I AM glad good sense has prevailed and that the transgender person who was convicted of rape will not now be housed in a female prison. However, there is no doubt that the furore from the Tories – both by Douglas Ross and Alister Jack – was entirely political

We have already had a transgender person housed in a female prison in England – this person had also been convicted of sexual offences and yet was housed in a female prison where they went on to sexually assault female prisoners.

A court heard that Karen White had a long history of sexual violence and had displayed predatory behaviour towards vulnerable adults and children for almost two decades. A spokesperson for the prison service in England said: “We apologise sincerely for the mistakes which were made in this case.”

In my opinion, both Douglas Ross and Alister Jack were politically motivated in their actions and this should be known, though I have to say that no person with the body of a male should be housed in a female prison and definitely no person who has been accused or found guilty of sexual assault should be able to dictate where they are to serve their sentence.

Winifred McCartney

Paisley

REGARDING the debate over the use of the adjective “Scotch”, I recall this topic being aired some 50-odd years ago, possibly in the Scots Independent.

A scribe suggested the term “Scotch” should only be used to describe that which could be bought, giving as examples whisky, tomatoes and our Unionist MPs. Aye, as true today as it was then!

Malcolm Cordell

Dundee

GONE is the night mail over the Border,

Gone like the cheque and the postal order,

All letters are dead, email instead

The mail that united us soon will be dead.

Time was that the parcel you posted in Yell,

Would get to St Ives as sound as a bell,

The weight was what counted – the miles not at all.

A kingdom united, but soon it will fall.

They say that a fish will rot from the head,

And this maritime kingdom will shortly be dead.

What can we hold when the heart is stone cold,

And the stamp that we trusted has already been sold.

Christine Chandler

via email

YET again, the issue of a “social tariff” for domestic energy use was raised in the House of Commons on Wednesday, during urgent questions to the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Secretary.

Urgent questions were pertinent and necessary in light of the revelations this week regarding the forced installation of prepayment meters by energy suppliers to the most vulnerable.

The Government claims energy supplies cannot be disconnected but if one does not have money to feed the meter, surely this is effectively being disconnected, so is the Government behind the installation of those prepayment meters?

But just as shocking as some of the revelations during the debate that followed in the Commons was the empty Government benches during such a crucial debate.

The Government’s lack of action to hold the energy companies to account and their inaction to protect the vulnerable are merely adding to the crisis in the NHS, as has been previously reported with increased cases of hypothermia.

Catriona C Clark

Falkirk

A CHUNK of glacial melt equivalent to an area the size of London is now floating free in the Antarctic Ocean. A stranded whale was the first of its kind in British waters, reported yesterday’s National.

Is there a connection – rising sea temperatures? As the melting of the Thwaites Glacier on the west side of Antarctica brings about rising sea levels, major cities and many areas presently growing food will be affected in 50 years’ time.

Today’s younger generation is becoming aware that through climate change they will pay the price for the insouciant attitude of financial giants and the corrupt, ignorant politicians such as we find in Westminster.

Now is not too soon for the young folk to make Scotland a leading example of the intelligence required to deal with a looming global issue. All power to them.

Iain R Thomson

Strathglass