Best of the rest at Tory conference

Conditions such as autism or child obesity are not being picked up because of changes in the role of health visitors, the Scottish Tory health spokeswoman has warned.

Mary Scanlon claimed the changes had left the profession "demoralised, anxious and uncertain".

The previous Holyrood adminstration proposed a new community nursing role to replace the more specialised functions of school nurses, district nurses and health visitors, she said.

The Highlands and Islands MSP went on: "The result of health visitors being taken from the GP practice has left them feeling demoralised, anxious and uncertain about their future and their profession, with many claiming that patient care and safety would be compromised by the changes."

Failing to maintain a UK nuclear deterrent would make Britain more dependent on America, shadow defence secretary Liam Fox has warned.

As he pledged a future Tory administration would replace Trident, Dr Fox also reaffirmed his party's commitment to a defence review after coming into office, to define Britain's strategic interests.

He said: "The fact that the last strategic defence review was in 1998 is completely unacceptable. The world has changed.

"Only this Labour government can be so far detached from reality that it would believe that our armed forces can operate with a defence review designed for the pre 9/11 world."

Former Scotland rugby captain Jim Aitken has urged Prime Minister Gordon Brown to call an election - and boost the country's Six Nations hopes.

The Grand Slam-winning skipper was speaking at the Tory spring conference in Perth, after recently announcing his support for the party with a £100,000 donation.

Scotland has only won the rugby Grand Slam on three occasions - 1929, 1984, when he was skipper, and 1990 - with the Tories in power each time.

"The very least Gordon Brown could do for Scotland is call an election before the start of next season's Six Nations championships," he joked to laughter and applause from delegates.

The brother of film star Ewan McGregor called for a national veterans card to allow greater access to existing military facilities.

Colin McGregor is a former RAF pilot who flew over 100 missions in Iraq.

He now helps to promote services charity Erskine Homes which provides nursing and medical care for ex-armed forces personnel in Scotland.

"I'm one of the lucky ones," he told delegates, adding: "I returned from my many detachments to the Middle East unscathed."