Readers' letters: UK energy rip-off is devastating millions

The scale of the UK energy rip-off that is devastating millions is criminal.

UK households, businesses, schools, hospitals and care homes are facing an 80 per cent increase in energy prices whereas in nearby Norway, consumers are paying just six per cent of the UK variable rate for three years.

If Scotland had been independent and done what Norway did – retain control of its energy and create a sovereign wealth fund – it would have had an even larger wealth fund.

Norway’s fund not only pays for household energy bills, but also supports former oil workers and is building Norway’s renewables industries.

Instead, we’ve been controlled by Westminster that has sold off our energy assets and eliminated taxes on Big Oil. Norway owns its energy resources and taxes private oil companies at 78 per cent. Which policy benefits people more?

In addition, Blair’s Labour government moved the English maritime boundary north from Berwick to Arbroath to take over seven Scottish oil fields and their revenues. This was stealthily done on the eve of the 1999 re-opening of the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish people must call time on this Union that has served us so badly. We must invoke our constitution, the Claim of Right, which gives the people the power to remove a government that harms them, and restore our independence.

Margaret McGowan, Edinburgh.

Scotland does not need foreign offices

Nicola Sturgeon has just left behind piles of rubbish in Edinburgh to open a Scottish Government office in Copenhagen, thereby adding to the eight offices in other countries which cost over £9 million per annum.

While at the Scotch Whisky Association I was responsible for improving the industry's worldwide export performance by seeking to eliminate tariff and non tariff trade barriers‎ facing Scotch Whisky in its overseas markets.

Such barriers existed in six of the countries where Scottish Government offices now exist but, at the time, did not. However, working closely with the British Embassies and a High Commission, the trade barriers were successfully‎ eliminated. As a result, Scotch Whisky exports duly increased significantly.

The offices also provided invaluable advice, expertise and support to Scotch Whisky companies, especially those new to the market.

Why, then, is there a need ‎for the costly duplication of Scottish Government offices when British Embassies and High Commissions already exist worldwide and are doing an excellent job on behalf of all UK interests?

One suspects the reasons are that Nicola Sturgeon loves the grandstanding and empire building plus anything that detracts from the plethora of her policy failures in Scotland.

Tim Jackson, Gullane.

Sturgeon’s oil U-turn threatens coalition

As U-turns go this must be one of the most spectacular. The First Minster has discarded long term promises repeated just months ago at COP26. SNP now intend using North Sea oil and gas to assist the case for independence.

More interesting with the abandonment of commitments on fossil fuels, how will SNP manage without the Greens providing a majority in government? Will the Greens even resign?

Hopefully some of the other Green initiatives will now be put on hold, like the £100ms order for 150 battery trains for ScotRail, reported by the News on 19 August, with the money diverted to helping with the cost of living crisis.

Alastair Murray, Edinburgh.

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