Sir, – No one is going to begrudge NHS and care staff their £500 bonus.
They actually deserve a lot more. Indeed, you could say it was a derisory amount for the risks people have had to endure in 2020, and for all the things that they will have had to see that they will hopefully never have to see again.
But what is Ms Sturgeon up to? When she had made her announcement, she dared the UK Government not to tax the £500, despite the Scottish Government having full control of income tax.
It is they who would be getting the money.
It is not legal to simply waive income in the way that Ms Sturgeon is implying, so there is a political game being played here with NHS and care staff.
Ms Sturgeon wants credit for giving them the money now, and she wants an argument over why the tax cannot be waived after the end of the current tax year, just in time for the election.
Is this clever politics that we should applaud, or is it using NHS and care staff as a political football?
Is the argument as important as the money in people’s pockets?
There are times when you can be too clever.
Victor Clements.
Mamie’s Cottage,
Aberfeldy.
Get serious about saving money
Sir, – I refer to your article “Council top brass to receive £10,000 pay hike”, (Courier, November 26).
How can they justify these payments at a time businesses and individuals are struggling to survive?
Only last week they revealed a £30 million black hole in their finances and each year they complain they have no money, and the tax has to rise to protect services.
I suggest that if these councils are serious about saving taxpayers’ hard-earned money, they should cut the salaries of the top executives and the gold-plated pensions.
There is also an urgent need to cut out waste, a recent farce was the installation of so-called garden furniture in Perth city centre, only for it to be removed weeks later. If they had listened to the business community, this project would not have gone ahead.
Ian Robertson.
Hillview,
Station Road,
Crook of Devon.
Horse and carriage was more reliable
Sir, – It seems that all new home-charge units for electric vehicles have to be “smart” – that is, capable of being switched off remotely by the electricity supplier when overall demand cannot be met.
This would indicate that EV owners may not be able to recharge their vehicle when required.
Why are we being forced through an expensive interim period of electric vehicles when reliable electricity supply is reducing rapidly.
Why don’t we go straight to a horse and carriage?
GM Lindsay.
Whinfield Gardens,
Kinross.
Are firefighters less important?
Sir, – Why is the binman, the shop assistant, the policeman the fireman, indeed the ordinary worker, not getting £500? Are these people who worked through the pandemic less important than the doctor, nurse or medical practitioner?
It seems so!
Neil Robertson.
Etive Place,
Glenrothes.
A thank you, not a slap in the face
Sir, – I read with interest the article “‘Miserable backhander’ a ‘slap in face’ for carers”, (Courier, November 27) with the comments from a carer and GMB union.
I would have to say I was surprised that a payment was announced by Dundee City Council considering the perilous financial position of all council’s in current times.
I am not against the payment but perhaps employers and the union should investigate a tax allowance for employees required to wash their own uniform?
The HMRC website indicates that an NHS Tayside employee could possibly get a tax allowance of £186 per year.
If this was applicable to all employees in the care industry, then the £25 payment from Dundee City Council is indeed a “thank you”.
Susan Oliphant.
Forfar.
