Scotland deserves full-time sports minister says Margo

INDEPENDENT Lothians MSP Margo MacDonald says Scotland should have a full-time Minister for Sport.

She has written to First Minister Alex Salmond, arguing that events like the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup must be promoted to maximum effect both for the athletes taking part and the economic benefits to the areas in which they are held.

She insisted she was not criticising public health minister Shona Robison, whose remit currently includes sport, but said: "With a succession of very high-profile international contests coming to Scotland over the next five years, the time is right to give a sharper edge to the efforts that are already being made by sportscotland and other organisations interested in sport.

"I hope the First Minister can find a way to get best value from the public purse without expanding ministerial costs."