Friday's Letters: We need private sector recovery, not public bureaucracy

However, firstly, it is difficult to see one reason how the region has benefited from having a Yorkshire Minister, a role which sounds nice but does nothing.

Secondly, Yorkshire Forward only benefits those people it employs and those it subsidises, and many of those companies who have been subsidised should have been allowed to fail. The public sector is in no position to pick winners among the region's businesses. The market is a much better decision maker.

As Stewart Arnold (Yorkshire Post, May 24) points out, only eight business people signed a letter in support of Yorkshire Forward. The rest of the business population is presumably either unsupportive or indifferent, both of which are not endorsements.

What Yorkshire needs is a private sector recovery, not public sector bureaucracy. If the public knew how their tax money was being squandered, then it would not support such waste as Yorkshire Forward and a Yorkshire Minister.

If the coalition take steps to reduce unnecessary bureaucracy like Yorkshire Forward and the Yorkshire Minister, and allows the private sector to generate wealth and jobs, the region will have been enhanced, not diminished.

From: Nick Williams, Pocklington, East Yorkshire.

From: Dr David Hill, executive director, World Innovation Foundation Charity, Bern, Switzerland.

THE debate concerning Yorkshire Forward and RDAs in general has to be put into perspective with regard to their economic efficacy and viability.

In this respect, independent research by the TaxPayers' Alliance determined in an in-depth report a couple of years ago that RDAs were a white elephant.

The main reason for this is that Yorkshire Forward et al have not understood the all-delivering economic concept of the "innovation chain". This pre-eminent concept tells you that to excel and succeed in the modern world a nation has to have the world-changing ideas first and then the investment.

Unfortunately, Yorkshire Forward has not presently a system where the concept thinkers can have their ground-breaking ideas analysed for our international exploitation.

Therefore if our regions are to excel, we have to establish first the creative infrastructure where our world-class "independent" inventors and innovators can express themselves and thereby provide the thinking that our universities and businesses can then exploit.

Presently, and for the past 13 years, we have had a headless chicken with no basic creative direction which has basically gone nowhere and where we have to add this vital component of wealth-creation to attain the future economic dynamism for our region and our nation.

From: John Richmond, Harrogate Road, Ripon, North Yorkshire.

WHILE Rosie Winterton may whinge in her letter regarding the position of regional agencies, she would be wise to consider how much of the budgets of these "quangos" disappear in administrative costs. Indeed, she should know – as former Minister for Yorkshire. She might also disclose how many millions have gone to Hull, Doncaster, Leeds and Sheffield during Labour's 13 years of Government, through Regional Development Agency funding.

I wonder how many readers noted that while the Conservatives gained seats on the periphery of these major cities, Labour hung on, which in my opinion tells its own story.

While Bradford's city centre development has fallen amidst a heap of rubble, questions should be asked as to where Yorkshire Forward stands and a correct budget be published.

As to your own Editorial (Yorkshire Post, May 24), I doubt very much whether the private sector, already well slimmed down can be expected to find jobs for pen-pushing, folder-carrying personnel from plush offices of Yorkshire Forward.

I believe the time has come for home truths to be told – money doesn't grow on trees.

The Wolds don't need artworks

From: Bob Birrell, Thixendale Lane, Fridaythorpe, Driffield, East Yorkshire.

I ENJOY the great fortune to live in a most beautiful area of

Yorkshire. I had thought that our creator's work and our landscape

could not be improved upon. It seems that a somewhat opaque

organisation called "Visit Hull and East Yorkshire" (VEHY) hold a contrary view.

I was astonished to discover by chance that a loosely bound, not particularly defined, collection of "organisations" plan to commission and erect 10 "landmark" artworks for specific sites along the length of the Wolds Way footpath.

I have been able to have sight of the Draft Brief to the Artists – a document awash with clichs and flowery passages of the "Big Hand Small Map" variety.

It is alarming to discover that each of the 10 "landmark artworks" shall cost 35,000 exclusive of "consultancy" fees. I am far from alone in questioning what added value will result from superimposing 10 sculptures or "artworks" on our beautiful Yorkshire Wolds.

Most of the local people share my belief that walkers and users of the Wolds Way are attracted there by the beauty and tranquillity of the area – they cannot imagine that any significant number will be

encouraged to leave the haven of their homes to view these works.

VAT is an efficient tax

From: Paul Buckley, Haigh, Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

JW Smith (Yorkshire Post, May 19) expressed some strange views. No party gave any firm commitment not to increase VAT, rates of VAT and scope can change. The rate of VAT on domestic fuel was reduced to five per cent and the standard rate was reduced, on a temporary basis from 17.5 per cent to 15 per cent in December 2008.

I would generally support the current scope of VAT, ie that food and children's clothing continues to be zero-rated.

The Treasury will probably consider VAT is a very efficient tax to collect, and unlike payroll taxes, we the taxpayers do not suffer when Her Majesty's Customs and Revenue get it wrong.

Many employers and their staff throughout Yorkshire are struggling with a multitude of incorrect tax codes that have been issued for the new tax year.

In the current economic climate, Retail Price Index 5.4 per cent, Consumer Price Index 3.7 per cent and wage increase 1.9 per cent (Income Data Services) "restoring the link" between pensions and

earnings would do nothing to protect those receiving pensions, it would in fact make them worse off.

There is no economic or social justification for pensions to be linked to earnings.

Britain's boozers

From: Brian Sheridan, Redmires Road, Sheffield.

JAYNE Dowle is right (Yorkshire Post, May 24). New Labour's decision to introduce 24 hour drinking was incredibly nave, showing a total

failure to grasp the diversity of European culture. She also highlights

the healthy respect for alcohol of former generations who saw its dangers without demonising it.

However, it is easy to forget that the ale used by burly miners and steelworkers to slake their thirst would be under four per cent abv. Now, lagers and other concoctions of up to three times that strength are cheap and easily available to slight young women.

Jayne is also right to question why so many people drink too much these days, but to ascribe it to social deprivation and poor job prospects is a red herring.

Today's binge drinkers are more likely to be middle-class, or at least employed, than jobless. They form part of a British work hard, play hard culture desperate for relief from the stress of sustaining a materialistic lifestyle.

Perhaps if we had a penchant for fewer working hours and valued a more orderly approach to eating, drinking and working, we wouldn't get drunk so much. But then we would be French, wouldn't we?

The coalition that came to power at time of crisis

From: Rev PN Hayward, Allonby, Maryport, Cumbria.

WHEN was the last coalition? It is true that Churchill was the last premier to head a coalition 70 years ago, but that coalition went back to 1931, when (as today) there was a great financial crisis.

The Labour Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, leading a minority government and apparently acting on the recommendation of George V who remembered the last coalition in the First World War, went behind the backs of his party and Cabinet colleagues, saw the Conservative and Liberal leaders and formed a coalition known as the National Government.

The 1931 one is the only election I cannot remember of the 21 during my lifetime, but I recall the later vitriolic abuse of MacDonald, which can still be heard today from people of 90 who were no older than children at the time.

I have never heard any British politician so persistently and roundly abused. Yet millions of traditional Labour supporters gave his coalition the biggest General Election victory of all time – and one unlikely ever to be surpassed.

It is true that he split the Labour Party down the middle, but any

damage was not irreparable and 14 years on and only two General Elections later came the post-war Labour landslide.

This coalition Churchill simply expanded by including those outside it. This time, however, the Labour leaders, before joining it, consulted the Labour Party's annual Whitsuntide conference, then in session. They were told that they could not serve under Chamberlain, who was himself trying to expand the coalition. So they paved the way for Churchill.

Otherwise, Britain might have been led through the fall of France, Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain by a dying man, since Chamberlain succumbed to cancer six months later.

True test of school plans

From: ME Wright, Grove Road, Harrogate.

JENNIFER Hunter (Yorkshire Post, May 25) mentions the irony in those who, having benefited from a grammar school education, condemn that system.

I am one of them and came to this viewpoint, following my own children having a much wider and more inclusive education, academically and socially, at a most effective comprehensive.

It is true that many state schools are not good enough, despite (or because of?) all the political tinkering and rhetoric of the last 30

years. The latest wheeze is "freedom and fairness" with parents encouraged to run schools, free from local authority control.

Surely the proof of this latest educational pudding should be in its use by Messrs. Cameron, Clegg, Osborne et al for their children: if not, why not?

The quick route to Oslo

From: David Walls, Croft Rise, Menston.

SO Britain's entrant Josh Dubovie and team were sent to Oslo for this weekend's Eurovision song contest via Denmark.

Ten hours quicker and cheaper is the twice weekly service by DFDS Tor Line from Immingham to Brevik, some two hours from Oslo with 24

passenger spaces.

Logic?