Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – The Department of Health wish to add a tax on sugary drinks etc to help reduce obesity. Hypocrisy, sheer hypocrisy.
Is this the same department that allowed 20% VAT to be added on to health drinks from October 1 this year?
Like the rest of these so-called health ministers, all talk no action.
I wrote earlier this year that the Olympics would be a fading memory when this disgraceful tax would be levied on our up and coming athletes. That is precisely what has happened.
Encourage sport and fitness? Not among us poor plebs. We are heading back to the ‘Thirties. Not from a public school, sorry, you can’t compete.
How many of these so-called health ministers really know what the cost is to train as a top sports person, eating enough good food, etc?
Maybe if a few of them climbed down off their thrones and spent time amongst ordinary people who are genuinely interested in promoting health they would learn something.
Bill Duthie.25 St Fillans Road,Dundee.
This has to be good news
Sir, – In his letter (October 31) responding to Harry Lawrie’s question asking what Friends of the Earth (FoE) is all about, Andrew Llanwarne of FoE responds that ”Friend of the Earth is part of a global movement standing alongside communities whose environments are exploited by big business and misguided government for financial gain…”
That has to be good news as it surely implies that FoE will be supporting communities whose environments are currently being exploited by big business wind turbine developers solely for financial gain and who are encouraged by misguided governments at Westminster and Holyrood?
G M Lindsay.Whinfield Gardens,Kinross.
Need a change of direction
Sir, – As expected, Andrew Llanwarne of Friends of Earth Tayside rushed to criticise Harry Lawrie. Mr Llanwarne states that: ”We care about the impact on people who suffer the effects of land grabbing, pollution and other environmental damage”.
Would that include wind turbines? They cause pollution, fuel poverty, landscape destruction and environmental damage as well as health problems and fail to reduce CO2 emissions as was promised.
The only people to benefit are the mainly foreign developers and Scottish landowners who harvest our cash.
A change of direction is required Mr Llanwarne.
Clark Cross.138 Springfield Road,Linlithgow.
These lenders are immoral
Sir, – It causes me great concern that payday loan lenders are lending to those who are unemployed and by doing so are encouraging people to get into a trap of repaying one loan and having to take another one out immediately.
I know this from personal experience. By rights payday loan lenders, who on the whole offer loans at extortionate rates, should only lend to people who are paid.
With the cost of food and energy costs rising and Christmas approaching many unemployed people are tempted. Many will struggle to repay them.
I believe these companies are immoral and the government needs to pass a law to stop these companies lending to people who can’t pay them back. The Office Of Fair Trading are investigating this at the moment but that may take some time.
Gordon Kennedy.117 Simpson Square,Perth.
Why still no response?
Sir, – I congratulate Mrs June Reid, regarding the contents of her letter, questioning the sanity of the decision to allow the escaped prisoner, wanted for questioning for a recent very serious crime in Perth, to be detained in an open prison.
I have to say this is the first mention I have seen regarding anyone questioning this decision which, in my view, is absolutely ludicrous, considering the criminal record of this individual.
I would have thought that such a decision to allow someone with such a violent record to be ”housed” in an open prison should have prompted very well publicised questions from the appropriate politician.
A response from a senior politician, responsible for law and order, would still be appreciated.
Ian Thomson.Moor Road,Ceres.
Bound to fail
Sir, – The low carbon policy that Mr Hinnrichs advocates (November 1) is rather like Poland selling its cavalry horses and demilitarising in 1938 in order to achieve a lasting peace. It is bound to fail.
Mr Hinnrichs and his fellow warmists will continue to have no credibility until such time as the USA, China, India and other significant economies choose to close all the new gas and coal-fired power stations they are building.
Meantime, the pointless destruction of the Scottish economy and the impoverishment of its people will continue.
Otto Inglis.Ansonhill,Crossgates.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.