North Korea, already one of the least-wired places in the world, appears to be cracking down on the use of the internet by even the small number of foreigners who can access it with relative freedom by blacklisting and blocking social media accounts or websites deemed to carry harmful content.

The move won’t be noticed by most in the North since hardly anyone has access to the internet. But it could signal increasing concern in Pyongyang over the flow of real-time photos, tweets and status updates getting out to the world and an attempt to further limit what the few North Koreans able to view the internet can see.

Warnings, in Korean and English, are now appearing on a wide array of sites, including social media such as Instagram, Tumblr and Flickr and websites like the South Korean news agency Yonhap, along with specific articles about the country. The warnings say the sites have been blacklisted for harmful content and cannot be accessed.

There has been no announcement of a policy change by the North Korean government or the North’s mobile service carrier, Koryolink, a joint venture with Egypt’s Orascom Telecom and Media Technology.

The explicit blacklisting of sites would be a break with past practice in North Korea, when officials monitored the internet activity of foreign users but did so quietly. The 3G data connection on mobile phones has not been disrupted and many sites, including Facebook and Twitter, continued to function normally.

But signs of concern that local eyes may be trying to peek into the crack opened for foreigners using the internet have been growing.

From late last year, Koryolink began blocking the function that allows smart phones to be turned into wifi hotspots that can share their internet connection with other nearby devices. Officials last year also tightened restrictions on wifi at embassies, to keep local residents from illegally “piggybacking” off of wifi signals near their compounds.

The scattershot nature of the blacklist warnings and the relative ease with which they can be circumvented would suggest a more tentative, possibly experimental, effort at controlling internet use than the sophisticated Great Firewall that makes it impossible for most Chinese to access Facebook or even the widespread government censorship of internet sites in South Korea.

“This effort seems a bit random,” said James Lewis, an expert in computer security who is a director and senior fellow at the Washington-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies. “Why send a warning about some sites, block some, but not block others? Either the DPRK is developing a more comprehensive policy but changed their mind, or they’ve been hacked.”

Mr Lewis added, however, that countries have the right to control their national networks.

“In practice, authoritarian regimes or religious regimes control more, democratic regimes control less,” he said. “It’s expensive, so there are often ways to circumvent controls, but most users are too lazy to do this.”

Budget airline Ryanair is to pursue Hertz for breach of contract and damages after the car hire group terminated its partnership with the carrier.

The sudden move means Ryanair will be unable to offer passengers a car hire services over its website while it seeks for a replacement provider.

According to a statement from the Dublin-based airline, Hertz claims it was in breach of contract due to its use of third-party booking services, a claim that Ryanair said it disputes as it has been selling tickets through so-called global distribution systems since April 2014 “with Hertz’s knowledge and support”.

The carrier’s chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said: “We regret Hertz’s decision to end our car hire agreement at such short notice, at a time that will cause maximum inconvenience to our customers during the peak travel period. We have had a long and successful partnership with Hertz, and it’s a pity that this has ended in such an unfortunate and untimely manner.

“We have instructed our lawyers to issue proceedings against Hertz for breach of contract. In the meantime we look forward to entering into discussions with other car hire suppliers.”

The move came as Ryanair said its efforts to improve customer service helped to propel passenger numbers sharply higher last month.

Traffic soared 14 per cent to 9.5 million customers, while its load factor – a measure of how full its planes were – increased to 93 per cent, up from 88 per cent a year ago.

Testing a child’s reaction to smells may provide an effective new way of diagnosing autism at young ages, research has shown.

People with autism fail to adjust their “sniff response” in the normal way when switching from nice to nasty odours.

For instance, the sweet scent of a rose usually prompts a deep intake of breath, whereas a visit to a gents toilet is likely to have the opposite effect.

But such an ability to co-ordinate senses and actions is impaired in those suffering from autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

Since the test doesn’t require a verbal task, it could one day help doctors diagnose autism in very young children, permitting interventions to begin at a younger age.

The researchers presented 18 children with ASD and the same number of normally developing children with pleasant and unpleasant smells, and measured their sniff responses.

Typical healthy children adjusted their sniffing within 305 milliseconds of smelling an odour, but this was not the case for those with autism.

The difference in sniff response was large enough to allow the researchers to spot the autistic children with 81 per cent accuracy.

Increasingly aberrant sniffing was also associated with increasingly severe autistic symptoms, the scientists reported in the journal Current Biology.

Lead researcher Dr Noam Sobel, from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, said: “The difference in sniffing pattern between the typically developing children and children with autism was simply overwhelming.

“We can identify autism and its severity with meaningful accuracy within less than ten minutes using a test that is completely non-verbal and entails no task to follow. This raises the hope that these findings could form the base for development of a diagnostic tool that can be applied very early on, such as in toddlers only a few months old.”

This was however a small, early study, so the sniff test will have to undergo more extensive trials before it can be ready for clinical use.

The researchers now plan to test whether the sniff-response pattern they’ve observed is specific to autism or whether it might show up also in people with other neurodevelopmental conditions. They also want to find out how early in life such a test might be used.

THE focus is on the dozens of new MPs in Scotland, but what becomes of the ousted, and their staff, asks Christine Jardine.

When the votes were counted, the new MPs returned and speeches delivered, that was probably the end of the public’s interest in the last general election.

But for one group, those few moments in counts up and down the country changed their lives. And not necessarily for the better.

While all the attention was focused on who won, what about those who didn’t? The losers. Those people who have devoted themselves to public service only to find that their’s is a service the public no longer wants.

It’s a group that extends far beyond the MPs who lost their seats.

I know it’s not easy to have much sympathy with those defeated members. They’ve had their dream job and led a privileged life for five, ten, 15 years, maybe longer and with varying success. On defeat they will be paid up to £33,000 resettlement money, more if they were a cabinet minister, to help them back into civilian life.

But many of them are still young, with families to bring up. Will they look for something to see them through the next five years until they attempt a political return or will they turn their backs on politics for good. In many cases we can only hope not.

Danny Alexander spent five years as chief secretary to the Treasury. He’s proud of being a Highlander but his experience in government might mean he now finds himself being pulled toward a career elsewhere He previously worked for Cairngorm National Park, and there will be countless companies keen to enlist his help.

And what about Douglas Alexander? Almost 20 years as a Labour MP. A former secretary of state for Scotland, for transport and for international development.

It would be hard to argue that either man did not have immense talents which are now lost to the Scottish public. And they are not alone. The list of talented politicians no longer inhabiting the stage is too long and too depressing to rehearse.

There is also the emotional impact of having dedicated themselves to a cause they believed was in the best interests of others only to be told: “No we don’t want you. You got it wrong.”

That’s a blow from which many may not recover, and the rewards of a new career may never heal the wound. But what about the others? There are many who were never high-profile enough, or long enough serving, to attract lucrative offers.

And what about their staff? What about the parties’ staff? What about candidates who have dedicated years of their lives, given up careers and taken on vast personal expense in pursuit of what they believe only to be rejected? How does our democracy look after these people?

And should it look after them? Does that not raise the spectre of a professional political class motivated by financial reward rather than public service? Maybe.

As a Liberal Democrat candidate myself, the first thing that I would stress is that nobody forces you to do it, and nobody promises you that you will win. And you certainly don’t do it for the money.

But there is also nobody who warns you what the cost might be. And not just in financial terms.

I can’t speak for others but I would guess that, like me, they do it because they believe in something. They want to help those who do not have the political power to help themselves. They want to fight injustice or they want to ensure that all our young people get the best chance in life. I’m sure a lot of the electorate simply assume that everyone who stands for parliament is somehow employed by the party or they can afford to do it. In my experience that is rarely, if ever, the case.

Some have worked in politics, but mainly they are people with real jobs and families. Both of which get neglected for the duration.

But while we want candidates for whom it’s not about personal advancement or financial gain, is there not an argument that we should make it more affordable for them to ensure we get the best and not just the most financially secure?

There is also the parliamentary staff. With the huge changeover from Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs to SNP – 50 seats changed hands – around 200 parliamentary staff in Scotland and Westminster were made redundant. On top of that the parties’ own staff will be “rationalised” to cope with a new political landscape.

In a field as emotive, personal and unique as politics, it’s not just a case of finding an employer with a similar company, or product. There are very few who could just jump from the MP they have worked for, to the opponent who put them out of a job.

In politics your boss’s defeat can mean both a change of career and uprooting yourself to wherever you can find a job.

Yes there are lots of transferable skills: communications, organisation, marketing. But in a country recovering from recessions, a glut of politically qualified people, from researchers and case workers to special advisers, is unlikely to find huge demand out there.

Of course they are no more or less entitled to the benefits of a welfare state or protection from economic reality than any other sector.

But do we really want to lose their skills and experience? Is it a good idea to replace all of the people working for you in a part of the country with a completely new and inexperienced staff every five years?

Many of those now on the job market are young people with excellent degrees who turned their back on good careers in the private sector in favour of public service.

For five years and more they have honed their skills only now to find there is no more use for them.

Now they will probably go back and pursue those lucrative careers.

Ultimately, however, there may be a way in which society can benefit. We can hope the best of them will have been bitten by the public service bug and will want to return.

There is no doubt that the skills they gain in the private sector, the experience of a life outwith the political bubble, will be valuable both to them, and to the public they may one day seek to serve again.

Ironically, not being taken into account by the electorate who dumps them may ultimately benefit both.

THE UK renewables market has always been seen as an attractive investment prospect due to the government’s historic subsidy support and renewables policy commitments.

However, this controversial move is likely to damage investor confidence irreparably, not just in the wind sector but also in the broader UK energy market. Scottish Renewables has estimated Scotland could now lose out on £3 billion of investment.

It’s not just inward investment that will bear the brunt of this decision. With 5,400 people employed in Scotland’s onshore wind industry, the reductions to financial support will surely cast doubt over future job security.

The rationale for this decision simply does not add up. Westminster’s claim that the UK possesses enough subsidised projects to meet its renewable energy commitments contradicts the latest report from the European Commission, which has projected that the UK is set to fall short of its legally binding 2020 EU renewable energy targets. Early closure of the Renewables Obligation can only further hamper the UK’s efforts to meet these targets, which may result in the use of more expensive technologies and increases to consumer energy bills.

On this latter point, it’s worth remembering that onshore wind uses a free and abundantly available fuel source where the UK could not be held hostage to fortune by politically unstable nations for fuel supply, unlike, for example, major gas imports.

Cutting the subsidy flies in the face of Westminster’s commitment to support only the most cost-effective technologies and those that have public support. We know onshore wind is the most cost-effective renewables technology and, as evidenced by the UK government’s own public attitudes tracker, it also enjoys strong support.

Failure to continue supporting this valuable industry is not just short-sighted, it is ill-considered and reckless.

• Stuart Winter is associate director planning at property consultancy firm JLL

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The following are expected to graduate at a ceremony at the University of Strathclyde on Friday 3 July 2015 at 11.00 am

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

Professor Bob Stewart

Mr Martin Cooper - Chairman Emeritus of Arraycomm – conceived the first mobile phone

for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY - in Education - Sultan Mohammed F Altalhab; Hazel Grace Whitters

for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION - Susan Jamieson; Beverley Young

for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE - in Educational Support - Emma Early

in Person-Centred Counselling - Ioannis Avramidis; Theodoros Dovistinos; Gialyraki Kalliopi; Stella Kechagia; Elisavet Koutouxidou; Konstantinos Mavrakakis; Ntalamagka Aikaterini; Papagos Alexandros with distinction; Nikolaos Polychronakis; Chryssoula Tsaousi with distinction; Evgenia Vagianou

in Practitioner Research - Jacqueline McFadyen

in School Leadership and Management - Lorna Jane James; Janine McCullough; Jacqueline MacPhail; Fiona Marie Mullen

for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION - in Education - Maria Isabella Ralston Stevenson; Jane Elizabeth Corr Thomson

for the degree of BACHELOR OF EDUCATION - in Primary Education - with First Class Honours - Kayleigh Jade Gear; Hollie Asha Kynaston; Esther Barbara Donaldson McMillan

with Second Class Honours - upper division - Mary Baxter Adam; Lynn Anderson; Katie Hannah Brown; Ruth Gillies Budge; Emma Rebecca Cameron; Gayle Elizabeth Christie; Stephanie Connor; Laura Ann Cummings; Ashley Dailly; Allegra Valentina Davidson; Danielle Donkin; Claire Louise Everett; Megan Ferguson; Mark Finlay; Rachel Evans Gallacher; Kirsten Jane Gillespie; Fiona Pamela Gilligan; Kayleigh Georgina Glendinning; Ailie Elizabeth Grant; Laura Grant; Leah Mary Beth Henry; Emma Sarah Herd; Laura Suzanne Herron; Lynda Hood; Katherine Helen Jackson; Omar Kettlewell; Amy Jane Kingham; Rachel Kydd; Chloe Lindsay; Michael Robert McClorey; Fiona McCready; Emma McKie; Kirsty Elizabeth MacLean; Kirsty McLeod; Rachel Jane Miller; Sarah Joyce Moffat; Rebecca Lauren Murchie; Caitlin Anne Murray; Eve Elisabeth Murray; Fiona Jane Nisbet; Julie Ogilvie; Greig Ramage; Nicole Renwick; Emma Roseman; Skye Sarahs; Isabel Alison Sharp; Hazel Mhairi Sillars; Lauren Snedden; Greg Munro Steer; Lucy Symon; Cara Louise Thomson; Lauren Page Thomson; Rachel Ruth Wadsworth; Jacqueline White; Richard Whitelock

with Second Class Honours - lower division - Carrieann Abbott; Erin Anderson; Kimberly Barr; Olivia Brierton; Shona Caldecott Brown; Emma Coles; Lindsay Elizabeth Duncan; Paige Hannah Fox; Hannah Bruce Fraser Gall; Danielle Goodbrand; Laura Patricia Graham; Ciara Hall; Asten Hill; Carly Mhairi Hood; Gillian Margaret Kilgour; Matthew James William McGregor; Rachel Christina MacMillan; Emma Anne McMullen; Innes Anne Sheila Monaghan; Leanne Murphy; Thomas Peden; Caroline Emma Richardson; Ainsley Rogers; Anna Sinclair; Stefanie Szula; Heather Margaret Tinto; Lauren Walker; Julie Elizabeth Watt; Abbie Weir; Caitlin Diane Mary Welsh; Jordan Rose Wilson; Caroline Alison Wood; Dawn Louise Wright; Sarah Victoria Young

with Third Class Honours - Gillian Sarah Black; Maxine McCrindle

Bachelor of Education - Yvonne Gibson

in Primary Education with International Study - with Second Class Honours - upper division - Louise Margaret Boyle

for the degree of BACHELOR OF ARTS - in Community Arts - with Second Class Honours - upper division - Lorraine Thomas

in Primary Education Studies - Bachelor of Arts - Rosalind Marion Samantha Donnachie; Lisa Michelle Donnelly; Rachael Hendrie; Colette Kean; Heather Ruth Miranda Lennon; Roisin McCusker; Gillian Laura McDougall; Anne Catherine Park; Robyn Ward

in Education and Social Services - with First Class Honours - Jennifer Mcluckie; Catriona Louise Mitchell

with Second Class Honours - upper division - Judith Blair; Rebecca Duffy; Victoria Hurst; Gillian Strain

with Second Class Honours - lower division - Rachel Lisa Arthur; Karen Crawford; Alana Houston; Jenna Amanda Maltby

with Third Class Honours - Sharon Mary Tritschler

Bachelor of Arts - Demi Andrew; Qurrat-Ul-Ain Anwar; Lesli Boswell with merit; Karen Ann Brown with merit; Kayley Ann Buchan; Aleksandra Halina Cisowska; Kerry Mary Coghill with merit; Lauren Devine with merit; Holly Fraser; Claire Forbes Gray; Lindsey Roberta Harrigan with merit; Kimberley Ann Harrison with merit; Alyssa Hattie; Jade Catherine Hume with distinction; Emma Jamieson; Danielle Kelly; Chyvonne McCann; Stevie Mary Elizabeth Mackay; Pauline Mary McLevy with merit; Lauren McNaughton; Humma Majid; Joanne Elizabeth Osborne; Amy Rafferty; Vikki Diana Bryce Roberts; Lauren Marie Sweeney; Sheila Tatadzei Vukomba; Carol Anne Willitts; Lee-Anne Wright; Ewa Aneta Wroblewska

The following are expected to graduate at a ceremony at the University of Strathclyde on Friday 3 July 2015 at 3.00 pm

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY - in Law - Juliet Kamuzze

for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE - in Mediation and Conflict Resolution - Jane Ellen Anniss with merit; LesleyAnne Mckay

in Criminal Justice and Penal Change - Sarah Kennedy with merit

for the degree of MASTER OF LAWS - in Construction Law - Alastair David Findlay Anderson with merit; Walter Buchanan with merit; Euan George Geddes with distinction; David Cameron Gunn; Jose Andres Lama Bustinza; Montgomery Brady Langmuir with merit; Greg McCallum with merit; Raymond McGurnaghan; David Ogilvie Maclagan-Wedderburn with merit; Amit Malik with merit; Louise Chiedza Tapiwa Musa with merit; David Owens with merit; Kirsty Johnston Patrick with merit; Lena Margaret Stewart; David Wotherspoon with merit

in Internet Law and Policy - Stephen McLeod Blythe; Angela Dunlop; Muluk Ali Mohsin; Aspasia Panagiotou; Elissavet Stratoudaki with distinction; Hayley Anne Winchester

in Information Technology and Telecommunications Law - Chrysi Chrysochou with merit; Damilola Olawale Kofoworola; Ilias Komninos

in Human Rights Law - Sara Gul Abbasi with merit; Peter Mark Benham; Elaine Sumagang Bryceland with merit; Jacqueline Clare Margaret Farmer with distinction; Zara Mohammed with merit; Alina Jehan Raza Mohammed with merit; Linsay Taylor with merit

in International Economic Law - Akindipe Daniel Oluwadayo; Terfa Ashwe with merit; Daniel Farrell with merit; Marian Gibbons-Black; Maria Schonwiesner with merit; Yan Xu with merit

in International Law and Sustainable Development - Hannah White McGowan with merit; Orion Meyer with merit; Callum James Murdoch with merit; Laura Mhairi Taylor with merit

in Mediation and Conflict Resolution - James John O’Kane with merit

in Professional Legal Practice - Nichola McAtier with distinction

in Advocacy - Angus Crawford with distinction; Jennifer Harrower with distinction; Kenneth Law with merit; Gillian Murphy Nisbet with distinction

in Employment and Labour Law Studies - John Edward Caulfield with distinction

for the degree of BACHELOR OF LAWS - with First Class Honours - Mitchell Robert Abbott; Kayla Brown; Jordan Murray Gray; Alexander John Heeps; Catherine Alice Jane Hunter; Douglas Jack; Maeve Rachel McCrorie; Michael Reilly; Robert James Struthers

with Second Class Honours - upper division - Lisa Mary Ali; Rachel Sarah Bell; Kirsty Black; Anthony Boland; Hannah Brower; Lynsey Meiklem Brown; Edward Ferguson; Rebecca Marie Ferguson; Stephen James Fitzpatrick; Sean Patrick Folan; Rebecca Rose Fraser; Rachel Gibb; Stephanie Lindsay Hands; Christina Balmain Heard; Rachel Margaret Hill; Rebecca Gaynor Hope; Sean Francis Hughes; Shaun Hughes; John Paterson Hunter; Honor Georgio Logan; Duncan Ross McBride; Matthew Ogilvie McCabe; Ryan James McCann; Amy Jane McDougall; Matthew McGovern; Katherine McInnes; Thérèse Isabel Eilidh McQuade; Fiona Malone; Lynn Martin; Alasdair Preston Millar; Carla Mitchell; Lyndsay Monaghan; Tay Carmichael Montgomery; Ryan Paul Morrison; Claire O’Hagan; Amy-Louise Martha Pollock; Sahira Rafiq; Amy Rodgers; Clare Marie Smeaton; Liam Anthony Smith; Samantha Stewart; Erika Suzuki; Lee Thomson; Alexander Andrew Walker; Andrew Patrick Kearns Walker; Natalie Wallace; Cheryl Elizabeth Craig Warden; Ashlee Waton; Emma Watson; Nicola Welsh; David Ross White

with Second Class Honours - lower division - Jay Paul Chitnis; Declan William Grimason; Calum Samuel Haswell; Ashleigh McIntyre; Mairi-Clare McMillan; Kevin Murphy; Melanie Caitlin Paterson; Robyn Tracey; Cameron Alexander Wright; Emma Elizabeth Wright

Bachelor of Laws - Siddharth Akhouri; Daniel Nicholas Bourke; Amy Katharine Bowen; Jennifer Lynn Brown; Stuart John Burnett; Laurin Amy Campbell; Daniel Michael Caplan; Ian Cockburn; Douglas Cunningham; Jane Marie Elliott; Lesley Finlayson; Claire Gillespie; Neil Andrew Henderson; Mohammed Kashif Hussain; Laura Joan Hutchison; Anjam Ismail; Henna Aminah Jamil; Lori Jeffrey; Muhummad Ibrahim Khan; Robert Patryk Kieszek; Paul David Kilby; Craig Nicholas Kousourou; Michael Lamont; Mark Joseph Landa; Danielle Sarah Law; Gillian Lawrie; James McArthur; Nicola McGrath; Liam McGuigan; Claire McLauchlan; Courtney Elizabeth McQuiston; Fezile Bongiwe Mabuza; David James Moffat; Jason Morris; Stacy Shaylene Morrison; Lauren Mullen; Mark David Richard Myles; Michael John Nicol; Albert Osiagwu; Lucie Maria Paterson; Sabina Sarwar; Jonathan Bernard Sheridan; Ryan Sloan; Ian Ward; Victoria Jane Willan; Aziz Yasin; Nicholas James Young

in Law (Clinical) - with Second Class Honours - upper division - Eileen Elizabeth Barr; Kirsten Margaret Holmes

with Second Class Honours - lower division - Craig Robert Leslie; Adil Saeed

Bachelor of Laws - Matthew Campbell Braidwood; Sean Butterfield; Rachel Conway; Sheeba Kiran; Rebecca Ann Menzies; Edna Ayeley Okine; John Paul Stringer

in Law with a Modern Language - with First Class Honours - Lisa McCall; Anna Mary Mackinnon

with Second Class Honours - upper division - Alexandra Allan; Cara Rachael Garven; Eve Marion Jordan; George McLaughlin; Rachael Meechan; Roisin Clare Simpson

with Second Class Honours - lower division - Sara Anne Cahoon; Rosslyn Walsh

for the degree of BACHELOR OF ARTS - in Law and Economics - with Second Class Honours - upper division - Rebecca Sweeney

in Law with Politics - with Second Class Honours - upper division - Jennifer Lindsay McBride; Charlotte-Ann Stoddart

with Second Class Honours - lower division - Hayley Easter Glancy

in Law with Psychology - with Second Class Honours - upper division - Eva Kwok

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING - for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY - for research in the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering - Charlotte Banks; Eduardo Enrique Blanco Davis; Olgun Guven Hizir; Wei Jin; Rafet Emek Kurt; Zi Lin; Tahsin Tezdogan; Hossein Zanganeh

for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE - in Marine Engineering - Khairul Izwan Bin Mashudin

in Subsea Engineering - Franck Farel Leprince Boumba; Nattakorn Onnuch with distinction

for the degree of MASTER OF ENGINEERING - in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering - Raymond William Abery with merit; Craig Cains Cameron with merit; Scott Andrew Macfarlane Dorrian with merit; Andrew Murray Graham with merit; Emily Louise Margaret Lennox with distinction; Inness-Ian MacDonald with merit; Ewan Magnus Manson with merit; Ioannis Pagiazitis with distinction; Donald Macleod Paterson with distinction; Theodore Josiah Scott with distinction; Catherine Rosemary Shewell with distinction; Ryan Slimmon with merit; Dimitris Sympouras with merit; Caj Volbeda with distinction; Stuart Jamie Winnie with distinction; Thomas Andrew Wright with distinction

in Naval Architecture with Ocean Engineering - Muhamad Ikhwan bin Muhamad Azizie with merit; Mohd Alif Saifuddin Bin Jamalludin with merit; Eric Gunnar Crawford Brown with distinction; Ewan Alexander Gray with distinction; George Thomas Griffin with distinction; Hugh James McQueen with distinction; Davie Williamson with distinction; Andrew Neil Wilson with distinction

for the degree of BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING - in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering - with Second Class Honours - lower division - John Martin; Iosif Morfiris; Edmond Ow Yew Tinn

in Naval Architecture with Ocean Engineering - with First Class Honours - Hanlin Song

with Second Class Honours - upper division - Pranay Nangia

with Second Class Honours - lower division - Adhiyamankottai Arunagiri Poovendan; Jordan Scott Christie; Anthony Gillespie; Michael James Hughes; Declan MacDonald; Seumas MacMillan Nicolson; Adhil Subahani Shaji; Ahmed Bazil bin Zakaria

Bachelor of Engineering - Fiona Margaret Allan

in Naval Architecture with High Performance Marine Vehicles - with Third Class Honours - Andrew Alexander Forbes

Life-changing gene therapy for cystic fibrosis sufferers could be available in the next five years following a landmark trial.

For the first time, a gene-altering treatment was shown to improve or stabilise the lung function of patients and lead to significant health gains.

The £3 million trial, involving 136 patients aged 12 and over, is seen as the curtain raiser for a much larger study next year.

Scientist say there is more work to be done but believe they are on track to deliver a therapy that can make a meaningful difference to patients’ lives.

Professor Eric Alton, from Imperial College London, who co-ordinated the trial in Edinburgh and London, said: “For the first time in the world, we have a significant benefit compared with placebo in cystic fibrosis patients.

“If the bigger study shows big benefits then it’s feasible that we’ll be able to offer this treatment to patients by the end of the decade.”

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare but devastating inherited disease caused by a single defective gene that causes the lungs to secrete thick mucus. The airways become clogged up and vulnerable to recurrent life-threatening infections.

Lung damage caused by infections is responsible for 90 per cent of deaths of people with CF, who are not likely to live beyond the age of 35. Around 10,000 people in the UK suffer from the disease, which affects one in every 2,500 newborns.

Since the genetic basis of CF was discovered in 1989, scientists have been working on ways to replace the defective gene. But all attempts so far have been thwarted by the body’s protective mechanisms for clearing unwanted material out of the lungs and fighting off foreign invaders such as viruses, which are used to ferry corrective DNA into cells.

The new treatment does not employ viruses but fat globules, or liposomes, that carry the genetic material and are inhaled through a nebuliser. The globules fuse with fatty cell membrane walls and allow the DNA to slip into lung cells.

This type of gene therapy is not a single fix – the treatment has to be repeated at regular intervals as cells die and are replaced.

The trial compared the effects of inhaled gene therapy and a dummy “placebo” treatment on 136 patients with CF aged 12 and over.

The results, published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine journal, showed that, at the end of the trial, lung function was 3.7 per cent better in patients who received the “active” treatment.

Participants with the worst lung function at the start of the study experienced a much greater 6.4 per cent gain compared with those in the placebo group.

Scientists said the “modest” improvements were still significant and a world first.

University of the West of Scotland Friday 3 July 2015

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Honorary Award

Doctor of the University - Evelyn McCann

SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AND ENTERPRISE

Master of Business Administration with Distinction - Gary Bendoris; Stephen Joseph Brannagan (Court Medal); Nina Mary Ellen Downs

Master of Business Administration - James Allan; Scott Hutchison Bell; Michelle Condron; Barry Leith Dickens; Robert Anthony Dorris; Alan Pettigrew; Angela Elizabeth Spence; Angela Terry

Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Business - Vicki Aird; Sarah-Jane Bowman Crawford; Gavin Donald; Scott Graham Gill (Court Medal); Robert Stuart Ireland; Lucy Kay Johnston; Kevan Andrew Limond; Rory David MacKay; Janis Bell Mair; Craig Maxwell; Gregory Paul McCaig; Nicole McColm; Stephanie Helen Meek; Emma Riddell; Emily Isabella Tedder

Bachelor of Arts - Business - Hannah Mary Jackson

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Professional Graduate Diploma - Education (Primary) - Rachael Emily Sayers Bamford; Gillian Brocklebank; David Brown; Jennifer Brown; Emma Alexandra Brunjes; Louise Eleanor Cambridge; Mhairi Anne Cameron; Roisin Anne Cameron; Amy Elizabeth Currie; Elaine Furmage; Sarah Anna Gardiner; Tiffany Helen Kerr; Niamh Catherine Kirkwood; Simon Charles Lamb; Colleen Anne Lynch; Laura MacAskill; Colin Peter Mackenzie; Fiona Louise McCallum; Lorna McCartney; Laurie McConnochie; Catriona Frances Newton; Ashley Johann O’Neill; Stephanie Frances Rowe; Christopher Alister Simpson; Siobhan Sloan; Lorna Mary Street; Sarah Louise Wallace; Emma White; Corinne Wilson; Louise Jane Wilson

Professional Graduate Diploma - Education (Secondary) - Farhat Ali; Kris Allen; Nicola Charlotte Blackwood; Deborah Ann Bowie; Stephanie Brien; Kirsty Cairns; Ruth Cartwright; Lauren Emma Collier; Christopher Michael Crookston; Fiona Dempsey; Lauren Diamond; David Divers; Maxwell Donaghy; Elliot Dougall; Rose Dunlop; Ainsley Elizabeth McLean Ellis; Karen Fair; Sarah Ferguson; Yvonne Finnie; Colleen Friel; Erin Gilmour; Kirsty Glen; Rachel Goldie; Julianna Gordon; Emma Jane Grierson; Jillian Hamilton-Cooper; Daniel Robert Edward Howie; Aoife Kate Leddy; Iain Alexander Livingston; Eilidh Livingstone; Susan Dorothy Love; Craig Robert Marscheider; Kaitlin Elizabeth McCartney; Mark Humes McCormack; Michelle Veronica McEwan; Katie Louise McGugan; Nicole McKenny; Seona McKie; Catherine-Elizabeth McKillop; Lorna Lesley McLachlan; Jennifer Barbara McMillan; Fraser David Murray; Callum Oates; Paula Teresa O’Neill; Christopher Iain Pollard; Marko Milenkov Prorocic (Court Medal); Susanna Elizabeth Quinn; Robert Alexander Rhodes; Ruari Kyle Rogan; Rosalyn Saunders; Victoria Saunderson; Nicole Scott; Hayley Simms; Nicola Louise Smith; Kerry Anne Sommerville; Jennifer Lea Stephen; Emma Ann Stockwell; Julie Tomlins; Hannah Vadler; Cheryl Margaret Wills

Bachelor of Education with Honours - Primary - Jamie Steven Anderson; Emma Louise Arneil; Sarah Brew; Nicolle Brown; Caitlin Elizabeth Callaghan; Natalie Caskie; Tommy Clanachan; Lianne Conway; Charlotte Cooke; Gemma Margaret Crawford; Jaye Anne Dawson; Emma Deighan; Rachel Marie Dougall; Rachael Dowling; Emma Audrey Drummond; David Alexander Duncan (Court Medal); Rachel Gilmour; Ashleigh Joanne Hamilton; Emma Claire Hughes; Bethany Jones; Christy Kerr; Sacha Rose Mackinnon; Heather MacLean; Cindy Mair; Jennifer Louise Martin; Gemma Louise McCallum; Erica Fay McGeoch; Natalie McSorley; Caroline Ann Mead; Jennifer Miller; Louise Mitchell; Heather McNae Montgomerie; Rosalind Diane Philips; Tyler Poole; Ashleigh Louise Price; Karen Elizabeth Purdie; Sandra Rankin; Angela Maria Rebecchi; Leanne Reid; Amy Ross; Chloe Mary Sayers; Brydie May Scott; Megan Sheena Shirkie; Naomi Sloan; Kerrie Sullivan; Lauren Syme; Ashleigh Thomson; Donna Sandra Thomson; Kristy Elizabeth Tomlinson; Natassia Victoria Wallace

Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Childhood Studies - Stephanie Brown; Lindsay Anne McKie

Bachelor of Arts - Childhood Studies - Michelle Campbell Gilmour McBurnie

Bachelor of Arts - Educational Studies - Kimberlee Cosham

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND COMPUTING

Bachelor of Engineering with Honours - Aircraft Engineering - Craig William Anderson; Paul Cankaya (Court Medal); Kieran John Glencross; Angus Donald Mackinnon; Christopher James Robertson

Bachelor of Engineering - Aircraft Engineering - John Greig Hugh Wilson

Bachelor of Science - Computing - Liam Murdoch; Gordon Stewart

SCHOOL OF HEALTH, NURSING AND MIDWIFERY

Master of Science with Distinction - Psychosocial Interventions - Isabella Brownrigg Travers

Master of Science - Psychosocial Interventions - Catherine Sloan; Julie Shona Stewart

Postgraduate Diploma - Psychosocial Interventions - June Knight

Bachelor of Science - Adult Nursing - Richard Graham Atkinson; Helen Alexandria Brown; Gillian Johannah Carle; Jackie Marie Dodds; Donna Marie Ewing; Allison Gardner; Laura Anne Hancox; Jacqueline Harris; Amanda Hewitt; Laura Houston; Kerry Hughes; Jacqueline Hunt; Rachel Hunter; Heather Anne Lindsay; Leah-Ann Mackie; Jodie Maxwell; Aynsley McDowall; Aislinn Joanne McInerney; Lauren McInnes; Laura Jane McMillan; Adriana Adele Merli; Hannah May Nason; Hannah Isobel Nicol; Samantha Elaine Nixon; Natalie Elizabeth Queen; Natalie Rennie; Arianna Patrice Syme

Bachelor of Science - Mental Health Nursing - Angela Blair; Janna Murray Carmichael; Carlie McConnachie; Deborah Ramsay

Diploma of Higher Education - Mental Health Nursing - Rachel Louise Goldie

Diploma of Higher Education - Nursing - Mental Health Nursing - Siobhan Sarah Gilmour

SCHOOL OF MEDIA, CULTURE AND SOCIETY

Master of Arts with Distinction - Creative Media Practice - Victoria Claire Cassidy

Master of Arts - Creative Media Practice - Francis James Patrick Revell

Master of Arts with Distinction - Music: Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Paul Edward Morton

Master of Arts - Music: Innovation and Entrepreneurship - Lina Nikolaeva Grueva; Patrick Hogan

Master of Arts - Songwriting and Performance - Sara Heatlie - Alakus; Maeve Monica Mona O’Boyle

Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Broadcast Production - Mark Edward Chambers; Ruth Catriona Dunbar; Caroline Louisa Dunleavy; Adam Joseph Hogan; Sophie Joanne Hogg; Aneesah Hussain (Court Medal); Charlotte Alice Lines-Sutton; Andrew Logue; Eilis Martin; Ryan Donald Andrew Norrie; Aimee Ralston; Mathew James Shields

Bachelor of Arts - Broadcast Production - Nicole Branco; Lauren Elizabeth McBride; Steven McKendrick

Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Commercial Music - Chloe Anderson; Jamie Ballantyne; Jordan Lewis Bastock; Holly Blair; Ross Boyle; Stuart Andrew Bradley; Finlay Alasdair Cable; Liam James Hillan Cassidy; Amanda Charleson (Court Medal); Linzi Clark; Karen Laura Craig; Lindsey Davidson; Mia Farrell; Russell McMillan Hosie; Ross Jacob; Jack Allan Jefferson; James Ross Keppie; Leika Leemets; Holly McAllister; Heather Anne McGregor; Benjamin Michael McKay; Lisa McRuvie; Jennifer Caitlin Miller; Stephen Pettigrew; Monika Anna Reichelt; Mark Alistair Sinclair; Kyle Startup; Eleanor Charlotte Walker; Emma Walker; Matthew Jack Wood

Bachelor of Arts - Commercial Music - Daniel Thomas Aubrey; Patrick Brotherston; Toni George Malyn; Ashley Frances Smith

Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Contemporary Screen Acting - Nicola Anderson; Caitlin Collins; Suzan Catherine Crawford; Nicole Katherine Donald; Stuart Hazell; Alexandra Leigh Horan (Court Medal); Nicola Kierney; Grace Catherine Malone; Chris Martin; Claire Vida McKinnie; Jamie Andrew Mcleod; Daryn James McMillan; Deanna Jaye Ritchie; Jennifer Walker; Heidi Woolard

Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Digital Art - Amy Speirs Bell; Aaron Bird; Stephen Budris; Rebecca Cairns (Court Medal); Shelley Cooper; Georgina Brenda Gray; Ronald McMeekin; Jack Millen; Douglas Smith; Richard William Stevenson; Kirsty Taylor; Bonnie Wallace; Edward James Woods

Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Filmmaking and Screen Writing - Asib Akram; James Alexander Buchanan; Louisa Elizabeth Christodoulou; Andrew Joseph Dobbie; Greg James Elliott; Tobias Erdmann; Mark Alister Fraser; Oliver Hedley Fynn-Brand; Christopher Gallagher; Bobby Graham; Michael Hansmann; Kevin Brian Harvey; Laura Hayes; Richard Hughes; Lindsay Hynds; Zoe Elizabeth Kent; Christina Rose King; Madalina Elena Mateciuc; Mark Stuart McCormick; Grazyna McGroarty; Christian Lyall Robertson McKenna; Paul David McKenzie; Charlotte Anne McVey; Lacey Jane Miller; Heather Elizabeth Mitchell Fellowes; James Ford Monaghan; Paul Matthew Moran; Cameron Andrew Morrison; Neil Mullarkey; Mark O’Donnell; David James Smith; Hannah Margaret Trodden; Mitchell Jack Williams; Claire Isobel Rose Wilson

Bachelor of Arts - Filmmaking and Screen Writing - Matthew Donachie; Scott Fernie; Hugh Patrick Macintosh

Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Musical Theatre - David Agnew; Louise Conroy; Sophie Hepburn; Gordon Iain Houston (Court Medal); Sally McGreish; Aoife Rachel McGuigan; Steven Milby; Laura Nelson; Debra Nimmo; Scott Watson; Eilidh Weir

Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Performance - Scott Ballantyne; Emily Sarah Barr; Annaliese Rose Broughton; Lesley Brown; Kirsty May Hamilton; Claire Helen Marshall; Cora Marie McCormack; Thandeka Lynn Muronzi; Nicole Jessie Owens; Diana Alina Serbanescu (Court Medal); Deborah Wallace

Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Sports Journalism - Laith Alnaeme; James Hunter; Gary Petersen; Nicholas Gerard Smith; Andrew Winn (Court Medal)

Bachelor of Arts - Creative Industries Practice - Carol Ann Mimnagh McKee

AYR CAMPUS PRIZEWINNERS

Court Medals - Rotary Club of Paisley Award - Finlay Alasdair Cable

The South Ayrshire Provost’s Award - Diana Alina Serbanescu

The Scottish public has given a resounding “no” to the question of whether the country should allow travelling circuses to perform with wild animals.

In a public consultation launched earlier this year, 98 per cent backed an outright ban on wild animal acts.

Though there are currently no live wild animal acts appearing at circuses around Scotland, the issue was brought to the fore last winter when animal welfare campaigners released footage of five big cats being kept in tiny cages in a windswept Aberdeenshire field.

The three tigers and two lions had spent the summer touring with a circus but were moved to a croft near Fraserburgh at the end of the season.

One video showed a tiger pacing around its cramped cage over and over again, behaviour that experts say demonstrates suffering.

The recent Scottish Government survey focused on three main issues – ethical costs and benefits, the travelling environment and respect for animals.

The consultation analysis notes: “The issue of wild animals in travelling circuses has been a source of longstanding unease to many people.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, responses showed the vast majority of people feel animals cannot behave in their natural way when travelling with a circus, with long periods of confinement, cramped living conditions and a lack of interaction with their own kind further impacting their welfare.

Most also feel the only benefits from wild animal acts are to people, though these are not considered sufficient to justify jeopardising the animals’ well-being. What may seem less predictable is the high proportion of Scots who are concerned over the loss of dignity for creatures forced to perform tricks for human amusement and cash gain.

Nearly 90 per cent said circus performances damaged the development of respectful and responsible attitudes towards wild animals in the younger generation.

The UK government has remained committed to banning the use of wild animals in circuses since it announced it would prohibit such acts in 2012, and the Tories pledged to do so in their manifesto.

Wales is committed to a ban and is seeking to be included in England’s legislation, which has already been drafted.

Over 200 local authorities in the UK already have bans on the use of animals in circuses. Worldwide, 31 countries have national prohibitions on animal circuses and similar laws are under discussion in several more.

It just remains to be seen whether Scotland will bring in its own ban, or whether circuses will reinvent themselves due to high running costs and an increasing distaste for animal acts causing audiences to dwindle.

Radio station Kingdom FM, one of Scotland’s few remaining independents, is planning further investment after being awarded a new 12-year licence by Ofcom.

The station, which broadcasts throughout Fife, would have been out of licence at the end of this 
year, but now has the green light to continue until the 
end of 2027. Managing director Blair Crofts and station manager Darren Stenhouse are both Fifers, and 80 per cent of shareholders are local business people and residents.

There are also a number of big-hitters on the station’s board, including Ian Condie, senior partner at Condie and Co, and businessman Robert Kilgour, founder of the UK’s largest care home operator.

Crofts said: “Being awarded the Fife licence for a further 12 years is fantastic news for everyone involved with the station. The next phase of our growth strategy is to invest in new studios and transmission equipment which will futureproof the business.”

SCOTT REID

Plans to deliver “English votes on English laws” sound racist, the Father of the House has said.

Sir Gerald Kaufman said the measures would undermine the basis of British democracy, adding he hoped enough Tory MPs would reject the policy due to their “love” for the Commons.

Commons Leader Chris Grayling declined to address Sir Gerald’s questions because of the “racism” accusation.

Sir Gerald, a former Labour minister, told the Tory frontbencher: “Even the title of this motion sounds racist.

“You talked repeatedly about constitutional arrangements but is it not a fact that the glory of this country is we do not have a constitution and that we’re governed by the Queen in parliament? And furthermore, is it not a glory of this House that every member from those holding the highest office through to the most newly elected Member of Parliament is equal in the division lobby?

“Is it not a fact that this government is undermining not simply whatever differences there may be between outlooks from people of different countries within the United Kingdom, but this government is undermining the whole basis of British democracy right through from when Magna Carta was signed?

“I hope there will be enough Conservative Members of Parliament who have sufficient love of this wonderful House not to cooperate in destroying it.”

Mr Grayling replied: “You are a distinguished member of this House but I have to say your opening comment about racism demeans it and therefore I’m not going to respond to it.”

Labour MPs shouted that his response was a “disgrace”.

University of Glasgow Friday 3rd July 2015

* Denotes First Class Honours

COLLEGE OF MEDICAL, VETERINARY AND LIFE SCIENCES

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

VETERINARY ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH - Mohd Faizal Bin Ghazali

VETERINARY COMPANION ANIMAL SCIENCES - Siti Mariam Binti Zainal Ariffin

VETERINARY PRE-CLINICAL SCIENCES - Funmilola Clara Thomas

MASTER OF SCIENCE

VETERINARY CLINICAL STUDIES - Rebecca Elisabeth Venn

VETERINARY PATHOLOGY - Susan Bennett

MASTER OF VETERINARY MEDICINE - Sylvia Maliye

MASTER OF VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH - Jennifer Andrea Ferguson; Heather Hoffman; John Murray Kelso; Astrid Velandia Suarez; Laura Raeburn Wilson*

MASTER IN SCIENCE

MARINE AND FRESHWATER BIOLOGY - Meri Julia Lappalainen

BACHELOR OF DENTAL SURGERY - Catriona Aitken*; Andrew George Baird; Matthew William Barr; Brian Beggan*; Francesca Capaldi*; Kevin James Colgan; Becky Coulter*; Grant Creaney*; Mari Nadia Dabjen*; Jennifer Claire Danks; Alan Cameron Davies; David Devine; Anne Catherine Devlin*; Matthew John Dickie; Ciara Dunleavy; Nurul Nadia Ataillah Emran; Jonathan Fitzpatrick*; Hayley Margaret Foulds*; Paul William Gallacher; Ross Ian Gallacher; Colin Gordon; Neil David Gordon; Jinan Safa Hashim; Nina Haveron; Craig Cockburn Hogg*; Gillian Catherine Howie*; Lauren Humphries; Esther Elizabeth Johns; Robert Kirke*; Shona Lambie; Dominic Lamont; Michael Brian John Lewis; Harriet Rose Liddicott; Samuel Lockhart; Peter Jonathan McCreadie; Rachel-Wong McDermott; Elaine Macdonald; Katielyn MacDonald; Sheryl McFarlane*; Kate Anderson McKenna; Lee Mackie*; Hannah Macmillan; Lauren McPhillips*; John McQueen*; William Roger Marsh*; Andrea Rose Mathieson; Jordan Matthew; Ashleigh Meikle; Lucy Marie Morgan; Sarah Andrea Mossey*; Zoe Mullaney; Kathleen Margaret Murphy; Rachel Mussen; Sukhdev Singh Parhar*; John James Perry; Amy Grace Porter*; Jaspal Singh Purba; Hazel Ellen Reid*; Stewart Robertson; Louise Robinson; Peter Morton Shankland; Thomas Patrick Short; Ryan Shum; Craig Spence; Jill Symington; Hira Tariq; Asha Thomson; Shakil Abdullah Umerji; Callum Ross Ward; Callum Andrew Wemyss*; David Allister Wilson; Lauren Amy Elizabeth Wilson; Natalie Laird Wilson; Ailsa Woodley*; Xin Hui Yeo*

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (MEDICAL SCIENCE) WITH HONOURS

CLINICAL MEDICINE - Victoria Armour*; Angela Heulwen Boal; Michael Thomas Burns; Joanna Elizabeth Butler; Tina Victoria Bylinski*; Jaclyn Carberry*; Philip Daniel Carroll; Vidhya Nalita Chauhan; Kelvin Cheng Kah Wai*; Elise Mairead Cole; Julia Margaret Cullen*; Joseph Daley*; Navin Ashdean Singh Dhatt; Jarlath Aaron Eastwood*; Samuel John Glass*; Rhys Hall; Michaela Christine Jewson; Katherine Mary Kelly; Ailidh Lang; Joanne Ying Heng Lua*; Sarah Elizabeth McCarrison*; Aimee McCoubrey; Scott MacDonald*; Nicole McLaughlin*; Chloe Anne McMurray; Gregor Ian McMurray*; Peter William Richard Moffitt*; Harriet Mortimer; Charis Catherine Murdoch*; Martin Osanebi Osugo*; Christine Elizabeth Natalia Park; Prasanna Partha Sarathy; Shaun David Patterson*; Andrew Francis Penney; George Stewart Reid; Chase Thomas Schultz-Swarthfigure*; Rachel Smart; Liam Andrew Sutcliffe; Ysabelle Elisha Thackray; Elizabeth Jane Twynam-Perkins*; Matthew Alexander Underwood*; Alice Unsworth*; Ashleigh Ward; Alex Frederick Warren*; Gillian White; Ruairí Anthony Malachy Wilson; John Young*

MASTER IN SCIENCE

VETERINARY BIOSCIENCES - Bethany Imogen Baker; Christina Frances Butowski*; Gillian Hepburn Cherrie*; Yasmin Amy Parr; Claire Paton*; Hannah Jade Shaw*

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE WITH HONOURS

VETERINARY BIOSCIENCES - Alice Louise Boyd; Mark John Brims; Julie Ann Campbell; Mairead Colette Campbell; Erin Carmichael; Michael Duncan; Jaclyn Fulton; Louise Jayne Gordon; Hollie Annabelle Jackson; Amanda Dithmar Lowe; Shannon Margaret McDonald; Mary Heather McDowell; Kirsty Sarah Jane Martin; Madeline Lewis Mestas; Rebecca Orr; Katy Raeside; Vicky Anne Smith*; Gayle Wotherspoon

BACHELOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY - Chloe Beth Acheson*; Gregor Adamson*; Christopher Bailey; Suzanne Bendall*; Samantha Payne Bercheck; Louise Elizabeth Bragg; Rachel Emma Brown; Katherine Mary Brunson*; Lorna Mary Buckley*; Wesley Michael Burnside; Natasha Cairns; Kristen Marie Cameron; Nathan Charles Carr; Jaclyn Lynda Chitty*; Katrina Leigh Chopper*; Melissa Ann Correa; Ruth Muir Cranston*; Samantha Jane Da Costa; Sarah Adele Davidson; Justine Dooey*; Kimberly Bordeaux Dooner; Stephanie Downie*; Alissa Renee Edoff*; Claire Frances Elder; Esther Lam Hui Fang*; Timothy John Ferguson*; Franziska Fischer-Bruegge*; Jane Forrester; Ashley Marie Forti*; David Michael Frazer; Sarah Fulton*; Megan Lindsay Gazda; Amy Greenhill; Katherine Diane Grove; Rachel Harkness; Stephanie Marie Harmon; Andrea Lynne Harned Beddard; Niamh Margaret Henry*; Elizabeth Clare Hodges; Heather Hoffman; Kirsty Angela Horne; David Houston; Niamh O’Neill Hunter Blair; Stephanie Louise Ivers; Lauren Clare Jackson*; Kate Jamieson; Charlie Johnston; Emily Jones; Audrey Renee Karagosian; Emma Louise Kinney; Amy Kirkpatrick*; Carmen Blanche Klinkosz; Patricia Anne Kong*; Rachael Marie Krieger; Alice Yan Yan Lam; Rachael Lang*; Fiona Margaret Laurie*; Lee Sei Ming*; Tsz Yan Lee*; Max Cai Ling; Elizabeth Joyce Lovely*; Brenda Low Yi Siu*; Craig McCarthy; Lauren Mary McCormack; Zoë Fiona Simone McDonald*; Claire Grace McGeachie; Judith Victoria McMaster*; Rebecca McNaughton; Louise Martin; Adam John Maxton*; Priyanka Mensinkai; Sara Lynn Miller*; Angharad Jane Mills*; Lindsey Katharine Morrison; Anna-Mae Morton; Katherine Elizabeth Morton*; Motsomi One Thuto Ema; Ashley Rose Mott*; Rebekah Mulligan*; Beatrice Murfin; Julie Ann Nelson; Sarah Ann Noponen; Alannah Norton; Jade Michael O’Brien; Amanda Anne Panissidi; Katherine Marie Pawlik*; Hannah Margaux Olivia Pegram; Adam Joseph Powers; Rachel Catherine Pretswell; Hiram Omar Quiñones Rodríguez; Emmanuel Mboy Ramokwena; Camilla Sutherland Ramsoy; Siân Eleanor Richards; Lauren Ritchey*; Eleanor Joanne Roddick; Iona Margaret Rule*; Anna Frances Rushworth*; Jordan Elisabeth Shealey*; Natalie Sim; Christine Shelagh Simons*; Catriona Anne Smillie*; Hannah Kate Smith; Thomas Sparks; Jennifer Ann Spiers; Tan Si Yi Nally*; Lucy Helen Taylor*; Francesca Tee Liang Mei*; Annie Scott Thomson*; Robyn Thomson*; Rebecca Elisabeth Venn; Jade Webster*; Glynn Alan Woods*

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE WITH HONOURS

PSYCHOLOGY - Hannah Maria Merriman*

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

BACHELOR OF EDUCATION WITH HONOURS

PRIMARY EDUCATION - Rona Elizabeth Napier Renton

COLLEGE OF MEDICAL, VETERINARY AND LIFE SCIENCES

MASTER OF VETERINARY MEDICINE - Alexane Durand

MASTER OF VETERINARY PUBLIC HEALTH - Kasumawati Haji Md Ja’Afar

BACHELOR OF DENTAL SURGERY - Lindsey Heather Mathers*

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (MEDICAL SCIENCE) WITH HONOURS

CLINICAL MEDICINE - Eilidh Barron; Xianyi Chen; Andrew Davidson; Basu Dawar*; Nathaniel Hatton; Iain Joseph Hyndman*; Arrenvir Jaspal-Mander; Harriet Jeffery; Koh Yunqi; Cheryl Lau*; Rachael McAughtrie*; Elizabeth Mary Murphy; Sng Stacy*; Sarah Jane Stirling*; Patrick John Suddaby

BACHELOR OF VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY

VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SURGERY - Jamie Lane Araki; Brandon Anthony Cohen; Christina Morrissey Felty; Vaakera Ortega Kandapaera; Jessica Michelle Millwood; Wapapha Modala; Molalawesi Sylvester Phenyo; Abigail Emma Schmidt; Megan Kay Usiak-McBeth*; Nicole Lynn Walrath

BACHELOR OF ANIMAL HEALTH - Alison Taylor

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

BACHELOR OF LAWS - Paul Francis McKenna

English votes for English laws (Evel) have for some time been dubbed “Tory votes for English laws”, reflecting the suggestion that the plan is to gerrymander the House of Commons and cut out MPs from parts of the UK where the Conservatives are not popular, particularly Scotland.

However, until yesterday morning nobody appreciated just how strong the proposals would be in effectively turning Scottish MPs into second class representatives and sating the demands from right-wing MPs such as former Welsh Secretary John Redwood for the “rights” of England to be recognised.

The set of proposals brought forward to address Tam Dalyell’s famous West Lothian question at the end of the last parliament by William Hague in the dying days of the Tory/Lib Dem coalition were markedly weaker than what was set out yesterday by his successor as Leader of the House, Chris Grayling.

The most eye catching change will be the modernisation of the Chamber, in that iPads will be used to count votes and check that a double majority is reached.

But there are far more significant changes, such as the insistence on a double majority on the third and final reading on bills which are deemed to be English or English and Welsh in nature.

There will be a new stage before the final vote where an English grand committee can vote on and change a bill before the final third reading debate.

And, crucially, English MPs will be handed a veto on English-only matters.

While Mr Hague envisaged votes which were on English matters but had a financial affect on Scotland through Barnett consequentials as not being part of Evel, Mr Grayling has widened the definition considerably so a double majority will be required even if the measures being debated directly affect funding to Scotland.

The proposal is also in effect an extension of the Parliament Act 1918, which meant that amendments in the House of Lords on government manifesto pledges could be ignored without another vote by peers.

This ruling will now also apply to English-only matters before the House.

The effect of these proposals will be up for debate and the Tories have already pointed 
out that there is support for their Evel plans across the whole of the UK, not just in England.

But the changes will make it hard to form a government in Westminster that does not command both an English and a UK majority.

If a government has an overall UK majority but one which relies on Scottish MPs, then it may not be able to get through any changes to English education or health matters and could lose crucial Budget votes on the English and Welsh income tax.

Some will argue that this will also mean that it guarantees Gordon Brown’s place in history as the last prime minister from a Scottish constituency.

While the changes do not overtly block a Scottish MP from being prime minister, it is hard to see one being acceptable where English-only matters take such a prominent place in Westminster’s life.

While the Conservatives argue that the plan rights a historic imbalance, it could be that, as critics claim, the changes are a precursor to a break-up of the UK or a much greater federalisation of the country.

University Of Edinburgh. Graduation Ceremony of 03/07/2015 11:00

Honorary Degree

Doctor honoris causa - Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale; Professor Christopher Eisgruber

Doctor of Clinical Psychology - Bratton, Helen; Cowie, Joelle; Geddes, Jacqueline; Keir, Louise; Kelly, Fiona; Langham, Heather; Rusk, Alice; Scotland, Jennifer; Simpson, Heather; Turnbull, Fiona; White, Naomi; Young, Louise

Doctor of Education - Murray, David; Robinson, Isabel; Valentin, Claire

Doctor of Philosophy - Alexander, Dagmar; Banks, Stephen; Cameron, Rose; Guo, Jia; Hall, Edward; Hong, Pyollim; Huang, Alan; Kadar Satat, Gitit; Khalid, Amna; Knox, Jeremy; Kustatscher, Marlies; Lee, Dorothy; Madrid-Cuevas, Sonia; Perkins, Jon; Ross, Sheila; Roura Planas, Sergi; Sheail, Philippa; Spaeth, Ellen

Doctor of Psychotherapy and Counselling - Tweedie, Krista

Master of Counselling - Myles, Jay; Wakil, Romy

Master of Nursing - Nursing in Clinical Research - Hettle, Ruth

Master of Science - Advancing Nursing Practice - Quintero, Nichole

Applied Psychology (Healthcare) for Children and Young People - Anderson, Sarah; Breed, Rhiannon; Charitou, Maria; Cremers, Gwendolyn; Elkjaer, Hanne; Gibson, Kara; Greene, Blathnaid; Lawson, Mairi; MacKett, Naomi; Murphy, Kirsty; Neil, Amanda; Regan, Daryl; Tailor, Freena; Vasilopoulou, Eleni

Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Psychological Practice - Penman, Gail

Community Education - Lamond, Caroline

Counselling Studies - Tsang, Wing

Education - Jassova, Barbora

Educational Leadership - Monaghan, Bryony

Education: Language - theory, practice and literacy - Soto Prado, Roberto

Applied Psychology - Halton, Marie

Outdoor Education - Almekinders, Charlotte; Brinson, Ross; Curry, Stephanie; Farkas, Devin; Hodson, Claire; Inman, Alex; Jones, Campbell; Koch, Ben; Koller, Ann; Peacock, Rebecca; Schijf, Manu; Sutherland, Matthew; Turner, Natasha; Wright, Heather; Yellowlees, Kate

Outdoor Environmental and Sustainability Education - Ball, Tamsyn; Binte Khamis, Nur Azarina; Blake, Cosmo; Ho, Sz-yau; Hutcheon, Sarah; Mackie, Chris; Tildesley, Richard; Waterfall, Claire

Strength and Conditioning - Cheetham, Henry

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - Redpath, Kathryn; Tang, Kexin

Master of Science by Research - Qian, Lei; Saunders, Stina - Graja, Sarah

Postgraduate Diploma - Additional Support for Learning (Specific Learning Difficulties) - Sharp, Eileen

Additional Support for Learning (Visual Impairment) - Sanger, Ann

Chartered Teaching - Chapman, Kay

Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Psychological Practice - Mathers, Fiona

Community Education - Gunn, Martin; Iregbu, Natasha; Kilbride, Abi

Counselling - Burgess, Porscha; Carlile, Sarah; Hills, Frances; Johnson, Samantha; Muniandy, Eleanor; Truax, Barrett

Education - Chen, Carmen

Outdoor Education - Conkling, Ian

Outdoor Environmental and Sustainability Education - Jones, Nina; Karasavva, Evina

Strength and Conditioning - Scott, Allan

Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - Dong, Xiaoqing; Lafazani, Vasiliki

General Postgraduate Certificate - Gorga, Aurelia

Postgraduate Certificate - Academic Practice - Barr, Janice; Brennan, Matthew; Burge, Amy; Calvard, Thomas; Eshraghi, Arman; Glencorse, Elizabeth; Grant, Alistair; Green, Felicity; Hampton, David; Rhynas, Sarah; Treacy, Gillian; Walsh, Patrick

Additional Support for Learning (Visual Impairment) - Te Moananui, Caren

Counselling Studies - Shearer, Sharon; Tweed, Zach

Integrated Service Improvement: Health and Social Care - Paterson, Robin

Mental Health and Well-being of Children, Young People and Families - Doika, Ariadni

Outdoor Education - Martin, Jim

Professional Graduate Diploma in Education - Primary Education - Aitken, Kirsten; Allan, Aimee; Anderson, Jade; Bambrick, Ciara; Barker, Samantha; Barrington, Laura; Bayliss, Jenny; Blattman, James; Bone, Stephanie; Boyd, Gemma; Bryant, Matthew; Brykajlo, Emma; Callaghan, Fiona; Campbell, Lisa; Cassidy, Rose; Clarke, Victoria; Clark, Jennifer; Clark, Tori; Clydesdale, Virginia-leigh; Cowan, Donald; Davies, Abi; Dick, Chrissie; Douglas, Louise; Duncan, Karen; Farrell, Ciara; Fawcett, Millicent; Fialka, Justine; Fielder, Miles; Forshaw, Sara; Fricker, Grace; Gallagher, Tara; Garner, Stephanie; Gibb, Kirsty; Gillies, Sophie; Godsall, Claire; Graham, Laurie; Grant, Hannah; Hogan, Una; Holstead, Alison; Innes, Angela; James-Watling, Daniel; Jones, Amy; Jones, Libby; Jones, Mary; Kellagher, Ailsa; Kerr, Alanna; Kerry, Helen; Knights, Naomi; Lee Butterworth, Doris; Little, Nancy; Livingston, Lesley; Longford, Helen; Lyall, Lauren; MacGregor, Hannah; MacLean, Catriona; MacLeod, Eilidh; MacRae, Islay; Mainland, Janette; Martin, Juliana; Martin, Rebecca; McCauley, Vicky; McDonald, Lynsey; McGinnie, Tracy; McIntosh, Lisa; McLuckie, Lyndsay; McNicol, Alice; McNish, Rory; McVitie, Sharon; Minnis, Amy; Moran, Gillian; Mortimer, Sarah; Muir, Lesley; Nichol, Catriona; Nimbley, Colette; Paisey, Kathryn; Pattison, James; Phillips, Sarah; Phillips, Yvonne; Pike, Emma; Reid, Vikki; Renton, Pamela; Robertson, David; Ross, Anna; Seal, Rachel; Sinclair, Sammy; Smith, Amelia; Smith, Lisa; Smith, Morgan; Somerville, Jane; Spriddle, Lynsey; Stewart, Emma-jane; Stewart, Hayley; Straiton, Lisa; Thomas, Judith; Todd, Eilidh; Turnbull, Edward; Walker, Rachel; Walters, Rosie; Watson, Ciorstaidh; Wawro, Katie; Whyte, Fiona; Wickerson, Fiona; Wilson, Nicole; Wormald, Lucy; Young, Elizabeth; Young, Emily

Secondary Education - Adamson-Wain, Natalie; Altelarrea-Llorente, Miriam; Anderson, Helena; Arbuthnott, Jacqueline; Beaven, Toby; Beaver, Caitlin; Bewick, Arianna; Blakey, Isabella; Bowden, Alec; Bowman, David; Braid, Kimberley; Browne, Fiona; Brown, Siobhan; Burnett, Anna; Byatt, Emma; Cairns, Debbie; Calder, Tanya; Cameron, Kirsty; Campbell, Luke; Carmichael, Tim; Clark, Angus; Cooke, Kieran; Copland, Christine; Courtney, Tony; Cropper, Jessica; Daley, Lauren; Davidson, Emma; Docherty, Chelsea; Donoghue, Craig; Dougan, Kerry-anne; Doull, Michael; Drummond, Lauren; Duffy, Daniel; Easson, Andrew; Elliott, Colette; Elliott, Michael; Faulkner, Aislinn; Findlater, Andrew; Findlay, Becky; Findlay, Douglas; Franz, Graeme; Fraser, Megan; Gallagher, Jo; Gilmour, Steven; Gisbey, Rosalind; Grant, Ross; Haddow, Kyle; Hall, Brooke; Hamilton, Claire; Hamilton, Louise; Hardy, Laura; Hare, Jonathon; Hedley, Justine; Hill, William; Howie, Eve; Hughes, Paul; Kane, Robert; Kemp, Marian; Keppie, Flora; Laudi, Jessica; Lekawski, Natalie; Leonard, Heather; Leslie, Stacey; Levey, Colin; Liddle, Emma; Ligertwood, Cheryl; Lindsay, Aidan; Little, Emma; Logan, Jillian; MacDonald, Sarah; MacInnes, Calum; MacNair, Sandy; Marcol, Catriona; Marshall, Vicky; McDade, Jacqueline; McDonald, Robbie; McEwan, Andrew; McIlravey, Craig; McKay, Elaine; McKenzie, Kirsty; McLaren, Scarlett; McLeod, Graham; McManus, David; McNaught, Duncan; Millar, Archibald; Millard, Jennifer; Miller, Lyndsey; Morrison, Chris; Morrison, Eryn; Morrison, Lara; Morrison, Peter; Mouat, Catriona; Muir, Laura; Murray, Shonagh; Nimmo, James; Norcott, Alexander; Norman, Kirsty; O’Brien, Holly; Oman, Tina; Oudney, Laura; Pantling, Kirsty; Paul, Robyn; Penman, Gabrielle; Penny, Chelsea; Petrie, Clare; Pettigrew, Sarah; Phee, Pamela; Rattray, Samantha; Reeves, Philippa; Rehill, Michelle; Reid, Tim; Richardson, Katie; Ritchie, Claire; Robertson, Sarah; Rocks, Christopher; Rohde, Anna; Ross, Jonny; Rourke, Jenny; Russell, Vivienne; Sandison, Erin; Sands, Fraser; Savage, Fiona; Scott, Dave; Scott, Glen; Sear, Jenny; Shedden, Eleanor; Simpson, Claire; Smeaton, Neil; Smith, Rebecca; Steer, Rosie; Swaile, Lyndsey; Taylor, Andrew; Taylor, Mhairi; Turnbull, Hannah; Turnbull, Laura; Wallace, Amy; Wallace, Colin; White, Joanne; Wilson, Matthew; Wilson, Shaunie; Wootton, Philip

Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Health Studies - Doherty, Creeshla; Gosrani, Shion

Bachelor of Nursing with Honours - Cameron, Penny; Carlisle, Stephanie; Carmichael, Emma; Clarke, Sarah; Connors, Alex; Criswell, Claudia; Cropley, Beth; Donaldson, Fiona; Dowle, Ellie; Gilchrist, Jennifer; Godden, Emily; Gregg, Rachel; Herkes, Kristine; Hunter, Sarah; Mitchell, Fiona; Morton, Katie; Mowbray, Clair; Paterson, Caitlin; Reid, Alison; Reilly, Amber; Rendall, Kirsten; Salter, Ella; Sampson, Amy; Stagg, Imogen; Urquhart, Louise; Vize, Jessica; Walker, Hollie; Wright, Corinna

Bachelor of Arts - Health Studies - Birch, Clive

University Of Edinburgh. Graduation Ceremony of 03/07/2015 15:00

Honorary Degree

Doctor of Education - Professor Amy Bik May Tsui

Master of Science - Education - Zhao, Bingyu

Bachelor of Arts with Honours - Community Education - Aitken, Mel; Boyd, Stephan; Brooks, Wendy; Carroll, Andrew; Cullen, Gillian; De Moraes, Ana; Dunsmore, Emma; Grant, Alana; MacLachlan, Euan; Maramba, Shingai; Ramsay, Adele; Sutherland, Stevan; Thomson, Sheila

Bachelor of Education with Honours - Physical Education - Anderson, Andrew; Anderson, Calum; Annetts, Stuart; Baillie, Melissa; Black, Duncan; Boa, Kim; Bradshaw, James; Brady, Sophie; Buchanan, Pamela; Campbell, Darren; Chalmers, Andrew; Charters, Kirstie; Coleman, Vince; Cunningham, Fiona; Davie, Emma; Dawson, Emma; Docherty, Rachael; Douglas, Mark; Drennan, Rory; Duffy, Ciaran; Duncan, Megan; Egan, Ryan; Fairbairn, Shannon; Flett, Hamish; Fraser, Jenna; Gilbride, Erin; Goodwin, Katie; Graham, Jamie; Haynes, Alan; Henderson, Ryan; Hewitt, Paul; Hillis, Stuart; Hodge, Joanne; Hogg, Kirsty; Hunter, Katie; Irvine, Maxine; Jarvie, Duncan; Kelman, Gaynor; Kerr, Ryan; King, Katie-mairi; Lamont, Alasdair; Lang, Heather; Lanigan, Lucy; Loughlin, Lisa; Luedke, Laura; Lyden, Jamie; MacLeod, Lorna; Magee, Michaela; Malcolm, Lisa; Malone, Lauren; McArthur, Rachel; McBride, Lauren; McCart, Michael; McKay, Andrew; McLeary, Sarah; McNeill, Samantha; McNichol, David; McShane, Lucy; Meikle, Ellie; Meola, Sergio; Millar, Duncan; Moore, David; Mulligan, Chris; Murphy, Sarah; Nellaney, Michael; Perman, Scott; Purba, Jotie; Ramage, Sarah; Ramsay, Ryan; Robb, Connor; Robertson, Jamie; Sherry, Emma; Simmons, John; Smith, Rebekah; Stickle, Cara; Still, Natalie; Still, Stephanie; Sutherland, Paul; Tangney, Ronan; Tennant, Kieran; Thomson, Rachel; Wilson, Ross

Primary Education - Adam, Robyn; Anderson, Beth; Anderson, Emma; Armstrong, Erin; Balmer, Matthew; Barker, Demi; Beardon, John; Beattie, Susanne; Bell, Roslyn; Bennett, Louise; Bennie, Rosalind; Borthwick, Anna; Boyes, Rebekah; Braithwaite, Beth; Brown, Kate; Calder, Nicola; Callaghan, Andrew; Carlyle, Kirsty; Carroll, Caitlin; Clark, Ashley; Clarke, Sophie; Clark, Jamie; Clegg, Emma; Cockburn, Joanna; Cross, Murray; Dalgety, Clare; Davies, Emma; Dewar, Heather; Dunnett, Mary; Eames, Clare; Edwards, Ciara; Evans, Cathryn; Fowler, Alana; Garvin, Anna; Gibson, Eve; Gibson, Sarah; Gillespie, Nicole; Gray, Elayne; Hall, Zoe; Hamilton, Kirsty; Hebdon, Jade; Henderson, Heather; Hyndman, Rebekah; Jamieson, Cara; Jamieson, Chelsea; Kennedy, Fiona; Kidd, Rachel; King, Harriet; King, Sarah; Kuhlwilm, Charlotte; Kydd, Heather; Kyle, Nicola; Lang, Jayne; Lansdown, Gemma-rose; Lindsay, Erin; Maginn, Maria; Maguire, Jack; Marker, Brodie; McBirnie, Amy; McClure, Heather; McDonald, Mary; McEwan, Bryony; McGorry, Francesca; McGregor, Maxine; Menzies, Stacey; Miller, Amy; Miller, Lynsey; Mitchell, Bennath; Moir, Claire; Moir, Eleanor; Moran, Christie; Morren, Emma; Napier, Victoria; Nicholson, Faye; O’Donnell, Kelly; Page, Claire; Penman, Jennifer; Perris, Emily; Pierce, Angela; Quin, Joanne; Rain, Chereen; Rendall, Vanessa; Revie, Vicky; Sanderson, Jennifer; Scott, Ally; Scott, Caroline; Seaton, Jessica; Sergeant, Victoria; Sewell, Deborah; Sharpe, Sarah; Siegel, Kerry; Sloan, Louise; Smith, Lauren; Smith, Maria; Stalker, Karine; Stalker, Shannon; Steer, Jamie; Stewart, Marnie; Stockdale, Annie; Taylor, Lesley; Trimble, Donna; Watt, Abbie; Whan, Aidan; Wilson, Stephanie

Bachelor of Medical Sciences with Honours - Sports Science Medicine - Beddis, Tom; Downie, Fiona; Gillies, Kate; Jenkins, Evan; Luscombe, Jack; McCusker, Ruaridh; McKinnon, Scott; Parks, Matthew

Bachelor of Science with Honours - Applied Sport Science - Adamson, Luke; Bird, Emma; Brown, Kieran; Carny, Marek; Clark, Vivienne; Ferguson, Charlotte; Gildam-Clark, Hanna; Greenhalgh, Eloise; Grey, Beth; Gutteridge, Sam; Hancock, Tom; Holroyd, Jack; Ing-Simmons, Alexander; Johnston, Caitlin; Johnston, George; Jordan, Fiona; Liu, Kenny; MacNie, Kirsty; Martin, Tabitha; Merrylees, Tarik; Methven, Ross; Murray, Catriona; Neale, Adam; O’Driscoll, Ruairi; Osborne, Tom; Scotland, Rebecca; Scott, Ali; Sinclair, Connor; Snaith, Rebecca; Summerscales, Tom; Thomson, Jordan; Watson, Natasha; Wingfield, Joe; Young, Charley

Sport and Recreation Management - Adamson, Rachel; Ainscough, Craig; Barton, Thomas; Beautyman, Abi; Best, Shannon; Binning, Jamie; Bushell, Olivia; Campbell, Gordon; Cary, Alfred; Clowes, Dominique; Cusition, Sarah; Davis, Rob; Dougal, Calum; Hillen, Kirsten; Jarles, Morgane; Keys, Rachel; Millar, Alistair; Price, Laura; Rutherford, Beinn; Scibor, Sonia; Stephen, William; Tadbir, Jess; Tufail, Asher

Bachelor of Arts - Childhood Practice - Clarke, Julie; Cooper, Margaret; Davis, Fiona; Dickson, Angela; Docherty, Heidi; Donaldson, Jane; Donoghue, Carrieanne; Greenan, Lorna; James, Kathryn-jane; Janczyk, Diane; Maben, Lee; Ness, Leslie; Patterson, Lesley; Purvis, Kirsty; Shiels, Victoria; Sommerville, Gillian; Stewart, Janine; Swan, Lorraine; Wood, Laura; Wozny, Agata

Education Studies - Cameron, Stuart; Currie, Chloe; Ingram, Sophie; McCuaig, Sabrina; Morley, Leigh; Ritchie, Elaine; Robertson, Rebecca; Scarborough, Catherine; Simms, Shannon; Spence, Megan; Stewart, Lorna; Swan, Carol; Wilson, Justine

Bachelor of Science - Graham, Kelly

Undergraduate Diploma of Higher Education - Brown, Laura; Swanston, Emma

Undergraduate Certificate of Higher Education - Burns, Aimee; Crawford, Nicole; Harvey, David; Paxton, Claire; Tait, Caitlin

LOCH Lomond and the Trossachs authority should rethink a policy that is certain to prove counter-productive, writes Helen Todd.

Scotland was one of the last countries in the world to establish a national parks system. MSPs in parliament spontaneously gave the National Parks Act 2000 a round of applause when it was passed; Scotland had finally caught up and our most cherished and spectacular landscapes, with their natural and cultural heritage, would be protected for all to enjoy. Now, both our national parks are highly successful in attracting visitors and contributing to the Scottish economy – a study by VisitScotland found that more than one million UK residents visited the two national parks in 2011, spending more than 
£240 million.

From the remote, vast sub-arctic plateau of the Cairngorms and the ancient native pinewoods around its flanks, to the rugged mountains, forests and lochs of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, recreation opportunities abound. These national parks are close to our towns and cities, easily accessible to most of Scotland’s population, and successive Scottish governments have ensured that the parks are relatively well funded, allowing residents and visitors to coexist with the natural world and supporting developments that have due regard for environmental needs.

One way to enjoy the parks is by spending a night in a tent. If you’re paddling on the lochs on a multi-day trip, introducing your children to their first informal camping experience, or enjoying a quiet evening’s angling before pitching a tent nearby, the right to wild camp in Scotland is much treasured. Of course, with rights come responsibilities and “Leave no trace” principles embedded within the Scottish Outdoor Access Code are crucial in driving forward the message that we should behave in a caring and responsible manner in the outdoors, protecting our natural heritage as we enjoy the enriching experiences it brings. Many thousands of people do indeed camp in line with the Code throughout Scotland each year.

So the recent proposals from the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park to ban camping along huge swathes of the park due to issues arising from visitor pressure are disappointing. Yes, there is a minority antisocial element who party loudly on the lochshores, but there are already laws in place to address this and the answer lies in more effective rural policing. Yes, local residents are understandably fed up with summer long encampments and have looked to the park to resolve the issue, and Drummond Estates on Loch Earn have worked with the park this year to show that existing public order law can be used to deter such long stay visitors. Where cumulative impacts of regular camping activity are damaging the lochshore vegetation, many solutions exist which can quickly resolve these issues. These are all laid out in National Access Forum guidance on managing camping pressures and include education, managing car parking and the provision of new campsites, litter collections and toilet facilities.

A camping development plan to monitor the effect of these measures and adjust them accordingly, should be in place before any further consideration is given to by-law proposals which should be left as a last resort. The park has counted up to 800 tents on busy weekends and yet just 29 new camping spots have been created so far. Surely if there is a huge demand to visit and enjoy these places, that’s exactly what the park was set up to encourage and manage? It is in line with government policy, after all, to get people outdoors and this is an inexpensive activity for many individuals and families on low incomes.

The park claims the no-camping zones will only affect 3.7 per cent of the park, but these zones run for over 150 kilometres, covering precisely those areas which are most accessible and attractive. They include significant stretches of the West Highland Way and some cycle paths. Many people will simply go elsewhere, moving the pressures to land outwith the park.

Ramblers Scotland has objected along with other national recreation bodies including the Scottish Sports Association, Mountaineering Council of Scotland, Scottish Canoe Association, Royal Yachting Association and the government agency, Sportscotland. The proposals are now being considered by the environment minister, Dr Aileen McLeod. Please ask your MSPs to help stop these camping by-laws which undermine the public rights of access secured by the Scottish Parliament in 2003. National recreation bodies are ready to work with the park authority to find workable solutions. In a country with such highly prized access legislation, such a wealth of natural and cultural heritage, and such creative and dynamic people, surely we can devise creative and dynamic solutions that don’t depend upon introducing unnecessary and inflexible additional legislation?

• Helen Todd is campaigns & policy manager for Ramblers Scotland

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WE NEED to home in on a better way of funding the maintenance of our historic houses, writes Andrew Hopetoun.

As we come into summer, historic houses, castles and gardens across Scotland will once again welcome large numbers of visitors and tourists from their local communities and from further afield.

These properties, part of Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom’s unique historic heritage, provide an important economic, cultural and social contribution. In Scotland, more than 2,000 jobs are directly supported by these houses; 4,000 local suppliers from whom they purchase are to be found in all parts of the country.

Heritage-based tourism is worth £26 billion to the UK economy. Our historic properties are an iconic draw, capturing the public’s imagination and attracting visitors to rural locations, many of which rely on tourism as the main driver of economic activity. However, these properties are not just open to an influx of guests who travel for miles to visit them. Historic houses stand at the heart of their local communities, contributing to their identity, character and history.

But we must ask: how can we best protect these magnificent properties for future generations to enjoy as we do?

The Historic Houses Association (HHA) for Scotland represents 240 of Scotland’s privately and charitably owned historic houses, castles and gardens, and I am delighted to be starting a term as the new chairman. We work hard to help owners conserve these wonderful places and to assist them in attracting 1.5 million visitors each year.

The majority of historic houses are privately owned, meaning they are maintained at little or no cost to the public purse, but with more than 70 per cent of HHA Scotland’s member houses opening their doors to the public, there are plenty of opportunities for visitors to enjoy their splendour.

With so many of these landmark buildings in private ownership, the onus is on the stewardship of individuals and charities to ensure this heritage is cared for. The public benefits provided by historic houses are dependent on the viability of these properties. Yet the conservation of listed buildings is an extremely expensive business, as specialist labour and materials are needed to meet the standards of heritage maintenance.

Costs of conservation and compliance with regulations has risen faster than incomes derived from visitors. The backlog of outstanding repairs to independently owned historic houses is now becoming critical, with a HHA member survey conducted two years ago revealing that the bill for essential repairs to member houses across the UK now exceeds £750 million - up from £390 million in 2009. At the same time, the findings show that the amount now spent annually on repairs has fallen, by £37m per year over the same period, to £102 million.

Meanwhile, owners work within an increasingly unfavourable tax framework. In 2012, VAT was imposed on alterations to listed buildings and the following year, a cap was imposed on Sideways Loss Relief, with a disproportionate impact on unincorporated historic house businesses.

Many historic house businesses are now finding it difficult to fund essential annual maintenance, let alone the costs of major restoration. If private owners have to close parts of the property for safety reasons, the cultural and tourism value of their houses will decline – a vicious circle. Should their businesses fail or be sold and then close, the effects on local employment and incomes will be multiplied, often in fragile rural economies. The closure of Torosay Castle on Mull, for example, quickly led to the closure of the nearby tourist railway and ancillary shops.

So what can be done to help ensure owners and charities are equipped to maintain historic houses and allow them to flourish? Removing excess regulation would be one step, but more can be done. A new body, Historic Environment Scotland, replaces the heritage protection functions of Historic Scotland from October. The HHA Scotland looks forward to working closely with the new organisation, and I hope it will be properly resourced to do the best it can for our built environment.

More can also be done financially. The Heritage Lottery Fund does a remarkable job but a broadening of eligibility would help fulfil its potential to support all forms of heritage and to deliver more benefits to the public. Research has consistently shown how much the public treasures the history and grandeur of Scotland’s historic houses and gardens. The test now is to ensure the love shown by the public for these houses can be replicated in the care we demonstrate by maintaining them.

• Andrew Hopetoun is chairman of the Historic Houses Association for Scotland. www.hha.org.uk and www.scottishlandandestates.co.uk

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A WOMAN whose case sparked a social media hunt after she was found on an American street with amnesia has been identified by her family.

“Sam”, as she was known by thousands following the story, has been named as Ashley Menatta, 53, from California.

About five months ago, she was found in Carlsbad, Southern California, unwell and with no memory of who she was. Her nephew identified her from a US television show about her.

He called his mother who then alerted the authorities.

According to the NBC 7 TV channel, Ms Menatta was born in Pennsylvania and had lived in Flagstaff, Arizona.

Several years ago, she moved to Southern California, where she lived in La Jolla, Vista and Carlsbad.

She reportedly loved travelling and never married.

Her sisters, in Colorado and Maryland, are said to have lost track of her in 2013.

She was found “barely conscious” by emergency services in Carlsbad in February.

Ms Menatta described an 
“extremely emotional” reunion with her family. “We were all sobbing,” she said. “They’re so sorry I had to go through what I did during this time without them.”

She told reporters she had been diagnosed with stage-three ovarian cancer after the authorities found her, and doctors removed a tumour the size of a volleyball.

“The doctors said it could have been growing for five years, causing me to be forgetful of things”, Ms Menatta said. The cancer has spread to other parts of her body and she had to have her uterus and other organs removed. Doctors told her she was probably suffering from “retrograde amnesia” – a type of memory loss brought on during the onset of a disease.

Her slight Australian accent led many people, including US authorities, to suspect she may originally have been from Down Under and she had strong memories of swimming at a beach in Perth, in Western Australia, and visiting other holiday spots in the country.

She also recalled regularly eating breakfast at an organic restaurant across the road from Perth’s Cottesloe Beach and dining out in Byron Bay, and she had dreams of Sydney’s Bondi Icebergs pool.

“I started dreaming about Australia – that was my first recollection of anything. I was in a lap pool; I’d have these incessant dreams,” she said in a televised interview.

As it turned it out, Ms Menatta had most probably visited these places during her travels. “Apparently I have a long time of visiting Australia for extended trips,” she said. “I’ve been going there throughout my life.”

Australian consular officials had offered assistance in solving her case.

Ms Menatta now plans to move to Maryland and live with one of her older sisters. “She was just telling me she has a four-bedroom large house and a lovely king-size bed waiting for me”, she said.

Ms Menatta’s Facebook page, set up with assistance from a former nurse who got involved in the case, said prayers had been answered. “Well, we have some great news,” the post said.

“‘Sam’ (Ashley is her name) and I want to thank you all who have been sharing, searching, emailing, posting, private messaging, calling, texting, twittering, NBC Channel 7 in San Diego, Australian News, England News, police, Missing Australians, Australian Missing Persons Register, FBI, interpol, and everyone else!!!! We could not have done this with out all of your help!”

A NO vote in Sunday’s referendum in Greece would “test” the defences established in the UK and Europe against financial instability spreading, the deputy governor of the Bank of England has warned.

Sir Jon Cunliffe described Greece’s stand-off with its creditors as “very dangerous” and said it was necessary for the world’s central bankers to be “prepared for the worst”.

Banks have been closed all week in Greece to prevent a run driven by savers removing their cash, amid uncertainty about whether the country will crash out of the euro after falling into arrears with the International Monetary Fund.

The IMF one of the country’s creditors in its two bailouts so far, said yesterday Greece needed debt relief and €50 billion (£35.5bn) in new financing from October through to 2018.

Voters will be asked on Sunday whether Greece should accept an austerity package put forward by international lenders in return for a further bailout from the eurozone rescue fund. Negotiations with the eurozone are expected to be put on hold until the result is in.

Prime minister Alexis Tsipras yesterday sent out conflicting signals, offering concessions on austerity measures but also insisting a No vote would give his Syriza government a stronger negotiating position.

Sir Jon, who has responsibility within the Bank of England for ensuring financial stability, said it was vital to monitor developments closely in what was a “volatile and fluid” situation.

He said the Bank could not exclude the possibility of Greek exit from the euro, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Then it depends on how that shock transmits to other European peripheral economies and what happens in the financial markets.

“We are not seeing signs of real pressure on the peripheral economies – Portugal, Spain, Ireland – in the way that we saw two years ago, but if there is pressure there, then the European Central Bank now has instruments it didn’t have in 2011 and 2012.

“They have said they will use those instruments. We in the UK have made our systems more robust. The defences are there, but if this happens, those defences will be tested.”

Sir Jon went on: “It is a very volatile situation, it is a very fluid situation, and I think it is a very dangerous situation in Greece now. The banks are shut, the economy is pretty much frozen.

“This is fast-moving, volatile and fluid. We have to prepare for the worst. But I think we just have to monitor the situation very closely, day to day.”

Sir Jon stressed the UK’s direct exposure to the Greek economy was limited, representing only about 1 per cent of banks’ capital.

“The risks to the UK come not from Greece, they come from the fact that what happens in Greece could then transmit itself into pressure on other European peripheral economies,” he said.

He said he was hoping that negotiations between the Athens government and other eurozone countries would reopen following Sunday’s referendum, and said that even a No vote would not sound the death knell for the possibility of a deal to keep Greece in the euro.

“What the euro-area leaders have said is that they will look at whether they can restart negotiations reflecting the result of the referendum,” he said. “If it is a No, it is still possible that they could negotiate a deal.”

Sir Jon added: “If a country leaves the euro, the other members of the euro will want to demonstrate that the integrity of the euro is going to be protected by what they do.

“Greece shines a light on some longer-term issues for the euro which are not new.

“These are issues that the five presidents of the European Union have identified in a report about building a more robust monetary union, and it is very clear to the euro countries they need steps in the medium term for more integration in the euro area to make the currency more robust.”

THE West Lothian Question is older than we think

As was outlined in these pages yesterday, Tam Dalyell’s cause célèbre of the 1970s at the time of the first devolution referendum is a constitutional dilemma that can actually be traced back to 1885, during debates on the Irish question.

After all these years, it would be reasonable to assume that, had a practical solution been possible, it would have been found by now. Instead, there has been much heat and little light as debate has raged on, long after Tam took a step back from his traditional post on the front line of the awkward squad.

Today, however, we might have a method of mitigating the problem, if not necessarily a solution.

Commons leader Chris Grayling has announced a new stage is to be introduced for laws passing through Parliament, allowing English MPs to either accept or veto legislation. It is the mechanism by which the government hopes to introduce “English votes for English laws” – Evel – which has been on the agenda since the morning after the independence referendum.

The proposal was condemned by all opposition parties yesterday, and there is justified criticism over the way that the government has gone about introducing this fundamental departure from existing constitutional arrangements, with only a single day of parliamentary debate allocated to the issue. Railroaded, some would say.

Much of the backlash, however, amounts to what Scottish Secretary David Mundell referred to as “forced anger”. There is outrage about cutting Scottish MPs out of votes, fanning the flames of Nationalism, and David Cameron becoming a bigger threat to the Union than Alex Salmond.

Some of the howls of protest point to a further agenda, claiming the veto is an attempt to gerrymander numbers and thus secure a greater advantage for the Tories in the Commons. Amid the anger there is a disappointing reluctance to acknowledge that the West Lothian Question is valid, and requires an answer. The Conservatives’ proposal may be far from perfect, but it responds to an issue that festers. If English MPs can no longer vote on issues that were devolved to Holyrood, why is it fair that Scottish MPs can vote on English-only matters which do not affect their constituents?

Opposition parties point to English-only matters which have consequential effects for Scotland, in terms of share of funding. This is a valid concern, and how this is managed will determine the success or failure of Evel.

But on issues where there is no consequence for Scotland, or even little consequence for Scotland, Evel is only right and proper. Sometimes it has to be recognised that the greater good lies in doing the right thing.

You couldn’t make it up … or could you?

Writers Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn satirised government in a vicious yet elegant way in their brilliant comedy series Yes Minister, in which the hapless Jim Hacker was manipulated by a devious Sir Humphrey Appleby. They came up with some staggeringly stupid ways for government to work.

But even they surely would have rejected as too implausible any plan to relocate the population of Hong Kong, some 5.5 million souls, to a Northern Ireland riven by sectarian division and violence. Exactly what the effect would have been on Northern Ireland’s population of 1.8 million cannot accurately be judged.

The plan was put forward by an academic, Christy Davies of Reading University. Perhaps the kindest thing that could be said is that it is the job of academia to think the unthinkable, to stretch society’s boundaries so that unusual and innovative solutions can be found to improve our joint lot.

It is unclear at this distance in time exactly how the plan was mooted, although it would seem that green ink was almost certainly used. One would have thought this might be sufficient warning for the civil servants on the receiving end, as it would be for any editor of a newspaper letters page.

What we can see is that there is no sign that Mr Fergusson, the Northern Irish civil servant who contacted the Republic of Ireland foreign office over the matter, thought it was a joke or too ridiculous to give any credence to.

The worry is that such revelations just reinforce the public’s view of government. And make life difficult for comedy writers.

Scotch whisky has been given protected geographical status in Africa for the first time, industry bosses said yesterday.

David Frost, chief execuitve of the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), said it was “ground-breaking” that the drink had been recognised as a “geographical indication” by Botswana.

The move means only whisky that has been made in Scotland can legally be sold as Scotch in the country.

Whisky shipments to Botswana increased by 163 per cent last year to be worth £456,728, according to SWA figures.

Frost said: “We expect to see demand for Scotch increase in many African countries in coming years as economies grow.

“It’s important that consumers have confidence in the quality of what they are buying, which this recognition of Scotch as a ‘geographical indication’ will help to achieve. It’s also the first time Scotch has been successfully registered as a GI anywhere in Africa.”