Letters Page

Published:

Climate change bill has huge potential

SIR, – The Scottish Parliament’s transport, infrastructure and climate change committee has been gathering views from external stakeholders concerning the proposed Climate Change (Scotland) Bill. Given the challenging times we currently face, the Scottish construction industry looks to lawmakers to create a bill that marries delivery of the ambitious headline goal of an 80% cut in CO2 emissions by 2050 with practical measures for economic recovery and future growth.

Based on the recommendations of the Sullivan report, sustainability requirements for new builds in Scotland will be further enhanced in 2010.

Meanwhile, with building use contributing 50% of total CO2 generated, and the majority of this coming from domestic homes, a key priority of the bill must be to assess the energy performance of Scotland’s existing building stock with a view to implementing a properly targeted retrofit programme to improve the overall energy efficiency of the Scottish built environment.

There is huge potential for the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill to help retain capacity in the Scottish construction sector and to improve its competitiveness by stimulating the development of green skills and jobs.

But this will only happen if we lay the proper foundations.

Michael Levack,

Chief Executive,

Scottish Building Federation,

Crichton House,

Holyrood,

Edinburgh.

Politicians should set an example

SIR, – All elected politicians can afford to set an example to the rest of the population by spending in the high street rather than out of the town centre.

This would boost economic activity and safeguard jobs.

Andrew Kerr,

Castlegate,

Jedburgh.

Cheap alcohol is causing havoc

SIR, – Charles Main (Scots facing ‘grog slog’, P&J, March 9) would earn a bit more respect if his letter was not merely a rant.

If he does not support the SNP government’s proposals, perhaps he will regale us with his ideas to combat the havoc that cheap alcohol is currently causing within many of our communities.

I am a pensioner who enjoys a wine and a gin, but I recognise that being a “moaning Minnie” is easy, while using intelligence in a constructive fashion takes a bit more effort.

Dororthy Macdonald,

Arisaig,

Crannag a’Mhinisteir,

Oban.

Banking would not have been immune

SIR, – In March 5’s readers' comments section Vincent McDee suggested an independent Scotland would have had regulation in place to avoid the current banking crisis. It would be interesting if he could back up this wild speculation with an explanation.

All around the world banking has been hammered.

Yet, Mr McDee believes banking under an independent Scotland would have been immune.

I eagerly await the reasoning behind this statement.

Neil Sharp,

8369 NW 144th Street,

Miami Lakes,

Florida.

Working together for Royal Deeside

SIR, – It was disappointing to read the comments of your reader Maureen Paterson (P&J, March 7) regarding the standard of service she received on a recent trip to Royal Deeside. The Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms Destination Management Organisation (DMO) aims to encourage collaborative working between local companies to enhance tourism experiences by providing visitors with a taste of everything the area has to offer.

The Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms area has magnificent scenery and a wide range of heritage, history and activities which are unsurpassed. The DMO recognises that, in a competitive international tourism market, it is crucial to ensure visitors to the area receive the warmest hospitality and the highest quality of customer service.

We are working on a number of initiatives which aim to improve the quality and standards of customer service in the Royal Deeside and the Cairngorms area. These include skills and training audits and the implementation of a destination induction programme for tourism staff.

In these uncertain times, protecting the tourism economy of the area is even more important. If everyone is working towards the same aim, we can achieve this and incidents like this one will become a thing of the past.

John Carnie,

Tourism Development Manager,

Deeside and the Cairngorms Ltd,

Ballater.

Let Gaelic die in peace

SIR, – It is reported that the transport minister wishes to pause and consider before allowing the Gaelic Mafia to add to the proliferation of Gaelic/English road signs already erected across the Highlands. It's good that someone at last is doing some reining-in. What with the provision of a dedicated television channel, the building of Gaelic schools, to say nothing of the expense of bilingual road signs, the intrusion of Gaelic into all aspects of public life, and the inflated salaries of the aforesaid Mafia, what must all this be costing the taxpayer?

It must be costing a fortune. The bill must run into millions of pounds, and to what end? To no end at all. The language is in its death throes. Let it die in peace.

Keith Fernie,

Drakies Avenue,

Inverness.

Sale of land does not benefit public

SIR, – Shame on you for seeming to suggest that Aberdeen City Council would sell off land to relieve its debt.

However, you will be reassured by Councillor Scott Cassie’s statement (P&J, March 6) that should any sites be sold off, “the proceeds would, in fact, go to the public purse and local people would benefit”.

Will that be the same local people who, a couple of years ago, benefited from the £50-60million realised from the sale of two industrial estates? As I recall, the bulk of those monies went to fund the first instalment of implementing the supposedly self-funding equal pay/single status agreement. The only people who benefited were members of staff of the city council – public services have been on the slide ever since.

Time will tell.

Margaret A.M. Greig,

Crimon Place,

Aberdeen.