A health board has decided to extend its no smoking policy to include all its grounds. NHS Highland said some staff issues had still to be “ironed out” before the expanded ban could be rolled out. Chairman Garry Coutts said the board could not be seen to be supporting smoking on its property.

A surgeon is to stand for the Scottish Parliament in protest at National Health Service changes. David Smith, who is targeting Glasgow Cathcart as an independent, is demanding better healthcare provision across the south of Glasgow.

An ambulance worker sacked for sending paramedics to pick up her drunken boss from a nightclub said yesterday she had rejected a £50,000 out-of-court settlement. Margaret Gokce is instead taking legal action against the Scottish Ambulance Service, citing unfair dismissal, after a three-year battle to clear her name.

A former nanny says she has been refused permission to adopt a child because she is overweight. Gillian Vose, 42, said social services rejected her application because her weight – she weighs 20 stone (127kg) and is 5ft 3ins (1.6m) tall – meant she would not be able to cope with the child concerned.

The Catholic confessional, with its dark wooden panels, metal grille and cloth curtain to mask penitent from priest, was replaced yesterday by a blond wooden witness box, a microphone and a large jug of water.

Plans to give asylum seekers the legal right to work have been put on ice by the Scottish Executive. Present UK laws ban asylum seekers from taking paid jobs but allow them to carry out voluntary work.

Surgeons battle to repair facial slash wounds on knife victims on average every six hours in Glasgow, according to shocking new figures. More than 1000 patients a year are sent for maxillofacial surgery in city hospitals after being attacked. But detectives believe fewer than one in three assaults is reported to the police.

Union officials in Dumfries and Galloway have received “a lot” of complaints after about 1,000 council staff got letters outlining wage cuts. The cuts are part of “single status” plans to address equal pay issues.

Police yesterday revealed details of the largest-ever cannabis factory uncovered in Scotland. In an unprecedented operation, an organised crime gang was alleged to be cultivating vast quantities of the drug with a street value of £1.2m.

Kevin Neeson used to get arrested almost every single day. When he avoided the cells it was simply because he had managed to avoid being caught. He was one of the first young people in Scotland to receive a Anti-Social Behaviour Order (Asbo). He says it made no difference at all.