Readers' letters: Low Emission Zones coming by diktat

The survey on "Spaces for People" showed how disliked the scheme was by the majority, yet was ignored in favour of a report commissioned by the council itself. Calls to restrict short term lets that make life a misery for many and push up house prices are only just starting to gain traction way too late.

I could go on, but if you want a visual reminder of what the council think of the people of Edinburgh simply look at the monstrosity atop the St James Quarter which dominates the skyline.

If like me you've had enough, then vote out the arrogant leaders of the cabal on 5 May.

Dr SJ Clark, Edinburgh.

CalMac problems were built in

As Kate Forbes told BBC Scotland on Monday, the problem with the CalMac ferries lies with the construction, not the procurement process – which met international standards - or who signed off the contract.

Article 25 of the Auditor General’s report illustrated that CMAL reduced its financial risk to 50 per cent of the total contract value.

Ferguson Marine was not in a financial position to guarantee the full contract and the Scottish Government obviously took on the risk rather than moving the work abroad.

It was CMAL that specified the requirement for dual fuel engines and it was under Jim McColl’s ownership that most of the construction problems at Ferguson Marine arose.

Under the UK Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier programme, two ships cost taxpayers £6.2bn, some £2.3bn over the initial budget, which is enough to rebuild the entire CalMac fleet. But I don’t remember days of media hysteria, endless political point scoring or suggestions that the UK wasn’t capable of governing itself.

Mary Thomas, Edinburgh.

Ferry staff agency avoids NI payments

It has been revealed that CalMac who run the ageing fleet of 30 ferries for Scottish islands have been using an agency in Guernsey to employ its 1000 seafarers, exempting them from paying an average £3million a year of NI contributions.

This is quite outrageous for a Scottish ferry company which receives massive state financial support to participate in this tax avoidance scheme.

Dennis Forbes Grattan, Aberdeen.

Angus’ private health care causes division

It was reported in this paper on 23 March that Angus Robertson MSP was able to open a new eye clinic in Edinburgh.

NHS patients on waiting lists will be able to use the new facility with private surgical treatment funded by the Scottish Government

At last something is being done to alleviate long waiting times, even though this privatisation of NHS Scotland services might not be welcome by some nationalists.

Alastair Murray, Edinburgh.

Fire island

Just over a week since a BBC documentary was aired on the sinister history of the Gruinard Island anthrax tests and the battle to force HM Government to clean it up, the entire island has been gutted by fire.

I'm sure this was just coincidence, and that soggy uninhabited islands regularly spontaneously combust a mere six days into spring after one of the wettest winters on record.

Mark Boyle, Johnstone.

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