IT passes understanding why the directors of some of our Scottish professional and sporting institutions can be so politically insensitive in the appointments they make.

First we had the National Trust for Scotland desperately trying to disentangle itself from its affair with Neil Oliver after its members’ reaction to the appointment. Now we have the board of Scottish Rugby appointing Ruth Davidson, a politician put out to pasture in the Lords with no apparent connection with rugby other than a shirt and whose current employment is as “consultant”, which for most people means “cannot find a job” ("Is Ruth Davidson too divisive a figure for Scottish rugby?", heraldscotland, July 9). What next: Nigel Farage for Scottish Cricket?
Such cloth ears damage the intention of such organisations to broaden membership and do them no favours with those in Scotland, including many of their own members, whose political views differ so clearly from those whom a distinguished English player once called “blazered farts”.
James Scott, Edinburgh.

Just how low can they get?
JUST when we thought the Tories could stoop no lower, you report that Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick ordered staff at a reception centre for child refugees to paint over a Mickey Mouse mural, among others, because it was “too welcoming” ("Row as cartoon murals are painted over at lone child asylum unit", The Herald, July 11).
The paintings had been done to give comfort to lone children, some as young as nine, who were absolutely terrified after arriving in the UK by small boats. The word “evil” can become over-used, but it is hard to describe these heartless actions as anything other than that.
The hostile environment has become so entrenched that today we have lost sight of all humanity. One can only hope that the next election sees those seats coloured blue on the election map similarly painted over.
Alex Orr, Edinburgh.

Read more: Scotland social housing crisis: 'Critical' shortage

Housing shortage was predictable
THE discrepancy between housing waiting lists and available social housing ("Scotland facing ‘emergency' over supply of social housing", The Herald July 10) is indeed shocking and shameful, but it was totally predictable. Indeed, it was planned. 
When I worked on housing studies more than a decade ago, Scottish councils were using a "housing needs" model to justify mass demolitions of social housing. The model, constructed by Professor Glen Bramley and colleagues for Communities Scotland, was based on two underlying assumptions, which, as I wrote at the time, "derive from the idea that social housing should be reduced to a minimal safety net – a last resort for the very poorest, who (it seems) also have to prove their need by a long wait". It assumed that households should only be eligible for social housing if they could not afford anything within the private sector, even if that private sector housing left them with incomes at little more than benefit level. It also assumed that the backlog of people inadequately housed – who can be recognised as having an immediate housing need – should only be met in annual instalments of 10 per cent. 
A housing waiting list of 10 times the homes available was government policy.
Dr Sarah Glynn, Strasbourg, France.

The quest for tolerance
WELL done to Mark Smith in being humble and honest enough to admit that he is now unsure of where he is on his journey on gay and trans rights whereas before it was a subject he thought was "pretty sorted" for him ("Another hard step in my long painful journey on gay rights", The Herald, July 11). In that uncertainty, one thing he is sure of is that "both sides of the party must be represented in the public debate". When only one party is allowed to state publicly their point of view and not consider any variation on that, then we are perilously close to losing freedom of speech.
At the 2009 General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, during the debate regarding homosexual clergy, a former Moderator encouraged everyone to make an earnest effort to find someone who took a different stance on the subject, and over a coffee with them to try to come to an understanding of why each held their particular viewpoint. That takes honesty and humility. In an open discussion we may not change our viewpoint, but we would hope to change our attitude towards greater tolerance of others with differing opinions.
Irene Munro, Conon Bridge.

The proper use of snares
ROBBIE Marsland’s article ("Now is the time to ban snares in Scotland", Agenda, The Herald, May 8) illustrates a completely superficial understanding of predator control and its demonstrable conservation benefits. His erroneous characterisation of snaring disregards several important facts. 
First, land managers are already taking decisive steps to safeguard animal welfare through the phasing out of conventional snares in favour of humane cable restraints. Such devices can be differentiated from normal snares in three ways, with built-in measures to protect animal welfare – including a break-away component to prohibit non-target catch. 
Second, the vast majority of incidents where snaring has compromised animal welfare can been attributed to illegal operators of snares. By contrast, land managers are trained to high professional standards, keeping records and displaying operator ID numbers.
Finally, his unsubstantiated depiction of Scotland’s grouse moors rather conflicts with the evidenced view of leading experts, including eminent ornithologist Professor Ian Newton, who last month told a Scottish Parliament committee that “we have no interest in reducing the area of grouse moors”, such are their importance for biodiversity. It is telling that Mr Marsland opted to omit this from his article.
Ross Ewing, Director of Moorland, Scottish Land & Estates, Musselburgh.

Jings, crivvens
Speech training in schools, with the aim of school leavers confident and articulate in the big wide world facing them, would seem a worthy enterprise, but I note the pitfalls endured by Robert Menzies (Letters, July 11) with the teaching hierarchy, and in a later job interview.
Like many good ideas, of course, it can be misused, as in the case of an aged great-aunt of mine who insisted on calling the famous Broons “The Browns”.
As another relative would comment, “if Dudley D Watkins (1907-1969) were alive, he’d be turning in his grave”.
R Russell Smith, Largs.