Sir, Whilst settling down to the routine of a new school year, children between the ages of nine and 16 attending Dundee schools will be asked over the next few weeks to fill in a questionnaire as part of the “ChildrenCountSurvey”.
This collaboration between the Scottish Government and local councils is being undertaken supposedly to enable the authorities to better plan local services. However, readers of this paper who remember your reporting of the notorious “Evidence2Success” questionnaire circulated in Perth and Kinross last winter will be sure to see similarities between the two.
Again there are the intrusive questions into private lives and again there is the notion of assumed consent solely on the strength of a letter being sent to parents.
This ignores the fact that the European Data Protection Directive insists that there must be some active communication between the parties before research work is undertaken. Parents wishing to opt out of this survey must call a free phone number, leave a message and wait for someone in Devon to phone them back. Hardly the best example of active communication.
I am sure that many of your readers feel as uncomfortable as I do about this continued push by the state to pry into people’s private lives via their children. It is highly probable that this latest intrusion is another step on the road to establishing a national database to back up the present administration’s intention to have a named person for every child in Scotland.
It is time for the “authorities” to realise that their authority has limits. People are entitled to a private family life.
Short of real concern about the welfare of a child, government whether local or national has no business behind our front doors.
Angela Rennie. 88 Muirfield Crescent, Dundee.
It was a fitting Fife tribute
Sir, May I extend my thanks to all those who contributed in any way to the magnificent and very moving service held in Dunfermline Abbey on Sunday August 31 as a Fife-wide commemoration of the anniversary of the beginning of the First World War.
It was attended by representatives of many organisations throughout Fife but was particularly aimed at young people. The youth organisations formed a guard of honour and head boys and girls of the 19 secondary schools in Fife bore lighted candles in procession from the abbey to the war memorial led by the lone young piper.
Thanks must go to all the adults who gave their time to attend with the young people, the head teachers and leaders, and also to the staff of Fife Council, the minister and session of Dunfermline Abbey for their superb organisation.
It was a fitting Fife tribute.
C Margaret Dean. Lord-Lieutenant of Fife, Viewforth, 121 Rose Street, Dunfermline.
They had no voice we do
Sir, I write in response to a letter in your pages by John Nicoll of Broughty Ferry who wrote that Scotland was not forced to sign the settlement of union in 1707. Well, that’s not strictly true.
As John says, Scotland was in dire straights due to the Darien project. Scotland was in partnership in this project with the Dutch and English who actually pulled out at the last minute leaving Scotland with a huge task of pulling this off.
With the impending collapse of Darien the English moved to force Scotland into a union with them that the Scots did not want.
To force the issue the English Navy blockaded the Scottish ports stopping our merchant fleet from both supplying our colony in Panama, ie Darien, and also trading with Europe.
On top of that, money was offered to members of the Scots Parliament in Edinburgh to bribe them to sign up to the union.
The people of Scotland rioted in towns and cities across the country in opposition to this union.
They had no voice in 1707, but we do now, and on the 18th of this month Scotland will see the largest turnout of people to vote in its history.
Bruce D Ogilvie. High Street, Montrose.
Why would we sign up to that?
Sir, This independence proposal is a bit like being invited onto the inaugural flight of a new, untested airliner.
As we sit at the end of the runway, just before take-off, the stewardess announces: “We don’t know if this plane can fly we’ll have to finish building it in the air.
“The pilot does not know where he is going to land; we do not know if the tanks are full; there are no safety features and no parachutes; and, by the way, we have not worked out how much this will cost you!”
Scary, isn’t it?
Why would anyone sign up for a flight like that? But that is what the SNP is asking us to do. Take them on trust? No chance!
J Stormonth-Darling. Lednathie, Glen Prosen, Kirriemuir.
Need to think it through
Sir, Our countries have always been better together. Scotland’s educated sons and daughters have contributed greatly to the success of the United Kingdom. Sadly our referendum has contributed to enmity within and outside of our small country. How can making a small country smaller be a good thing?
We, as a small nation, have always respected democracy and if a “yes” vote is delivered we must respect that too. So much of this lead-up to the referendum has been about heart and not head. So I urge people to stop and truly think things through.
Jill Arthur. 14 Roman Way, Dunblane.
Our identities will be diluted
Sir, Since the union, the population ratio between Scotland and England has increased more and more in favour of England. This is set to continue if we remain in the UK.
It is also the long-term aim of the London establishment to dilute the identities of Scotland and Wales down to that of Cornwall and create a unitary island which, to the rest of the world, would be “England”.
One hundred and fifty years ago the Hungarians stopped the Austrians from doing this to them by beginning to take control over their own destiny.
Graham Young. 37 Polepark Road, Dundee.
Status quo a scary thought
Sir, I’ve sat in the wings thus far reading the various reports over the past months concerning Alex Salmond’s position as leader of a potentially independent Scotland.
Unfortunately, many readers cloud the issue with him and the main very important theme of the actual referendum vote. However, should a status quo remain after September 18, I shudder at the thought of continuing to be governed by the present duo of Cameron and Clegg.
Mind you it could be a whole lot worse, can you really imagine having Ed Miliband, Boris Johnson or Nigel Farage being in power and deciding your fate?
Mark S. Ritchie. 26 James Street, Carnoustie.
Call a halt to intimidation
Sir, Just as in times of adversity a spirit of togetherness fought off the advances of our enemies. Has the time not come in the determination of our country’s future, irrespective of differences of opinion, that respect be shown to one another? Intimidation and bullying is not in the nature of the Scots.
Nothing wrong with a bit of banter, but when the conduct of the few inhibits the vast majority from nailing their colours to the mast, it must be time to call a halt.
G E Muir. 70 Abbey Road, Scone.
Weakest case?
Sir, I am a person with very little interest in politics but could not fail to see the reports of the very aggressive and intolerant attitude developing within sections of the Yes campaign.
It reminds me that it is often people with the loudest voices who have the weakest case in an argument.
Robert Marr. 23 Patrick Allan Fraser St, Arbroath.