Monday’s letters cover subjects including sectarianism and free speech, oil and gas revenues, Europe, and a thank you.
Scottish deficit is peanuts compared to UKSir, Publication of the Government Expenditure and Revenue figures for Scotland has become the focus of heated debate, largely centred on Scotland’s deficit and the issue of volatile oil and gas revenues (June 23).
It is indeed intriguing to note, however, that while much attention is placed on the Scottish deficit of £9 billion (6.8% of GDP), little focus is placed on the UK wide deficit of £107.3 billion (7.6% of GDP).
This is in fact the fifth consecutive year that Scotland has demonstrated itself to be in a stronger financial position than the rest of the UK and, compared with other countries, shines a very positive light on Scotland’s economy.
Scotland’s oil and gas revenues are a trillion pound asset and are on a sharply rising curve, amounting to £8.8 billion in 2010-11 and set to reach £13.4 billion in 2011-12. That other oil rich European country, Norway, sees roughly 20% of its revenue generated through oil and gas while in Scotland in 2009-10 it was about 14%.
Despite this supposed over-reliance, Norway managed to deliver a budget surplus of £30 billion in 2010 and enjoys a high standard of living.
Over the next five years North Sea oil and gas are forecast to raise £61 billion in tax revenue, 35% more than during the previous five years, money that should be used for the benefit of Scots and invested in an oil fund, rather than being used to fill the UK Treasury’s coffers.
Alex Orr.77 Leamington Terrace,Edinburgh.Banter is not the problemSir, The new Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill is yet another attack on free speech.
The people behind this are the politically correct elite who are turning our country into a place where everyone will be frightened to say anything in case they offend someone.
Are lower league fans to be arrested for calling Arbroath fans smokies?
Are Dundee fans to be lifted for calling Dundee United fans Arabs?
Will United fans in turn be taken away for chanting: Stand up if you hate Dundee? Are Saints’ fans in Perth to spend time inside for mentioning Dundee slums?
Good old fashioned banter is all most of it is. For the government to interfere is pure codswallop.
George Aimer.Kinghorne Road,Dundee.Expensive folly in parliamentSir, With the economic meltdown in Greece threatening to crack open Eurozone and send Portugal and Ireland into a renewed tailspin, it is quite incredible that the European Parliament is pressing ahead with a madcap scheme to build a so-called House of European History.
This ill-considered project will include purchase of a huge building in Brussels for £28 million, its internal refurbishment at a cost of £19 million and the acquisition of a collection of Euro-memorabilia at an estimated cost of £3.5 million, all to celebrate the founding of the EU since its inception in post-second world war Europe.
It is typical of the EU, which daily consumes vast quantities of cash and churns out reams of red tape and regulation, that it now thinks it appropriate to create a museum dedicated to its own follies, at a time when European citizens are being asked to face the toughest economic cuts in decades.
This ludicrous proposal should be quashed by the 27 member states before it goes any further.
Struan Stevenson.European Parliament,Brussels.Helping hand for teachersSir, I think I’ve come up with a solution to the problem of young graduate teachers not getting a job.
As an octogenarian, I was thinking about my own schooldays when there were no female married teachers.
If this idea were to be reintroduced, it would free up many posts for the young teachers wishing to work.
Women teachers nearing the end of their working life could do the decent thing and take early retirement, enabling the younger generation to get on to the jobs ladder.
Mary Smith.Maryburgh,Blairadam.Anthems might be mimedSir, If singing God Save The Queen and A Soldier Song can now be be construed as sectarian in certain circumstances then proving it in court may be very difficult.
Given that CCTV at Ibrox and Parkhead will be used in evidence, it seems that if arrested Rangers or Celtic fans claimed to be merely miming and not audibly singing their anthems this would not constitute a sectarian offence because no one could therefore hear any offensive singing.
A lip reading expert examining CCTV footage could prove that certain words were being formed by the movement of the mouth, but could it be definitively stated that this was audible and not mimicry?
Will any bigots at Ibrox or Parkhead be prepared to test in the courts whether mimicry of a national anthem can be considered a sectarian offence?
Ian Stewart.33 Park Avenue,Dundee.Reward for return of cameraI would like to thank the black cab taxi driver who delivered the camera that I left in his taxi. This was on Tuesday evening on a fare from Seagate Bus Station at about 6.45pm.
If he returns to my address, there is a reward for him.
B. Rooney.Logie Gardens,Dundee.
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.