Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, Most of us will recognise the need for substantial cuts in public spending, most disagreement arising over the choice of targets.
It would seem wise not to target those tools in our box which will assist in extricating us from the present mess.
In a war, you would not expect to see a contraction in the munitions and arms industries. In an epidemic, the pharmaceutical industry might be expected to grow rather than contract.
It is all the more surprising, therefore, to see the scale of the cuts in the funding of further education.
Dundee has regenerated itself more times than Dr Who, and in each case FE has played a major part in reshaping the workforce. FE is a major engine for change.
(Prof) Ian C. Colligan.99 Denoon Terrace,Dundee.
Far too many in elected roles
Sir, Scotland will lose seven MPs in proposals to reduce the number of MPs in the UK to 600.
Not nearly enough.
The EU has 737 MEPs controlling our laws and almost every aspect of our lives.
The EU imposes over 85% of their laws so, unless we leave the EU, we do not need so many UK politicians and their staffing levels and escalating expenses.
We have 750 in the House of Lords, 658 MPs, 129 MSPs, 60 Welsh Assembly members and 30 in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
There needs to be a cull of politicians, councillors and hangers-on.
Clark Cross.138 Springfield Road,Linlithgow.
Mini roundabout impedes traffic
Sir, We are constantly reminded by Holyrood’s Finance Secretary, John Swinney, and his nationalist colleagues of the inadequate funding they receive from Westminster.
The scarcity of money does not, however, appear to apply to the roads department of Fife Council.
Here in Tayport not only do we have an abundance of totally unnecessary traffic calming humps, overnight we now have an equally unjustifiable mini roundabout on the only road into town from the west, the B946, at its junction with Scotscraig Drive.
Traffic on the busy road has to give way to a nominal amount of traffic from the drive, making it a potential accident black spot.
R.H.L. Mulheron.28 Cowgate,Tayport.
Alternative is a life on benefits
Sir, The older I get the more I am aware of how often the reality of living challenges the most firmly held theories. But of one thing I remain certain and that is that paid employment is a critical source of a disabled person’s sense of dignity and worth.
To have a skill an ability for which an employer puts money into a pay packet, means unequivocally that you have a worth, that you are making a contribution, that you matter to more than just those closest to you.
I don’t think there is any dispute about the importance of work, nor about the theory that people with disabilities should be helped to find jobs in the general labour market but, as Derek Milligan, the shop steward from Remploy, so accurately puts it (October 14): ”In a perfect world every disabled person should be working in mainstream employment, but we don’t live in a perfect world.”
The reality of this imperfect life is that for many disabled people, without some form of supported employment such as that at Remploy, the future is one of dependence on benefits.
Derek Milligan is right to point out that, should supported employment in Remploy be phased out, the reality is that there is very little likelihood of the 40 skilled workers there ever working again.
To use the language of the church, the closure of Remploy would be a sin.
There are, I know, many people campaigning to keep Dundee’s Remploy factory open including our MPs, MSPs, trade unions, churches and others.
The Dundee Partnership is currently consulting on a strategy for Fairness in Dundee. Fighting for the retention of Remploy, and other forms of supported employment, would help.
(Rev) Erik Cramb,Ex-industrial chaplain,Methven Walk,Dundee.
Puzzled by alleged disrespect
Sir, I nearly choked when I read the letter from Labour councillor Kay Morrison in relation to the Mike Woods Sports and Leisure Centre in Glenrothes (October 14).
She is apparently berating myself and my SNP colleagues for being ”disrespectful” to our late colleague, Councillor Mike Woods, by ”wrangling over the building’s name.”
If I recall correctly, the only councillor who spoke against the naming of the centre in Mike’s name, was Councillor Morrison.
She went so far as to tell us that it was not what Mike would have wished.
One has to ask how she would know this.
(Cllr) John Beare.Markinch, Leslie and Glenrothes North,27 Balbirnie Street,Markinch.
Not present when name discussed
Sir, From the reports I have read, two Labour councillors (Bill Kay and Raymond Duguid) were absent from the meeting that discussed a name for the new Glenrothes sports centre.
Thus there need be no complaint from them with regards the outcome.
A. T. Geddie.68 Carleton Avenue,Glenrothes.
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.