Friday’s scribes discuss the detection of rancid chicken, maternity and paternity leave, neglect of the Dundee Law and traffic in Coupar Angus.
UK cannot afford extension of paternity leave Sir,-The coalition government’s new proposals regarding the transfer of maternity/paternity leave between partners is further evidence that Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and his ilk are out of touch with the realities of life.
Being self-employed for most of my working life, this was not an option for me in that, if I did not work, I did not earn and there are thousands if not millions of couples in that category.
I do not detect that my family suffered or were deprived in any way because, outwith working hours, we were a secure, happy family unit enjoying life together.
There are a multitude of urgent challenges to be tackled by our politicians but paternity leave is not one of them.
R. H. L. Mulheron.28 Cowgate,Tayport.
Rancid chicken detection method
Sir,-Paula Kinnie (January 19) should not have cooked a chicken without washing it first.
Oven-ready just means that it has been eviscerated the giblets removed.
It was mentioned in the article that the chicken was rancid, which should have told her straight away that it was not fit to eat.
That also applies to whoever placed it on the shelf in the supermarket.
Meat and vegetables should always be washed thoroughly before cooking to eradicate contamination.
(Capt) T. R. Willis.61 Craigmill Gardens,Carnoustie.
Health suffers as we bicker
Sir,-What are we to make of the UK Government’s proposals for setting a minimum price on alcohol in England and Wales?
Only a few months ago, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour MSPs voted down similar proposals for Scotland put forward by the Scottish Government, calling them unnecessary, unworkable and illegal under European Union law.
It seems rather strange that the authorities in England and Wales will, in the future, have the powers to impose minimum prices to reduce the impact of alcohol abuse, while Scotland, a country that suffers most from such abuse, will be denied any such authority at all for the foreseeable future.
How can that be? It is a simple question that can be answered simply.
Petty partisan politicking in Scotland has resulted in opposition parties deliberately putting the health and well being of tens of thousands of Scots at serious risk because they will not allow the SNP to implement headline policies.
Let’s not underestimate the impact.
Many Scots will die and suffer unnecessarily because Labour, Tory and Liberal Democrat MSPs are blind to the public interest.
We have reached such a low point in Holyrood politics where now, if the Scottish Government recommended Scots took an aspirin for a headache, the opposition parties would react furiously and condemn such a recommendation.
Such behaviour reflects badly on the Scottish Parliament.
Malcolm McCandless.40 Muirfield Crescent,Dundee.
Neglect of beauty spot
Sir,-I read with disbelief your report (January 17) concerning Dundee City Council compelling a Ms Michelle Kerr to pay a fixed penalty of £50 or face possible court action, the result of which might mean a fine of £40,000 for allegedly dumping a small but identifiable item of rubbish in one of the allotment skips on the Dundee Law, a charge she denies.
This from a council which has, over many years, ignored the environmental deterioration of the Law, that is, apart from the area surrounding the war memorial.
While other public amenities Balgay and Baxter parks, to name but two seem to benefit frequently from local authority investment, the lack of attention to the Law goes unheeded.
It is also noticeable that the report raises the point of irate allotment holders objecting to the skips being used by others which seems, on the face, of it very reasonable.
What was not mentioned is that some allotment holders who, rather than use the skips they have paid for, instead prefer to barrow-load their broken glass, rubble, rotting vegetation and general unwanted allotment items onto the slopes of the Law.
Frank Kenneth.6 Lawside Avenue,Dundee.
Coupar Angus traffic problems
Sir,-Regarding the new traffic scheme imposed on Coupar Angus, this can only be described as a retrograde step and not an improvement.
It was clear from the outset of the project that, having got £200,000 of taxpayers’ money from the Scottish Government, both officials and councillors were determined to spend on this disastrous scheme for the town.
It smacks of a scheme more appropriate to a large city centre and not a small country town like Coupar Angus with an ancient street layout.
The town was never going to compete with La Promenade d’Anglais in Nice.
Coupar Angus requires more parking, not less, given the constant congestion in Union Street resulting in permanent problems throughout the day.
I wrote extensively and constructively to both Perth and Kinross Council officials and councillors pointing out the shortcomings of the scheme but to no avail.
The last councillor failed to even acknowledge my letter far less reply in substantive terms. So much for local democracy.
D. W. R. Whittet.Gillaroo House,Beech Hill Road,Coupar Angus.
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