Sir, – Lots has been said about the UK Government not doing enough for the truck drivers stranded in Kent.
But the predicament the truck drivers found themselves in was in no way caused by the UK Government, it was caused wholly by the French Government putting in demands that they knew would delay trucks beyond the time limit for fresh and live food, and thus leading to millions of pounds worth of products having to be destroyed and the suffering of live Scottish shellfish.
The UK Government has put in place a testing process to appease the French, testing thousands of foreign nationals, including French, to enable them to return to their families and countries, and still people complain.
No one has yet said how much this will cost, or who will pick up the bill to test these foreigners or put them up in hotels if they test positive and if it will be recharged to the truck drivers and country of origin.
Jim Kenyon.
Freuchie,
Fife.
Farmers will have their chips over deal
Sir, – As always in such matters, the UK-EU Brexit deal will invariably throw up more than a few surprises aside from the usual headlines heralding a British “victory” in negotiations.
The fact that, for example, seed potatoes are not to be included in the deal will be deeply damaging to our rural economy.
Scottish seed potato farmers are one of the biggest exporters of potatoes, used in the production of chips and crisps, in the world.
The sector in Scotland accounts for around 80% of UK production and is worth about £122 million annually.
One-fifth of these exports go to the EU, amounting to more than 20,000 tonnes a year.
This is clearly a disastrous Brexit outcome for Scottish farmers and like all other aspects of Brexit, foisted on Scotland against its will.
A terrible negotiating failure on the part of the Tory government, and a devastating blow to an extremely valuable part of Scotland’s farming industry, I am sure it will not be the first damaging impact to be highlighted once the deal is fully analysed.
Alex Orr.
Marchmont Road,
Edinburgh.
Prevention is real answer to drugs
Sir, – I recall the huge efforts made by local GPs in the 1970s as they tried to learn all about the problem of drug addiction as tackled in other European countries and the possible ways of handling it.
The outcome of all that effort was the realisation that addiction was almost incurable and the solution would be to stop people from starting.
Prevention is the answer.
How can we get this message out to those in control?
Dr Norma H Smith.
Adelaide Terrace,
Dundee.
Government simply cannot win
Sir, – I refer to the letter from Jamie Buchan (SNP will pay the price for not shutting down the schools, Courier, December 23).
He accuses the Scottish Government of rank hypocrisy and calls on parents, staff and senior pupils to remember the current rules regarding schools the next time they put their X on their ballot papers.
Mr Buchan seems to forget that the Scottish Government tried to bring in blended learning but this was roundly attacked by teachers, opposition parties, the media and unions.
So perhaps people should remember this when they next vote.
Can we follow Mr Buchan’s logic and tell voters in Wales to remember that Labour kept the schools open?
Let’s not forget England where the Conservatives kept schools open.
Was not their decision insanity?
Mr Buchan should remember that the Scottish Government were the first to close schools and were accused by sections of the media and Conservatives of only doing so to embarrass Boris Johnson.
Perhaps it’s a case of you simply cannot win, especially if you are the Scottish Government.
Stephen Windsor.
Kinfauns,
Perth.
