Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – The Courier report entitled Perthshire woman facing prison for five-year neglect of granddaughter (July 19) describes neglect suffered by a child. The child had suffered from this neglect for five years. Why did this child have to suffer for so long?
In the Scottish Parliament on May 17, the First Minister responded to a call for a public inquiry into Scotland’s child protection systems by repeating that existing systems are ”robust”. Is a system where a child can suffer from neglect for five years really robust?
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis was correct to state we see many headlines where children die due to neglect. It is for that reason good practice policies dictate child protection concerns are shared and action to protect children from suspected or known harm is taken promptly.
However, it is evident that in too many cases concerns about neglect are not being shared and children are not being helped promptly.
How long is it acceptable for a child to suffer from neglect that has been observed by professionals before they get the help they need weeks, months or years?
Fiona McClymont,Camus Place,Craigton of Monikie.
Windfarms power jobs and research
Sir, – I am writing to clarify some of the misunderstandings about onshore wind which were repeated in the letters pages last week (Ill wind that blows no good, July 19).
Readers should be made aware that this industry is simultaneously helping to increase our energy security and reduce our carbon emissions, while supporting thousands of Scottish jobs.
According to recent Scottish Government figures, renewables generated the equivalent of around 35% of Scotland’s annual demand for electricity in 2011, well beyond the Government’s target of 31%, and windfarms contributed more than half of this.
Evidence suggests that this renewable electricity generation could have displaced as much as eight million tonnes of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel power stations.
On top of this, a recent Scottish Renewables report on employment in renewable energy in Scotland found that the sector already supports more than 11,000 jobs in development and operation and in the direct supply chain, with onshore wind making the most significant contribution to these job numbers.
Onshore wind will continue to play a crucial role in generating electricity and financing major grid upgrades and research and development into less mature technologies, such as offshore wind and marine energy.
Jenny Hogan,Director of policy,Scottish Renewables,Bath Street,Glasgow.
Tax is hard to swallow
Sir, – What a wonderful gift from the coalition government to the athletes of this country.
All the talk about encouraging sport before the Olympics has turned out, as usual, to be hypocritical nonsense. Obesity is rife and teenagers suffer from diabetes, which means extra millions have to be found by an ailing NHS.
What do our so-called leaders do? Add a tax to high-sugar-content snacks? Add a tax to soft drinks linked to all sorts of dental decay? Add a tax to the cheap alcohol causing so much trouble on our streets? No, of course not. They add 20% VAT on sports drinks, namely whey protein products used by every type of athlete, football players and weight trainers.
It is proof you can never trust any politician. Even the timing of this additive tax October 1, making sure the Olympics are well out of the news by then is testimony to the way they think.
I sincerely hope everyone involved with sport remembers this come the next election.
Bill Duthie,St Fillans Road,Dundee.
Auntie’s poor behaviour
Sir, – Thousands of BBC staff are employed through personal service companies, thus allowing them to minimise their tax. This also allows that individual to ”employ” their husband or wife, paying even less tax.
The BBC has deliberately allowed this and benefits from this legal scam by saving millions in national insurance contributions. Our politicians are crying out for a crackdown on this tax-avoidance scheme. Is this because they are jealous that they do not benefit?
The BBC is essentially funded by the taxpayer and should be above reproach.
It is a pity there is not some mechanism whereby TV licence payers could deduct 20% from their annual licence and send it direct to the taxman. Instead, I suppose we will just have to rely on politicians doing the right thing. Well, that’s that idea kicked into the long grass.
Clark Cross,Springfield Road,Linlithgow.
Tackle powerful gun lobby
Sir, – So yet another shooting atrocity takes place in the USA. Should we be surprised? Most certainly not.
Until the authorities in the USA tackle the gun lobby, and as a consequence the gun laws, such actions will take place just as surely as night follows day.
The predictable, and justifiable, outpouring of grief in the USA will achieve absolutely nothing until the American government and citizens take the whole question of the sale of firearms much more seriously.
Tom McDonald,Durham Street,Monifieth.
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.