Carrier bag charge in Scotland should be doubled, MSPs say

dementia and have been in a Glasgow care home for five-and-a-half years. After the clampdown on visits to stop the spread of coronavirus, Alison was finally able to hug her parents, both in their 80s, last Friday.

coronavirus strain after three Scots oil workers tested positive.Jeane Freeman said there is currently no evidence that the mutant bug has been transmitted within the community after extensive contact tracing took place.A total of six cases of the P1 variant were discovered in the UK last month - with three occurring amongst a team of workers who flew into Aberdeen Airport.The trio, who are employed by oil services firm Bureau Veritas, fell ill with the bug after working in Brazil and

DNA after he tried to chew through a piece of string attaching a charity box to the counter.Andrew Hollern, 37, smashed his way at night into the shop, in St Ninians, Stirling, and took nearly £3,400 worth of tobacco, cigarettes, cash, credit cards, scratch cards, mobile phones and a camera.He did not, however, manage to munch through the string, so did not get away with the charity tin.Falkirk Sheriff Court heard on Wednesday that a shop worker discovered the break-in when he opened up in the

a watchdog.Denise Connor was working at Beechwood Care Home in Wishaw when she mistreated and abused a total of five vulnerable residents over the course of just one shift in May 2020.Her alarming behaviour was reported and saw her hauled in front of the Scottish Social Services Council who have now banned her from the profession.Did you know you can keep up to date with the latest news by signing up to our daily newsletter?We send a morning and lunchtime newsletter covering the latest headlines

Georgia Brown, the director of European originals at Amazon Studios, is to become the advisory chair of the 2021 Edinburgh TV Festival.

East Kilbride care home residents say there is “light at the end of the tunnel” as visiting restrictions ease.Indoor visiting of Lanarkshire’s care home residents by relatives, friends and carers is set to resume this week – that allows residents to have up to two separate designated visitors once a week.The move follows the Scottish Government guidance ‘Open with Care’ to support the reintroduction of “meaningful family contact” in care homes.Natasha Hamilton's mum, Anne, is in a care home in

Mum Sam has also joined Maisy on weekend walks to Kilnford Farm from the family’s Lincluden home to help boost her steps total.Anyone who wants to donate to Maisy’s total for CHAS can do so by logging on to her fundraising page at www.facebook.com/donate/786464898655104

pregnant helped save the lives of other women after speaking out about her condition.Abbie Draper gave birth to her beautiful, healthy son, Blaise Draper-MacDonald in a stress-free C-section at Paisley's Royal Alexandra Hospital on February 25 this year.But it came after a nightmare pregnancy plagued by a life-threatening health condition called hyperparathyroidism, which resulted in a dangerous kidney stone too big to operate on forming when she was 20 weeks pregnant.The 30-year-old was fitted

young people after he discovered his passion during lockdown. As many in the UK found themselves out of work during the pandemic, Hamish Hutchinson took a leap and changed career.

Dumfries couple and their 13 kids are facing homelessness if a house big enough for them doesn’t become available in just nine weeks.Deborah and Craig Douglas have until the end of April to move out of their Heathhall home after their landlady decided to sell.Despite applying for a number of private lets and pleading with housing associations, the family still haven’t found anywhere big enough for their brood.And Deborah, 38, feels they are being “discriminated” against because of the size of

coronavirus case number in all local authority areas in Scotland has been published by health officials.Public Health Scotland said that in the week between February 15 and 21, Scotland recorded a total of 5,736 positive cases of Covid-19 - which represents 5.0% of people tested for the virus.Scotland’s seven-day positivity rate per 100,000 population in those seven days stood at 105.0, according to the latest data.Falkirk recorded the highest number of cases per 100,000 population during this

Tartan Army who are desperate to travel on June 18. But the date is just shy of Boris Johnson’s timetable for lifting the rules on crowd sizes.

Perth and Kinross are currently dealing with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to NHS Tayside.That is down from the nine that were closed to admissions last week when a local health chief warned the new variant of the coronavirus was “tending to have a more sustained impact on care homes than previously.”The news comes as the Scottish Government prepares to publish guidelines on the resumption of care home visiting in March.Up to two friends and relatives will be able to visit a

Cops are hunting a thief who broke into an elderly woman's home and stole a four figure cash sum.Officers in Fife are appealing for information following the incident on Monday February 15 at a property on Clay Acres Court, Dunfermline.The theft took place between 1am and 6.30pm.A purse containing cash and a bag containing a four figure sum were stolen during the incident.The elderly woman was not at home during the incident.Constable Helena Scott of the Fife Division Community Investigation

punishments – due to coronavirus.Criminals – including those who have hoarded child abuse images – have been ordered to carry out unpaid work as part of Community Payback Orders.But the work has been suspended because of the virus pandemic.Those convicted of crimes against key workers are being allowed to do their unpaid work at home in council areas including Renfrewshire and North Ayrshire.Completing online courses and phone calls with counsellors and employability mentors are also being

Jackie Baillie, made the call as part of a wider campaign to improve pay and conditions after a “heroic” year of effort.She based the calculation of figures showing 206,400 people in the sector are on the median wage of £9.50 an hour.Baillie said: “Our heroic social care workers, on whom we have all relied during this pandemic, have been undervalued and underpaid for too long.“Hundreds of thousands of predominantly female social care workers are languishing on poverty pay, while many of those

“Isle be off to work now, love.”The 32-year-old front-line care worker surely has the UK’s trickiest commute.

police at a home.Michelle Lizanec, of Catmoor Avenue, Scone, was found by cops at a property on Orchard Way, Inchture, at around 11.40pm last Saturday, February 13.A 46-year-old man has been arrested and charged over the 44-year-old's death after a 12-hour long siege at a Dundee house.Tributes have poured in for Michelle who was hailed as a 'a lovely woman' by pals.Now friends of Michelle, Suzanne Cunningham and Robert Dow, have urged people to help her children out during 'this horrific