Daily roundup 8 November: Scottish childcare minister, murder sentence, and sex discrimination

A new Scottish childcare minister has been appointed following the resignation of Mark McDonald at the weekend over "inappropriate" past conduct. The Scotsman reports that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that Highlands and Islands MSP Maree Todd will begin her ministerial duties immediately, subject to approval by parliament.


A fitness instructor has been jailed for a minimum of 18 years for murdering his daughter by violently shaking her and striking her head just two weeks after adopting her. The Telegraph reports that Matthew Scully-Hicks, 31, described 18-month-old Elsie as "a psycho", "the exorcist" and "Satan dressed up in a babygrow" in text messages. Cardiff Crown Court heard he struggled to cope with being the primary carer for Elsie as his husband, Craig Scully-Hicks, 36, worked full-time.


A bid to appeal a ruling of unlawful sex discrimination at an Islamic faith school has been rejected. The BBC reports that Al-Hijrah school in Birmingham was found guilty of sex discrimination in October for segregating children in all activities from the age of nine. An application by the Association of Muslim Schools to appeal the Court of Appeal's ruling to the Supreme Court was refused on Tuesday.


The Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children, Carl Sargeant "wasn't dealt with fairly", Labour AM Jenny Rathbone has said. The BBC reports that Sargeant was found dead at his home on Tuesday just days after he had been sacked as Wales communities secretary following accusations over his conduct. It is understood Mr Sargeant did not know details of the allegations made by a number of women.


School-age children should do at least an hour of exercise each day, the UK's chief medical officer has recommended. The BBC reports that new research with 25,000 secondary students in England and Northern Ireland suggests that, at secondary level, only 8 per cent of girls and 16 per cent of boys manage this. Of those surveyed by Youth Sport Trust and Women in Sport, more than 80 per cent said they understood the importance of being active but almost half of boys and nearly two thirds of girls were less than keen on taking part themselves.