Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, – The strike by solicitors across Angus and the explanation given by the duty solicitor to their clients apparently did not clarify why these highly paid solicitors chose to withdraw legal representation.
The cost of legal aid is not as stated an annual £98m but a staggering £161m. This works out at more than £30 per head of population in Scotland. This is the highest legal aid budget in the entire European Union. In Italy, with 12 times the population, the cost is £1.50 per head.
All these solicitors are being asked to do is collect a proportion of their fee from clients and their claim that they are on some sort of crusade for justice and fairness is ludicrous.
The Justice Minister, Kenny McAskill, should end this gravy train now.
He must take action and appoint public defenders for those who cannot afford legal fees, close the courts and use video links for petty crimes rather than our increasingly expensive and out-dated legal system.
How many nurses, doctors and care home assistants could we employ for £161m?
Robert Alexander.Bothy Starforth,Carnoustie.
Technology can be a blessing, but…
Sir, – It was interesting to read that Monday (December 3) was the busiest day for online shopping.
This was thought provoking. In the not too distant future we might never leave our homes.
All shopping is ordered online whether furniture, clothes or groceries.
We can work from home with the latest technology. We can meet people. According to the latest reports most people looking for a relationship meet online.
We can find the most inane descriptions of people’s days on Twitter and keep up with people on Facebook who didn’t mean anything to us 20 years ago and still don’t.
If we phone any utility company it will be an automated voice.
We don’t need libraries just e-books and Google.
We are being encouraged to go online to get health advice from the NHS to save bothering your GP.
Having said all that man’s ingenuity is incredible. We can see friends and family in Australia and New Zealand when years ago we would probably never see them again.
Abuses that happen worldwide are immediately reported and, on a lighter note, even Desperate Dan is going online!
Technology is a blessing but it is good to remember to be kind to each other in what is hopefully the real world and not virtual reality.
Ercell Carruthers.11 Poplar Avenue,Blairgowrie.
Wind turbines a distraction
Sir, – The arguments for and against windmills have been well aired. There is one aspect of the new technology which rarely receives an airing but is, from a safety aspect, probably the most important.
The new set of windmills recently installed near Cowdenbeath on the edge of the A92 have become a total distraction to drivers on that very busy section of trunk road.
Driving back from Edinburgh to Fife the other day with the winter sun shining on them and the wind turning them fairly briskly, I’m sure, like myself, most drivers’ attention was where it shouldn’t be, on the windmills.
There may be a place for this technology personally, I can’t see them saving the planet but not beside busy main roads. They cause a huge safety concern.
John Strachan.23 Beechwood Avenue,Glenrothes.
Need to raise standards
Sir, – Newspapers are in the business of selling to make money. Selling to make money means selling to the customer what he/she wants.
The customers in this case are not buying tea or coffee from a supermarket. Customers in this case are buying news, photos, discussion and gossip.
Some newspapers satisfy that demand better than others and sell to more customers, thus making a lot of money. The editors of these newspapers are now being told now to “beef up their standards”.
Should it not be the customers who should beef up their standards?
Mona Clark.9 Millbay Terrace,Dundee.
Please explain
Sir, – Could Ian Strachan (December 4) please explain to the rest of us just what the difference is between Scotland being powerless in the EU and the UK being powerless to stop the theft of Scottish fish by the EU?
Perhaps he could also explain just what benefits we gain by remaining in the UK?
Peter Bell.11 Muirton Road,Arbroath.
How many?
Sir, – I wonder just how many more photographs of politicians we will have to endure on or around the A9 before any actual dualling will take place?
G M Lindsay.Whinfield Gardens,Kinross.
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.