Sir, – If opinion polls are correct, and they are usually reasonably accurate, the SNP is going to have a comfortable majority at the Scottish election.
So it is almost certain that the named person (no opt-out) scheme will be enacted.
Named persons will have significant powers to protect a child’s wellbeing and will have access to confidential information and the ability to instigate intrusion into the private affairs of Scottish families.
The named person’s brief is wholly subjective as far as I can see and they will be facilitators to other agencies when concerns are raised over a child.
And just who are these people who may raise concerns? Neighbours, employers, workmates, school friends, Scoutmaster, football coach or any other concerned snooper for that matter?
What exactly is considered the wellbeing of a child or is that also a subjective perception?
We must ask what safeguards there are for parents in this situation.
Will they be told exactly who their child’s state guardian is and will there be a list published of just who these people are?
Can they be assured that the named person is trained and fit for the position and will parents be able to see full disclosure details of the named person on a regular basis?
Will parents have the right to object to the nomination of a named person for their child on the basis of conflicting beliefs, culture or lifestyle?
Who will monitor the monitor?
Both Ruth Davidson and Kezia Dugdale are right to oppose this shambolic scheme, but alas, unless the electorate votes for the balance and checks provided by a strong opposition, I fear Scotland will sleepwalk into accepting state authority over its children.
Iain G Richmond. Guildy House, Monikie
Invest in Perth city centre
Sir, – I refer to the comments from Geoff Brown about Perth and Kinross Council’s lack of vision, a criticism with which, unsurprisingly, I wholeheartedly agree.
The regrettable thing is that the council’s “disappointment at prominent people talking the city down” is the sort of arrogant response one has come to expect of the central power bloc within the council.
My wife and I, originally from Edinburgh, came to Perth with our young children after I left the army in 1972 and have, until comparatively recently, been very content with the quality of our lives here and are very fond of Perth. We are saddened by its degeneration.
Like Geoff Brown and others (I suspect) any criticism made is not talking Perth down but involves a genuine sorrow at our council’s priorities and its vanity projects.
The council appears ignorant as to how many Perth and Kinross residents feel about the inability to spend public money on improving the infrastructure before embarking on grandiose plans involving millions of pounds.
We do not need more housing yet as we do not have the schools or medical centres to cope with an increase in population, especially when one bears in mind the dire national shortage of teachers, GPs and nurses.
Once these are actually planned, if not in place, with a commensurate improvement in the road system, including a new Tay crossing, only then should come the time to move forward gently and steadily without the need for egotistical vanity projects and large housing projects.
In the meantime, one can only hope that Perth city centre can be rejuvenated with the council actually listening to realistic and pragmatic suggestions from retailers and acting accordingly.
John D. Ridley. 94 Spoutwells Drive, Scone.
Primary care must be funded
Sir, – I would clarify some points raised by AA Bullions (April 5).
I did not, and certainly would not, criticise the sterling work carried out by our dedicated GPs and their support staff.
I was certainly not advocating that politicians run our local health centres.
The Scottish Government has diverted many examinations and procedures to local medical practices.
This has had the desired effect of reducing pressure on hospitals and given them the opportunity of meeting waiting criteria.
Unfortunately, this has been to the detriment of local medical practices, with higher workloads and increased waiting times.
No additional funding has been directed to recruit additional doctors or support staff.
The government constantly admits that there is a dire shortage of GPs and it is addressing the issue.
The point I am making is that rather than ensuring hospital waiting times are met, the government should be directing funding and support to our overworked local medical staff in an effort to resolve these problems.
Jack Harley. 9 Mackie Crescent, Markinch.
Baptism barrier in Scots schools
Sir, – Your report on the teacher shortage in a denominational Dundee school that results in pupils watching DVDs to pass the time comes as no surprise.
This is a direct result of Scotland’s sectarian education system and the discriminatory employment policy that denominational schools are permitted to enforce.
It beggars belief that in 21st century Scotland the Scottish Government supports this divisive system and claims it has no role to play in the country’s sectarian problem.
As we can see with this case, its deference to religious interests results in segregated schools suffering self-inflicted teacher shortages and children are the victims.
The Scottish Catholic Church continues to close down parishes due to ever-falling numbers, yet it retains a tight grip on publicly-funded denominational schools.
Surely it is time for us to create an inclusive education system which dispenses with this ridiculous baptism barrier for staff, pupils and parents? Or is school the new church?
Alistair McBay. National SecularSociety, 5 Atholl Crescent, Edinburgh.
UK has let down steel industry
Sir, – The lack of action to save the UK steel industry beggars belief and demonstrates how in hock the UK Government is to the Chinese.
Those in favour of Brexit will blame the European Union, but the blame should be laid firmly at the door of the Conservative Government, whose ineptitude on this matter beggars belief.
The biggest problem facing the sector is dumping by China of steel into Europe.
One reason for this dumping is that many other parts of the world have put heavy tariffs on such exports. The US has slapped 236% on Chinese steel.
India has also introduced tariffs, with steel prices predicted to grow by 15% in the country in the first six months of 2016 as a result. This has led to pressure being put on Tata Steel in India to pull out of the UK and focus on the growing domestic market.
The EU has not introduced measures to protect the steel industry because this is in fact opposed by the UK Government, which desires to generate positive trade links with China.
Indeed, the Government did not seek EU permission for exemptions for steelmakers from green taxes until December, long after German steelmakers had acquired such breaks.
The Government instead prioritised securing subsidies for the Chinese-backed Hinkley Point nuclear project.
Due to the cost over-runs for this project, the French and Chinese partners have secured a unit price for energy more than twice that of the current market rate, the irony in all this being that the high cost of energy is one reason why the UK steel industry is unable to compete.
It is a strange world we are in that sees it as appropriate to intervene to bailout the insolvent banking industry at a cost of £1 trillion, but that somehow trying to salvage a steel sector, whose loss would see us become increasingly a plaything of international markets, issomehow acceptable.
Alex Orr. 77 LeamingtonTerrace, Edinburgh.
Clean comedy will be missed
Sir, – I am sure many people will be saddened by the death of Ronnie Corbett. The TwoRonnies was brilliant comedy which did not require obscene language and vulgarity to raise a laugh. I think the Fork Handles sketch was one of many which went down so well with the audiences. Sadly, such characters are not being replaced.
John McDonald. 14 Rosebery Court, Kirkcaldy.