later jailed. She denied any knowled...

T in the Park Promoter Wants New Law As Touts Go On Net

THE promoter of T in the Park is pushing for a change in the law to stop internet touts buying tickets for resale. The music festival sold out in record time but, within hours, thousands of tickets were on sale on the auction website eBay for as much as three times their original value.

Delegates Back Partial End of Right to Buy Libdem Conference

LIBERAL Democrats in Scotland yesterday backed a partial end to council house sales, going further in the closing day of their pre- election Perth conference than the party's policy planners had wanted. The only debate to give delegates any significant choice resulted in overwhelming support for the more radical option. Instead of the more cautious proposal that sales should be barred for new-built council and housing association homes, the new policy would remove the right to buy from anyone...

Milburn Dismisses Campaign 'Split'

LABOUR'S election machine last night moved to stifle claims of a damaging split at the top of the party, dismissing reports that Gordon Brown had been deliberately sidelined. Alan Milburn, the party's election strategist, branded as "complete and utter nonsense" talk that the chancellor was being airbrushed out of Labour's campaign strategy.