Readers' letters: We need to talk about healthcare, Rishi

Rishi Sunak won’t say whether he and his family use private health care – they do – and that it’s ‘not appropriate’ to talk about it – it is.

In November the Guardian reported that Mr Sunak is registered with a private GP practice that charges £250 for a half hour visit, offers appointments in the evenings and at weekends, charges £400 for home visits, £150 for an email of phone consultation, and £80 for prescriptions.

Dr John Puntis, co-chair of Keep our NHS Public, said using private health care is the norm for the rich and powerful and that “those making decisions about vital public services are often least likely to use them, which of course reinforces their ideological animosity.”

If our so-called public servants were required to use public services like the people they purportedly serve, then you can be sure these services would be adequately funded.

Scotland funds its health service more generously than England’s but is constrained from doing more because it isn’t the currency issuer - England is.

The UK government doesn’t believe in well-run and funded public services. This alone is a compelling reason for Scotland to restore its sovereignty.

Jackie Oudney, Edinburgh

Gorgie Farm should be saved for public

Susan Dalgety is correct when she says money spent on the zoo pandas could have saved Gorgie Farm (News, January 9).

I've been to see the pandas and they are amazing but were asleep when we visited. However at Gorgie Farm you can wander among the animals and see them close up.

And even if there was a charge at the Farm it would still be cheaper than the pandas. The Farm is much better in my opinion and much more fun for children. Just so sad that the powers that be never think of the visiting public!

Sylvia Wilson, Edinburgh

Satellite launches add to pollution

The first UK launch of a satellite, planned to take place from Newquay Airport, has ended in failure.

This had me wondering about emissions from rockets, and how they may effect the climate. I soon found a 2022 study, lead-authored by Robert Ryan. They estimate that space industry global revenue will grow from $350 million in 2019 to more that $1,000,000 million by 2040.

The environmental findings of the study are disturbing. The warming efficiency of space tourism soot emissions is about 500-times greater than surface and aircraft sources of soot. And ozone depletion caused by the launches undermines the Montreal Protocol.

Isn't it odd that the climate protest groups and influential individuals who regularly speak on climate are keeping quiet about this?

Geoff Moore, Alness, Highland

Use dash cam footage to stop car littering

On travelling from Linlithgow to South Queensferry on the A904 I noticed 29 bags of litter lying on the road verge awaiting collection.

This was obviously done by litter volunteers or council employees and they are to be congratulated. But what to do about the idiots who throw litter from their vehicles?

In this era of many vehicles having a dash cam, surely this could be used to severely fine these mobile litter louts. A fine of £500 and 6 points on their licence and a payment of £50 for the dash cam footage would quickly stop this long running problem.

Clark Cross, Linlithgow

Write to the Edinburgh Evening News

We welcome your thoughts. Write to [email protected] including name, address and phone number – we won’t print full details. Keep letters under 300 words, with no attachments. If referring to an article, include date, page number and heading.

Subscribe

Subscribe at www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/subscriptions