All newspaper references refer to Scottish editions. Where there is a link to a newspaper’s website, the relevant page reference is blue and underlined.

Data courtesy of Reform Scotland

Economy

Wages: The average wage in Scotland is now £28,300 according to the Bank of Scotland. This is £5,000 higher than five years ago and represents an above inflation increase. (Scotsman page 21, Express page 7, Record page 21, Courier page 12)

Recession: Further comment and analysis on the economic slow down. (Bill Jamieson in the Scotsman, Peter Jones in the Scotsman, Alf Young in the Herald, Martin Kettle in the Guardian, Camilla Cavendish and Martin Sorrell in The Times, Clive Aslet and Jeff Randal in the Telegraph, Martin Wolf in the FT, Philip Stephens in the FT)

Woolworths: The Prime Minister yesterday said the Government would do what it could to ensure that Woolworths’ stores stayed open until the end of the year. (Sun page 12)

Crime

ASBO breach: 22 year old Alana Searle who breached her ASBO in a police station has been released on bail because she was undergoing eye therapy to improve her behaviour. (Express page 7, Record page 47)

Transport

Transport Scotland: Transport Scotland’s finance and corporate services director, Guy Houston, quit last night following critisisms that he has shares in Scotrail owners FirstGroup which receives millions of pounds of public money from Transport Scotland. (Sun page 1)

Forth Bridge: Scottish Government ministers are hoping to cut £1billion of the cost of the new Forth Bridge. (Courier page 1)

Education

Male Teachers: The Scottish Government will launch a recruitment campaign in the new year for getting more young men into primary teaching (Times Educational Supplement page 1)

Health

Scots’ health: According to figures published by the Office of National Statistics, Scots are living linger without suffering the effects of poor health, but still have the lowest life expectancy in the UK. (Scotsman page 12)

C.diff: A police investigation has been launched regarding an outbreak of Clostridium difficile which caused 18 deaths at the Vale of Leven Hospital. (Express page 9, Herald page 2, Mail page 1, Record page 35, P&J page 7, Courier page 13)

Local Government

East Lothian Council: East Lothian Council has been criticised for giving its provost a clothing budget of £2,000 a year. (Scotsman page 6, Express page 17)

SNP local finance problems: The SNP is facing mounting pressure over its plans to introduce a local income tax as well as potential rebellion from councillors over finance for implementing free school meals and a council tax freeze. (Scotsman page 10, Sun page 2,
P&J page 9, Courier page 12)

Politics

Damian Green: Conservative MP and Shadow Immigration Minister, Damian Green, was arrested last night, allegedly involving counter terrorism police, in connection with leaked stories about illegal immigrants and Home Office failures. The complaint apparently came from the Government’s Cabinet Office.

Mr Green’s supporters have described the action as “Stalin-esque”. (Scotsman page 11, Express page 21, Herald page 1, Mail page 2, Times page 13, Telegraph page 1, P &J page 5, Courier page 10, FT page 4)

Scotland’s Coast: The Joint Ministerial Committee has agreed to give the Scottish Parliament responsibility for all planning an nature conservation matters at sea up to 200 miles from the coast. Up until now the Scottish Parliament only had control to 12 miles. (Scotsman page 9, Ann McKechin in the Scotsman, P&J page 15, Courier page 16, Herald page 2, Mail page 39, Times page 25)

MSPs’ staff: One in five MSPs has a family member on their staff it emerged yesterday, a greater proportion than at Westminster. (Scotsman page 14, Sun page 2, Express page 2, Herald page 6 and page 1, Mail page 21, Record page 2, Telegraph page 12, P&J page 8, Courier page 9)

School Meals: MSPs voted yesterday to allow councils to give every five to seven year olds free school meals. However the opposition parties have claimed that councils are not receiving the funds they need to implement the new law. (Express page 19, Herald page 6, Record page 2, Times page 3, Telegraph page 18, P&J page 9, Courier page 1)

Brown loses support: A populous poll has indicated that only just over a third of voters think that the Governments current plans will improve the economic situation. (Times page 5)