YP letters, October 27: Dogma behind failure to seek EU cash for steel industry

From: Diana Wallis, Former Member of the European Parliament, Yorkshire & the Humber, Stratton Park, Swanland.

I AM concerned that in the face of huge job losses and other adverse knock on economic effects the Government is not at least investigating an application for financial assistance to the European Global Adjustment Fund. It was set up for just such eventualities as those now facing our beleaguered steel industry. Not to consider this is negligence of the highest order towards the workers and their families.

Sadly this Government (and its predecessors) demonstrate an extreme allergy to anything European; the same possibility arose when I was still an MEP and BAE Systems were in difficulties. The European Commissioner and his officials stood ready to help with an application even over the Christmas break, but no-one wanted to mention a European possibility. Another huge chunk of potential EU funding for carbon capture and storage has now apparently gone missing for Drax. If only we had a regional government that could properly co-ordinate our economic needs and aspirations without the blind political dogma of Westminster.

From: Paul Rouse, Main Street, Sutton upon Derwent, York.

IN recent years, UK governments have committed us to extremely challenging targets for reducing carbon emissions. By 2020, for example, we must reduce our carbon emissions by 34 per cent compared to 1990. That is the reason why the older power stations are being closed down.

Let’s be clear. There is nothing wrong with those power stations that are being closed, it is simply being done to hit emission targets. The reason we have this problem is because the politicians who agreed those targets have not taken the necessary action to replace the lost generating capacity with anything else. Labour did nothing, the Lib Dems did nothing, unless we count the useless wind farms, and so far the Conservatives have done nothing other than, reputedly, ordering massive generators to keep essential services going,

Instead of paying industry to stop using energy in the event of an emergency, the Government should simply retain the existing generating facilities until such time as a replacement source is in place. No doubt along with the targets, someone agreed to pay a financial penalty if we miss them. Be that as it may, to pay would be better than the alternative. If the lights do go out on David Cameron’s watch, it will be his responsibility.