Sir, – Trade unionist Bill Ramsay recently published an article on Common Space regarding how an independent Scotland might address its deficit.
The article reasoned that the Scotch Whisky industry generated excessive profits and should, therefore, be subject to additional tax.
Mr Ramsay misunderstands the important difference between cash flow and profit.
Scotch Whisky does generate attractive profit margins, but this ignores that the distiller needs, from day one, to finance the production of the spirit (labour, barley, energy and so on) and then wait 12, 15 or 21 years for it to mature.
Bank interest on the funds used to produce the spirit needs to be paid as well as annual storage charges for the barrels.
He suggests that based on industry figures the average price received by the distiller is £3.33 per bottle, however, he suggests the consumer pays on average £25 per bottle, meaning there is substantial “extra” profit squirrelled away.
This “extra” profit is not made by the distiller but by other parties in the chain, such as distributors, retailers and bars and there is also the small matter of duty as well as freight.
The other nationalist myth to debunk is that Westminster takes all the duty.
I am sorry to say that more than 90% of sales are exported on which there is no UK duty payable.
My own view is that the best way for the Scottish Government to generate extra tax is not to levy additional taxes on a successful industry, but to encourage entrepreneurship and new business starts in Scotland.
Let us hope the government uses its new powers.
William Wemyss.
Managing director,
Kingsbarns Company of Distillers Limited.
Broxden needs traffic controls
Sir, – Does anyone else agree that there should be, at the very least, part-time traffic lights installed at the Broxden roundabout in Perth?
The tailbacks in both morning and afternoon reached unacceptable levels a staggering 20 years ago.
The traffic flow at the Inveralmond roundabout was improved greatly by traffic lights.
It is now time Broxden-reliant commuters received the same courtesy.
Edward Burns.
Westbank Farm,
St David’s,
Madderty.
Strong case for licensing cyclists
Sir, – George White, Hugh Wylie and Dave Brimmer have orchestrated their replies to my recent letter (July 22).
To borrow Denis Healey’s phrase on being attacked by Geoffrey Howe “it was like being savaged by a dead sheep”.
If these gentlemen care to re-read my letters I am against the rogue cyclist and believe cyclists do not pay a fair share of the cycle lanes and other infrastructure specifically for them.
Recently I was walking on the pavement with my five-year-old granddaughter when a cyclist on the road swerved on to the pavement, since the pedestrian lights were against him, narrowly missing her.
I shouted at him and he stopped to hurl abuse but when I angrily approached he said that he was trying to get ahead of the cars as though that excused his actions.
That is the mentality of the rogue cyclist and their supporters. In addition, his chain had come off with his abrupt stop.
If 500,000 air weapons can be licensed then it should not be too difficult to do the same with cyclists and catch the rogues.
Clark Cross.
138 Springfield Road,
Linlithgow.
Airport rail link problem
Sir, – I was pleased to see The Courier report (July 22) on rail service expansion for Fife.
It may not come quickly but I would hope local and national government will make progress rather than think up reasons why not to do it.
In the same edition Mr C Wilson proposed a train service to serve Edinburgh Airport.
Just over 10 years ago a full design was made for an Edinburgh Airport station serving lines from Fife, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
The additional stop added a few minutes to the Fife to Edinburgh travel time but the proposal would have given Fife a good train service to Glasgow.
The project was expensive but had a good business case. When the SNP won power they scrapped the project and it is difficult to see how it could be revived.
Ralph Barker.
90 Carlisle Road,
Crawford,
Biggar.
Where is Mr Yousaf?
Sir, – As the current rail strike gathers pace and ever more commuters and travellers are inconvenienced, I have to ask the whereabouts of our transport minister, Humza Yousaf? His silence has been deafening.
Any responsible and caring government would be highly visible in the representation of the affected population against vested interests, but this principle appears not to be appropriate in present-day Scotland.
In this case, a working- behind-the-scenes response is totally inadequate. Where are you, Mr Yousaf?
GM Lindsay.
Whinfield Gardens,
Kinross.
Levenmouth needs boost
Sir, – Your article, Political row erupts over backing for Levenmouth rail link (July 22) highlights the fact that unless the long-running injustice and running sore of Levenmouth’s lack of rail services is addressed, the issue will continue burning.
No political party can maintain credibility in relation to connectivity or economic regeneration unless major urban areas continue to be marginalised and Levenmouth is by far the largest of such communities in Scotland with a present catchment of 45,000.
Fife Council has stepped up its support for the project in the context of the Fairer Fife Commission recommendations recognising no other single measure could deliver similar positive benefits for a deprived area with economic potential.
The new transport minister’s “willingness to consider proposals” is encouraging but will now be put to the test as preparations for the new Scottish budget get under way.
What Levenmouth needs is for our elected representatives at all levels and from all parties to put aside any differences for the common good and create such a combined pressure at national level that this project proceeds. Levenmouth is watching and waiting.
Neil Stewart.
62 Omar Crescent,
Buckhaven.
Real Scottish voting figures
Sir, – George White claimed on Friday that “every man and his dog on the street knows that Scotland voted 62% in favour of remaining in Europe”.
The fact is that 35% of the Scottish electorate did not bother voting at all.
So the true figures are, 35% did not vote, 25% voted Leave and 40% voted Remain.
The reason “every man and his dog” believes that 62% voted to Remain is because Nicola Sturgeon keeps trotting out the same old figure and no one has bothered to pull her up about it.
Horton RT Canale.
50 Rossie Street,
Arbroath.
Second vote inevitable
Sir, – As one European country after another rejects Nicola Sturgeon’s protestations that Scotland should remain in the EU when the UK leaves, it seems SNP politicking is proceeding perfectly to plan.
European leaders unsurprisingly tell Ms Sturgeon that Scotland must first become an independent country and then reapply to join the EU.
This is music to the nationalist leader’s ears.
Next Ms Sturgeon will, with an inevitable combination of faux regret and grievance politics, find Westminster’s Brexit terms unfavourable to Scotland.
Indeed, expect her to maintain they’re slanted against Scotland.
This will be despite, as a minimum, agriculture and fisheries responsibility being devolved from Brussels through Westminster to Holyrood.
Then finally Ms Sturgeon will demand a second independence referendum from Westminster, claiming she has done everything to avoid another divisive referendum and maintaining Westminster’s actions leave her with no option.
In a rapidly-changing political world, at least the SNP is reassuringly predictable.
Martin Redfern.
4 Royal Circus,
Edinburgh.