A high_profile blitz on knife crime has failed to cut the number of people carrying lethal weapons on Scotland’s streets. The Safer Scotland anti-violence campaign was launched in March. At its centre was the country’s first ever national knife amnesty, which saw almost 13,000 weapons handed in over five weeks last summer.

Children’s care homes are in crisis as thousands of staff working with young people do not have the qualifications for the job, a Scotsman investigation has revealed. Figures show that only 18 per cent of staff are fully qualified to work in residential care, more than a decade after inspectors called for urgent improvements.

More than £83 million is to be spent building almost 1,500 rental or low-cost houses in Glasgow. A total of 1,057 socially rented houses, 200 low-cost homes and 206 houses suitable for people with special needs will be created in the latest phase of the regeneration of Oatlands.

Charities are subsidising the public sector by up to £130m a year, according to an official report. Leading charities such as Barnardo’s, Capability Scotland and Quarriers are being forced to use their own funds to pay for services they provide for the state. As a result, a number of voluntary organisations say they are being forced to cut services.