Starmer backs relaxation of Class A drugs law in Scotland
Sir Keir Starmer has expressed support for a decision to relax drug laws for those found in possession of Class A substances in Scotland. Scotland’s Lord Advocate Dorothy Bain QC announced on Wednesday that those caught with Class A substances – such as heroin or cocaine – could receive a police warning rather than prosecution. The scheme will allow police to use their discretion on cases of individual use only, while those caught supplying drugs to others will still face criminal charges. The Labour leader said Ms Bain’s decision was “probably the right thing to do”. But Sir Keir added that there was a “world of difference” between the reform and “ripping up” drugs laws entirely.

The Daily Telegraph   Edinburgh Evening News   Herald Scotland   John O'Groat Journal   The Daily Record   The Inverness Courier  

Consultation launched on Anne's Law
The Scottish Government has launched a five-week consultation on the introduction of Anne's Law - which would establish a right for care home residents to have direct contact with people important to them to support their health and wellbeing. Social care minister Kevin Stewart commented: "We want to hear from as many people as possible to help shape the proposals – including people who live in adult care homes, their families and friends, care home providers and staff and a wide range of other stakeholders."
Grampian Online   John O'Groat Journal   Northern Times   The Daily Record  

Naomi Pryde is lawyer of the year
Naomi Pryde, a partner at DWF, has been named as Scotland’s lawyer of the year. She impressed judges at the Scottish Legal Awards with her technical qualities alongside efforts to tackle period poverty as well as improve diversity and inclusion across the sector. Firm of the year went to Jones Whyte Law; the judges were impressed with its financial performance and the strength of its strategy. Livingstone Brown's Stuart Munro was named managing partner of the year and the firm also picked up the criminal defence team title. Digby Brown, Neilson’s, Anderson Strathern and TLT were among the other firms which also won prizes. Lorna Jack, the outgoing chief executive of the Law Society of Scotland, received the lifetime achievement award.
Law Society of Scotland   The Times  

Lawyer elected new president of Aberdeen Bar Association
Solicitor advocate Ian Woodward-Nutt has been elected as the new president of the Aberdeen Bar Association. Mr Woodward-Nutt, principal at city law firm Woodward Lawson, has been a qualified solicitor since 1991 and thereafter in 2014 qualified as a criminal solicitor advocate with extended rights of audience before the High Court of Justiciary. He takes over the senior position at Aberdeen Bar Association from fellow defence agent Stuart Murray, of Murray Ormiston. Garry Sturrock, solicitor with Brodies in Aberdeen, has been elected as vice-president.
Evening Express   The Press and Journal  

Average house prices in Scotland reach new record level
The average house price in Scotland reached a new record level this summer. At the end of July, the average price stood at £207,877 – up by £5,950, or 2.9%, on June, the largest increase in a month since March 2015. Figures revealed in the Walker Fraser Steele Acadata House Price Index also showed that 2021 has had the highest number of sales over £750,000 of the past seven years, at 537 during the first seven months. In July, all bar one of the 32 local authorities saw their average prices rise over the previous 12 months. The exception was the Western Isles, where only 25 sales took place. There were 12 local authorities which reached a new record in average house prices, up from four in June. Among them were the Orkney Islands, where the average was up almost 10% on the previous month and 30% on July last year. On the Scottish mainland, the highest annual July increase was in the Borders, up by 23.2%.
The Press and Journal  

Recycling firm faces fine over shipments to China
An investigation by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) into recycling firm Saica Natur has seen the firm facing an unlimited fine after it admitted breaching international waste shipment regulations in court by shipping mixed waste to China. SEPA officers raised concerns over shipments of hundreds of tons of mixed waste that were shipped to China. Environmental crime prosecutor Joe Stewart said officers "picked through bales of waste paper and found soiled nappies, food waste, electrical equipment, clothing and toys. While a small amount of contamination is to be expected, SEPA officers said the level here went far beyond what could be acceptable."
The Daily Record  

Over 10,000 temporary visas offered to hauliers and poultry workers
The Government has confirmed that 10,500 temporary UK visas will be offered to foreign workers in an attempt to alleviate Britain’s lorry driver shortage. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said 5,000 fuel tanker and food lorry drivers will be eligible to work in the UK for three months, until Christmas Eve, with the scheme also extended to 5,500 poultry workers. Additionally, ministers are to write to almost a million drivers who hold an HGV licence, encouraging them back into the industry. The letter will set out the steps the haulage sector is taking to improve industry conditions, including increased wages, flexible working and fixed hours, according to the Department for Transport.

BBC News  

Capita breaks the law over minimum wage
Outsourcing firm Capita has breached the law by failing to pay the minimum wage to thousands of low paid workers across the UK, analysis of data from between 2015 and 2021 has found. Those who fell short of being paid the minimum wage have started to be reimbursed after Capita carried out a national minimum wage audit following complaints. Letters sent to past and current staff by Capita's chief people officer Will Serle say salaries dropped to below the National Minimum Wage “due to a small number of technical issues”. He added that these issues have been addressed, noting that the firm has “strengthened our policies and practices to prevent this from happening again."
The Herald  

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Scottish Government backs off from abortion clinic buffer zones
The Back Off Scotland campaign group has warned that the Scottish Government's failure to legislate to set up protest buffer zones around abortion clinics will leave vulnerable women facing harassment as anti-abortion group 40 Days for Life announced plans to hold 'prayer vigils' outside clinics until the end of October. City of Edinburgh Council members backed a motion supporting buffer zones in February, while Glasgow City Council has said that the issue is the responsibility of the Scottish Government. Rachael Clarke from the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) said BPAS was "deeply disappointed to hear the stance of the Scottish government.
Edinburgh Evening News  

Orange Order opposes calls for parades commission
Following First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's announcement that she is considering setting up a parades commission to oversee marches and parades, similar to the one in place in Northern Ireland, Rev Mervyn Gibson, the Grand Secretary of the Orange Order in Northern Ireland, has claimed that such a commission would be "biased" against Protestants and would create more "division" and "intolerance". Ms Sturgeon said there was "no place" for anti-Catholic prejudice in Scotland, and that she would ask Justice Secretary Keith Brown to consider the idea. Rev Gibson has insisted that existing laws on anti-social behaviour and hate crime are sufficient to address the problem.
Herald Scotland  

UK set to join EU Covid vaccine passport scheme
The Telegraph reports that the integration of the UK's vaccine database into the EU's Digital Covid Certificate scheme is at an advanced stage. A Foreign office spokesman confirmed to the paper that Britain has “applied to link into the EU's Digital Covid Certificate scheme” in a move they said would “enable us to digitally verify each other's Covid certificates to make journeys easier." Although some assert that joining the scheme will make accessing restaurants, bars and events easier in countries that operate domestic Covid passports, critics say it can be used by governments and others to restrict an individual's access to events and places based on their personal particulars – in this case part of their health record.
The Daily Telegraph  

Third of drivers stopped on NC500 charged with breaking law
A crackdown by police on rogue drivers along the North Coast 500 route has seen a third of drivers stopped by officers charged with breaking the law. Some 90 vehicles were checked, with 30 committing offences, and almost another 40 were also warned including “a significant number” of caravan and campervan drivers. Tensions with locals have escalated as the route has become more popular. Scottish Tourer Motorhome Hire, owned by Gordon Murray, has told its customers to avoid the road. “Some 70% of people who drive the NC500 would never do it again,” he said. 
The Times  

Improved addiction support services in North Lanarkshire
Members of the North Lanarkshire Integration Joint Board have heard of North Lanarkshire Alcohol and Drug Partnership’s (NLADP) plans to tackle addiction issues in the area. Working with the Scottish Government’s National Mission Priorities, NLADP aims to: provide fast and appropriate access to treatment and support; improve frontline drugs services; ensure services react immediately for people who need support and maintain it as long as it is required; increase capacity and use of residential rehab; implement a more joined-up approach between services to address underlying issues. In addition, everyone accessing the service will have access to independent advocacy and support for housing, welfare and income needs.
The Daily Record