Devolution the solution

THE economy of devolved Scotland is thriving under the Scottish Parliament. Where unemployment is falling in Scotland, the numbers of unemployed are rising in the North of England and the Midlands.

The North and the Midlands are not thriving. There is a lesson here. There needs to be a devolved English Parliament in Leeds.

Scrapyard police

From: RF Tingle, Roundhay Mansions, Horsforth Avenue, Bridlington.

AFTER having worked in the scrap metal industry from 1962 to 1996, the solution to the metal thefts is fairly easy. Park a manned police car outside every scrapyard, complete with samples of roofing lead, railway cable etc. both before and after it has been burnt.

Roofing lead and railway cable are very easy to spot and if every car and van were checked the thefts would, if not stop, slow down considerably. As it stands the thefts will get worse, as they always do, on the run up to Christmas.

Climate claims

From: Rodney Atkinson, Stocksfield, Northumberland.

THE latest release of emails from the departments of the University of East Anglia engaged in “climate research” show that these academics spent £15,000 on seminars for BBC executives.

They show that university staff vetted BBC scripts and used their contacts to stop climate sceptics being interviewed. This is a flagrant breach of the BBC’s Charter which demands objective balanced reporting.