Letters: We all enjoy fruits of nuclear power

Any minister questioned on this repeats the well-rehearsed mantra: "dirty, dangerous and expensive".

There is almost nothing in the modern world not associated in some way with nuclear technology, whether this be simply electrical energy, radiotherapy or the bottle of wine on your table.

Why, the power companies engaged in the installation of our wind factories (themselves dependent on nuclear technology) also both build and operate nuclear power stations - strange bedfellows indeed for anyone practising an anti-nuclear religion.

Even loony left London councils with their "nuclear-free zone" signs have not been able to un-invent the science and technology over a period of decades. I think we could consider any adherent of the anti-nuclear dogma who still helps themselves to its benefits (imported of course - another strange morality) perhaps a little hypocritical.

(Dr) A McCormick

Terregles

Dumfries

I read with interest but also with a yawn the lengthy epistle from Niall Stuart of Scottish Renewables (Letters, 24 February) in support of the proliferation of wind farms which blight our "iconic landscapes" thereby earning huge revenues for private enterprises while being of questionable value to the public good.

I could take Mr Stuart to task on a number of his sweeping assertions but I will stick to one: where does he think our "iconic landscapes and biodiversity" come from? Correct. Climate change.

Far from being the threat that Mr Stuart and his fellow-travellers insist on, climate change over millions of years has been responsible for the creation of Scotland's mountains, hills, glens and lochs; those "iconic landscapes" to which he refers and which give our beautiful if rugged country its universal appeal.

We and our ancestors have lived with and adapted to climate change since time immemorial and will continue to do so, with or without nasty, unsightly wind farms that are probably useless for 75 per cent of the time.

David M Steel

Springfield Terrace

South Queensferry

Clark Cross (Letters, 24 February) said the Scottish Renewables spokesman is paid, via the windmill "industry", out of "hidden charges in our electricity bills" mandated by government. The truth is even more appalling.

Its membership, on its website, shows a large part of the subsidy comes directly from government departments and quangos.Most disgraceful is the subsidy by the Scottish Development Agency, whose 350 million is nominally to develop the Scottish economy rather than subject it and us to power bills ten times larger than they need be.

Government is using ever more taxpayer's money to finance "independent" organisations (known in the blogosphere as "fake charities") who propagandise for ever bigger government bureaucracy taking ever more taxes to solve what are usually non-existent problems.

There is barely a scare story, whether it be about global warming, passive smoking or salt, which cannot be traced back to some government-funded front organisation.

As Mencken said: "The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary."

Neil Craig

Woodlands Road

Glasgow

I was appalled at your report concerning plans to use wheat to fuel bioethanol production plants (24 February) and the estimate that this could account for a quarter of total wheat production in the UK within the next two years.

How can our government spend vast sums of money on overseas aid and at the same time countenance such an immoral use of a valuable source of food?

Ivan Carnegie

School Close

Perth