Readers' Letters: Mundell should blame own party for Scotland’s woes

The other day, through my letterbox dropped a shiny pamphlet, the latest glossy puff piece of self-aggrandisement and unjustified complaint by David Mundell MP.

On the front page we are told: “MP concern as NHS pressures mount”. This headline is followed by a series of complaints by Mr Mundell about how badly the NHS is being run in Scotland. Sadly, but not in the least surprisingly, he fails to provide any facts by way of context.

For instance, on A&E waiting times Mr Mundell could have mentioned that the Scottish NHS is doing far better than its English counterpart. He could have acknowledged that junior doctors in England have gone on strike because Mr Mundell’s Tory party won’t negotiate with them whereas in Scotland there has been a settlement. He also fails to mention that the Scottish Government can only spend on the NHS the funding that it gets from Mr Mundell’s Tory government via the dreadful Barnett Formula. Since the Westminster government seems intent on starving the English NHS (and other public services) of investment, the Barnett Formula means that there is correspondingly less cash available to spend in Scotland.

And on the back page of the pamphlet Mr Mundell pledges “to work for a modern, reliable, Lockerbie rail service”. The truly dreadful “service” through Lockerbie provided by Transpennine Express is merely a symptom of years of underinvestment in the railway system by Mr Mundell’s Tory party.

David Mundell’s latest ‘puff piece’ pamphlet hasn’t gone down well with reader

The Tory party prefers not to invest in essential public services such as the NHS, rail and road infrastructure and, in England, the water and sewage infrastructure. They prefer to see taxpayers’ money siphoned off to pay shareholders. And then Mr Mundell has the gall to complain when public services are less than perfect in Scotland. Don’t make me laugh!

David Howdle, Dumfries

Support schools

Recent statistics highlighting a sharp increase in attacks on school staff, and the fact that almost all of these are linked to pupils with additional support needs (ASN), should come as no surprise to those of us who have been arguing for some time that this issue is quickly becoming a national scandal. The number of children and young people with ASN has more than doubled since 2012, and now amounts to more than a third of pupils. This has been further exacerbated by increasing mental health problems, the Covid-19 pandemic and cost- of-living crisis.

However, this is set against a background of acute under-resourcing, with the number of specialist ASN teachers falling by 546 between 2012 and 2022 as just one example. Additional funding is desperately needed to increase the numbers of specialist staff available to support those with ASN, as well as better support for teachers working with young people from a wide range of backgrounds. We would also suggest that the Scottish Government expand school counselling provision to all primary and special schools.

It is critical that local authorities and the Scottish Government take all possible action to ensure that our schools are safe places to work and to learn.

The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition, Edinburgh

Ring a bell?

One of the great mysteries of life. How can cyclists afford a bike, a helmet, the clothes and other expensive items but they cannot afford a bell?

Clark Cross, Linlithgow, West Lothian

Write to Scotland on Sunday

We welcome your thoughts – NO letters submitted elsewhere, please. Write to [email protected] including name, address and phone number – we won't print full details. Keep letters under 250 words, with no attachments, and avoid 'Letters to the Editor/Readers’ Letters' or similar in your subject line – be specific. If referring to an article, include date, page number and heading.