THERE appears to be an inaccuracy in Michael Fry’s article on agricultural subsidies (Scotland’s farming industry would learn to thrive without subsidies, September 18). He claims that Scotland gained more from Common Agriculture Policy payments than the rest of the UK based on the fact that Scotland has approximately 8.5% of the population population but received one-sixth of the funds. However, funding is based on farming land and not population, so he should have compared the fact that Scotland accounts for one-third of the UK land mass but received only one-sixth of the funding.

Indeed, I am surprised Michael was not aware of the battle to get the full £190m convergence uplift money which was allocated by the EU to Scotland in 2013 because we had the lowest payment per hectare in Europe. As funds were passed to Westminster, they only paid £30m to farmers in Scotland while distributing £160m across the rest of the UK, instead of bringing financial support for farming in Scotland up to the UK average.

The recent announcement that the £160m will finally be paid to Scotland comes after years of SNP lobbying at Westminster, and only because they see their grip on Tory seats in Scotland disappearing like snow off a dyke!

Philippa Whitford
MP for Central Ayrshire

I’D like say thanks to Michael Fry for answering my question and expanding the background. Cognisance of these facts has to be taken by the Scottish Government in future support of the agricultural industry.

We seem to now have some very large farming companies that farm tens of thousands of acres. No doubt attracted by the current inbuilt subsidy. However, one significant side effect of these subsidies is to support the high value of farming land. Without the subsidy, would Scottish land be as attractive an investment to foreign owners? Would the price of land fall?? Would this land then become affordable to local people wishing to develop an agricultural future? Would the cost of building land subsequently fall and make housing more affordable to those who need it? Would the existing subsidy money be available for other government spending in the future?

A big issue and a big budget, worthy of a big debate. Many thanks Michael.

Dougie Gray
Dunbar

LORNA Slater's article on the myth of Britain covers my own feelings entirely about the “hidden” nationalism down south which at long last is being given more media coverage (The myth of Britain means Westminster can’t be fixed, September 13). For too long the so-called scourge of Scottish patriotism has been exposed under the covers of SNP as “bad”, along with little or no reference to other very active Scottish independence groups, although that is changing.

Some time back I made contact with our well-known MSP in North Ayrshire, with the thought that perhaps a change of name for the SNP would help towards more of the electorate being sympathetic to Scottish independence due to the wrongly promoted connotations of the party’s name. Quite rightly, I was properly corrected and with the passage of time and massive changes taking place on going in the political UK arena, along with more and more reference in the media to British nationalism and English nationalism, the “bad” element of the SNP initials is at last receding. SNP stays and has earned respect all round despite a disparaging political environment that is changing as the SNP respect grows.

Thinking more about it, how about British nationalism labelled as the BNP – the British National Party? Or English nationalism as the ENP? Both informal references have more sinister implications than the informal initials SNP, which have gained so much more respect with the passage of time and events. We need a more level playing field. How about it media? Show that your coverage of the current changing momentous political events is more up-to-date.

W D Mill Irving
Kilbirnie

HAVING read about the taxi driver being told to get rid of his saltire (Driver told he can’t put a Saltire on his taxi, September 10), I make the following observations: 1) Do any of your readers rememberwhen union jacks were “displayed” on the roof of mini cars? No problems with that flag. 2) Buses are permitted to advertise films etc. 3) Inverness taxis proudly display pictures of Inverness Castle. 4) Why can’t a taxi advertise Scotland?! There must an “adorable Tory jobsworth” in Stirling Council; this ruling is racist, pathetic, and a waste of council employee’s time. Enough said.

Rosemarie Hogg
Cromarty