It is high time the power companies were nationalised

Spurred on by Vicky Allan’s article (“£7,500 grant? Perhaps it could be time to get a heat pump for your house”, The Herald December 6), I looked at the Energy Saving Trust’s website to see if a heat pump would work for us. It estimates a ground source heat pump would cost £24,000 before any grant and could save us £145 per year; an air source heat pump would be about £15,000 and would actually cost us £80 per year more in energy bills. Not exactly compelling.

Electricity is simpler and safer than gas, but transition to carbon-free electricity makes sense only if it can be delivered at a sensible cost. Electricity prices have gone shooting up this year and we’re told that’s because of the high price of gas. Eh? That’s like the greengrocer telling you there was a late frost in Florida, resulting in a lower crop and higher prices for oranges, so he’s going to have to charge you triple for his apples.

Electricity producers are doing exactly what any capitalist, free marketeer would do: fleecing the consumer. The power companies should be nationalised; they never did deliver a genuinely competitive market and their focus is on profit, not on delivering a vital utility. At least the Scottish Government hung on to water, unlike in England and Wales, where pollution and leaks seem to be the norm.
Doug Maughan, Dunblane

• TOP marks to businessman Willie Haughey for so frankly debunking many of the overly-favourable myths surrounding heat pumps. In these days of cynical and often misleading marketing techniques it is exceptional and refreshing for someone who makes a living selling and installing heat pumps to spell out their demerits so clearly and frankly. His honesty does him huge credit.
Iain Stuart, Glasgow

Major flaw in gender bill

I NOTE that the UK Government may now refuse to recognise the new Gender Recognition Certificates being proposed by the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill which may be enacted by the Scottish Parliament before the end of the year ("UK Government ‘may not recognise new Holyrood gender certificates’", The Herald, December 9). But this may be justified since the bill does not sufficiently protect teenagers and adults with mental disability.

Indeed, the draft legislation does not explain how they will be assessed to determine whether they have the capacity to make an informed decision to change gender. This is especially important since many of those interested in transitioning do have increased rates of psychiatric conditions including depression and suicidal feelings which may significantly influence their ability to make well-thought-through decisions.
Dr Calum MacKellar, Director of Research, Scottish Council on Human Bioethics, Edinburgh

GPs deserve our appreciation

I REFER to the letter (December 8) from Dr Hamish Maclaren in connection with the improvement of access by patients to their GPs.

It is suggested that there should be a reduction in GP per capita lists to 1,000; if part of that meant that it would be like earlier days of each patient being cared for by a particular GP rather than a practice, it would, I believe, be broadly welcomed. Let us be appreciative of our GPs at this critical time for the NHS and let us hope that even now, and in the future, that they have a "chance at happiness", to use Dr Maclaren's phrase.
Ian W Thomson, Lenzie

Sturgeon bombshell

FURTHER to letters regarding the Cuban missile crisis and the use of nuclear missiles in general (December 7), it is perhaps worth pointing out a lesser-known Scottish connection to the Soviet nuclear deterrent.

The USSR’s first land-based ICBM was the SS1 missile created in 1950 by captured German scientists and based on the German V2 rocket. It was duly given the codename "Scunner" by Nato, prompting a degree of bemusement amongst member states. One military analyst subsequently had to explain that “it is an obscure Scottish dialect word meaning ‘object of loathing’ or ‘to feel sick or nauseated’. Nevertheless he was equally surprised at the name choice as “Nato’s selection of codewords is not normally so emotive”.

The possible presence of a Scottish mole with a sense of humour in Nato headquarters was further in evidence with the arrival of the SSN20 missile in 1983. This was given the codename "Sturgeon" and was designed to be launched from the massive Soviet Typhoon-class submarines. It had multiple warheads – with one of them rumoured to be targeted on Aberdeen South for some unknown reason.

Unfortunately the six Typhoon class submarines proved too expensive to operate and were either scrapped or mothballed in the 1990s. However the Sturgeon missiles remained defiantly in service for more than 22 years before eventually being replaced in 2004. What was it they said about history repeating itself?
Robert Menzies, Falkirk

Retail therapy

I RECENTLY required a couple of additions to my wardrobe. (Shoes and trousers to be precise.) So I headed off to the shops to buy them. A couple of hours later I was back home with both items successfully fitted and purchased. As a bonus I got out into the fresh air and had a bit of exercise.

Meanwhile my partner, who had ordered items online was being promised, over a period of three days and various time slots, that her purchases would soon be with her. She's still waiting and we've both been inconvenienced by waiting for non existent deliveries.

I wonder if any of your readers can work out which was the most efficient and pleasurable shopping experience?
Dave Henderson, Glasgow

Letters should not exceed 500 words. We reserve the right to edit submissions.