Sir, – To mislead is to tell a falsehood, or transmit a misleading opinion, with the intention to deceive.
It cannot be applied, in a blameworthy sense, to the communication of something false or misleading by mistake.
In my opinion, the information we now possess about Nicola Sturgeon’s meetings on August 29 and September 3 gives no ground for attributing to her any intention to deceive. Therefore she cannot be said to have misled Parliament.
Nor can she yet be accused of having broken the Ministerial Code. For that we must await the report of James Hamilton QC, the independent Assessor.
What Nicola Sturgeon said in response to questions in the Parliamentary Committee makes it, I think, most unlikely he will decide against her.
On both these issues Ruth Davidson and Murdo Fraser, who call for her immediate resignation, fail to grasp these simple but fundamental distinctions. Scotland really needs the government to be confronted by a constructive and serious opposition.
It is sad the Scottish Conservative party seems incapable of anything better than confused and uselessly hostile scatter gun polemics.
Basil O’Neill,
35 Bay Road,
Wormit, Fife.
Our NHS is far better than the US model
Sir, – I am interested in the ongoing debate in your letters page with regard to the efficiency and effectiveness of the NHS.
There is no doubting improvements can be made in the current NHS model but claims that there are “better” systems in the world are difficult to sustain without evidence.
Comparison across countries is notoriously difficult. So much so that the WHO (World Health Organisation) gave up making such comparisons in the year 2000.
However, what we do know is that in a straight comparison with the US, Britain has a much more efficient health system which is cheaper and has far more equitable and better outcomes.
However, the direction of travel of the current Westminster Government is to move to a US-based insurance model.
Only last week the US health insurance corporation Centene took over 49 GP surgery practices in London.
Matt Hancock is an avowed advocate of privatising health care and the Westminster Government has consistently refused to protect the NHS from privatisation in any new trade deals.
The NHS is not perfect but it is better than the US model that we are drifting towards.
We need to protect it.
Brian Batson.
7 Lour Road,
Forfar.
NHS is vast, costly and inefficient
Sir, – Many other countries offer superior health care to our NHS. Despite it coming first in a comparison of national healthcare systems, it scored poorly on health outcomes, its very reason for existing.
It is a vast, inefficient organisation, with spending rising, and unlikely to benefit from much needed reform and efficiency gains with political interference and blind worship. Whether Scotland’s efforts are slightly better than England’s is not important to those on increasingly-lengthy waiting lists for treatment.
Hamish Hossick.
76H Strathern Road,
Broughty Ferry.
Council tax freeze harms everyone
Sir, – Your editorial last Thursday (‘Councils best-placed to tax and spend?’, The Courier, February 25) pointed towards the folly of a council tax freeze.
In Perth and Kinross we are still suffering from the SNP tax freeze that, after 10 years, tore well over £10million from our council budget every year.
The same applies this year.
If the cash provided to the council is not baselined it will cost us all more than £17 million over the next five years.
This harms everyone and means more cuts in local services thanks to the SNP.
Cllr Willie Wilson.
Scottish Liberal Democrats,
Perth City South.
