Co-author Professor Sheena Lewis stressed it was not possible to say whether the DNA damage caused by diabetes would have the same effect on fertility as DNA damage caused by other factors such as smoking.

BBC: Sperm in men with diabetes had more DNA damage

The application of market prices (or "marks") in this way would generate notional losses for banks, and it would then be possible to assess whether individual banks have enough capital to withstand the damage that could arise if the worst happened and a whole series of eurozone countries were to default.

BBC: Will euro banks be saved before meltdown?

On a separate transport issue, Transport Minister Keith Brown was asked whether the Scottish Government will have to compensate BP for potential damage to its pipeline during construction of the new Forth road bridge.

BBC: Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Committee