Last-ditch calls for SNP to think again on single police force plan

The proposal, along with a single fire service, is expected to be a key plank of the Scottish Government’s legislative programme, which will come before senior SNP ministers when the Scottish Cabinet meets in Elgin today.

Pat Watters, president of the local government body Cosla, is a long-term critic of the plans and yesterday urged a late rethink. He said: “I am disappointed that ministers have not seen fit to listen to the reasoned arguments from us and others against their proposals through the summer.

“The draft outline business cases in particular have proved to be fundamentally flawed – I think even ministers would have to acknowledge that.

“I firmly believe we have won the debate, called for, remember, by the government themselves over the last few weeks, but regrettably, the government’s ‘monopoly on wisdom’ is just that – they are unwilling to hear the views of others, even when better, less risky options are identified.”

The Scottish Government believes an amalgamation of the current eight separate regional forces – which it deems no longer fit for purpose – would bring savings.

The legislative programme to be set out by Alex Salmond tomorrow will also include plans for a minimum alcohol price of 45p per unit aimed at increasing the cost of cheap lager and cider.

This proposal was rejected by MSPs last year after the opposition at Holyrood combined to throw out the plans.

The minimum pricing move had received the backing of the British Medical Association in Scotland, the Royal College of Physicians and Alcohol Concern, but has been criticised by some drinks companies and the Scottish Retail Consortium.

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the measure would lead to 50 fewer deaths in the first year after the policy was implemented, a £5.5 million reduction in health care costs and 1,200 fewer hospital admissions from alcohol-related conditions.

Ms Sturgeon has maintained that costs would only rise for high-strength products sold at rock-bottom prices.

Anti-sectarian legislation will also be among the measures outlined by the First Minister tomorrow, after being delayed by six months.

Church, football figures and opposition parties had expressed concern at the original speedy timescale.The bill was introduced in mid-June and ministers had wanted to see it passed by the end of that month, in time for the start of the football season in July.

The bill aims to stamp out abusive behaviour from football fans, whether they are watching matches in a stadium, in the pub or commenting online. It would raise the maximum jail term from six months to five years.

It came in the wake of trouble at Old Firm games and the sending of suspected bombs to Celtic manager Neil Lennon and two other high-profile supporters of the club.

There will also be new legislation to allow the publication of papers from the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC), which would allow the publication of files relating to the Lockerbie bombing.

The SCCRC’s findings on Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi have remained under lock and key since they were finalised in 2007. The SCCRC report identified six grounds for believing Megrahi may have suffered a miscarriage of justice when he was prosecuted and tried for the murder of 270 people in the atrocity.