Readers' letters: Wallace ducks vital safety concerns at Faslane

The fact that insouciant UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has still not responded to Neale Hanvey MP's query about the radiation leak at Faslane three months ago is unacceptable but entirely predictable, and in keeping with Scotland's status as an internal colony.

Years ago I was an educational administrator for Boston University at the US base at the Holy Loch.

I was shocked that a base of that nature was situated so near to Glasgow, your largest city.

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That simply would not have been allowed in the US itself, where an Environmental Impact Report would have been required and would not have permitted anything of that nature close to a major population centre.

That chapter has been closed now, Holy Loch has been left heavily polluted and the UK is able to maintain its own submarine fleet (Polaris often had to be repaired at US facilities); clearly the people of Scotland are not any safer and are in fact at more risk than ever before.

I guess Wallace was so preoccupied with his ceremonial duties after the death of the Queen that exercising a duty of care for his fellow Scots came at the bottom of his priority list and that is to be expected from a colonial administrator!

All the more reason why Scotland needs independence now and Trident and its successor Dreadnought can be based at Plymouth or Portsmouth and be serviced at King's Bay, Georgia.

Marjorie Ellis Thompson, Edinburgh

More of the same for city transport policy

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I was hoping that city transport convener Councillor Scott Arthur would be a big improvement on his predecessor but it would seem it’s more of the same.

The poor shopkeepers in Leith are being treated shockingly by the city council. How are they supposed to get deliveries or have customers pull up and go into their shops?

The constant mess and upheaval they have had to put up with for such a long time shows how little the council care about the people they serve.

In time I’m sure they will stop bus services down Leith Walk so we have to use the trams. Why more trams anyway, when they are not paying their way and need to be subsidised by LothianBuses?

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As for consultations with CEC, they only do it to make you think that you are having input into their plans. They do not listen to the people of Edinburgh or any of their concerns.

How come the people of Glasgow don’t have to put up with this long term destruction of their city?

Can I politely ask Councillor Arthur to get in a car or taxi and go round the city of Edinburgh and see for himself what the people of Edinburgh and Leith are having to live with thanks to CEC and go back to the drawing board and see if you can improve on their ideas that will improve things for the residents and those of us who would like to come into the city we used to love.

Mrs Susan Smart, Penicuik

Mouldy response to health concerns

I am shocked that the City of Edinburgh still seems ignorant of the cause of black mould (News, 9 February). It seems that they will conduct more investigations.

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However, the cause of the appearance of this fungus is well know to experts. Failure to diagnose the cause suggests both ignorance and incompetence.

Residential accommodation needs to be fully equipped to deal with modern living habits. Unfortunately most social housing fails this test.

Steuart Campbell, Edinburgh

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