Peerless auditing

IT WAS interesting to read your editorial (7 July) calling for an audit by "powerful Westminster committees" of Scottish Government expenditure, to be conducted by an independent body.

It is certainly understandable that Scottish Labour MPs should feel aggrieved that they have become irrelevant in relation to devolved issues such as health and education.

In a situation where to be made a Labour peer has become the apex of a successful, lucrative political career, we are perhaps fortunate that Scottish Labour MPs have no competence over devolved areas of government in Scotland.

Perhaps they should stick to envious criticism of legitimate expenditure by members of the Royal Family.

(DR) DAVID PURVES

Strathalmond Road

Edinburgh

In WHAT would appear to be an attack on devolution, Alexander McKay claims that "billions (of pounds) that have gone on the Holyrood building" could have been spent on hospitals and schools (Letters, 8 July).

He seems to have forgotten that the unit of government waste/overrun was set back in 2006, the Scottish Parliament Unit (SPU) - or a "Dewar" as it was later known - being set at approximately half a billion pounds, which is somewhat less than the emotive "billions" being quoted.

Indeed why just focus on Holyrood?

Our contribution to the European Union burns more than one Dewar a fortnight. Surely that is a more worthy target?

MICHAEL N CROSBY

Muiravonside

By Linlithgow