No guarantees over RAF bases
Campaigners opposed to the possible closure of two key RAF bases in Scotland have failed to win any assurances about their future

SNP outlines legislative programme
Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond came under attack from opposition MSPs after he unveiled his last legislative programme before next May's Holyrood election

Carrier cancellation 'being considered'
BAE chief executive says government have inquired about costs of cancelling one or both carriers

Police union wants talks on cuts
Union has warned that proposed cuts in the policing budget would be equivalent to losing 2,808 officers

Further defence cuts ''unacceptable''
More cuts in spending on defence in Scotland are not sustainable, says SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson

AV referendum bill leaps first hurdle
But Tory backbencher David Davis said: ''Of course there is party advantage implicit in these changes''

Independence referendum bill 'on hold'
The Scottish government has confirmed that a bill to hold a referendum on independence will now not be put before the Scottish parliament until after next year's Holyrood elections

Minimum pricing ''a tax on the poor''
Plans by the SNP for a minimum 45p per unit price for alcohol have been attacked as "a tax on the poor" by opposition politicians

School closures are 'inevitable'
One in nine Scottish primary schools is operating with at least 60 per cent of its places unfilled, and a leading authority on local government has predicted widespread closures

The ''shocking'' price of alcohol abuse
Alcohol-related hospital admissions on the rise, researchers at the North West Public Health Observatory find

Cosla imposes pay deal
Scotland's council leaders are to impose a three-year pay deal on staff after talks with unions ground to a halt

Teachers must teach for longer
The head of Scotland's largest council has called for teachers to spend longer in the classroom to help reduce the effect of public spending cuts

Police forces to axe hundreds of posts
Police forces across Scotland are drawing up plans to scrap hundreds of jobs as they face up to cuts

McConnell to quit Holyrood
Scotland's former first minister, Jack McConnell, is to quit Holyrood at next year's Scottish parliament elections

Fire brigade centres delay ''due to IT system''
New regional control rooms stand idle at a cost of £1m a month but EADS says project is still on course