BOTH Fraser Sutherland (Letters, November 22) and Alastair Rigg (Letters, November 26) make valuable contributions to the debates around whether to follow many other jurisdictions in enacting a legal framework for assisted dying, whether under the bill from Kim Leadbeater MP for England and Wales or the Scottish bill from Liam McArthur MSP.

Both Mr Sutherland and Mr Rigg raise questions about the role of faith-based arguments in this important choice. But faith lies at the heart of many people's moral judgments in terms of all the choices we make. To take an unrelated issue, you recently reported (September 20) on a study by Glasgow University which found that 85% of church members who took part said that their faith would influence their future views on whether or not Scotland should be independent.

But in understanding the faith-based perspectives on assisted dying, it is vital to appreciate that much of the support for such legislation has, over the years, come from Christians and people of other faiths concerned at the terrible suffering experienced by significant numbers of patients, particularly in their final weeks and months.

Many Christian pastors counselling and praying with such people have heard the prayer "if only God would let me die tonight" or "if only I could take something that would end it all". I find it hard to understand those who insist that in such cases it is God's will that the person should continue to suffer.

Of course, proper safeguards are needed. But it is impossible to see how either bill could lead to someone being subject to an assisted death they did not profoundly want, not least because of two separate medical assessments and at the final stage, the patient themself chooses whether or not to take the drugs that they know will end their life (and the drugs can only be provided if the patient is still competent to make that choice).

There are many Christians who would not choose an assisted death even if it were available and of course they have to right to decline this for themselves. But Christian ethics respects the right of individuals to choose, and if someone wishes to avoid unnecessary suffering it is hard to see how some people of faith believe that choice should be blocked.

It was in relation to these arguments that the Scottish Christian Forum on Assisted Dying submitted a response to the Scottish Parliament Health Committee's consultation on Liam McArthur's Bill. The Forum brings together a number of Christian ministers, academic theologians and lay Christians who are broadly supportive of the Christian case for such legislation, though not uncritically. Whilst we supported the core principles of the bill we made a number of suggestions for improvement, calling, in particular, for closer integration between the medical support and spiritual support where an assisted death is requested by a person of faith.

Gareth Morgan (Prof), Convenor, Scottish Christian Forum on Assisted Dying, Dunbar.

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Horrific driving in the Highlands

A CHINESE tourist was this week jailed and banned from driving for killing a motorcyclist as a result of dangerous driving on the A9. The case serves as a stark reminder of the perils all vehicle drivers face during the tourist season. My heart goes out to the biker's family.

I recently toured the NC500 on my motorcycle and was shocked by the lack of compliance with the rules of the road and blatant disregard for the safety of other road users. Examples include parking or overtaking on corners, driving on the wrong side of the road, mobile homes being reversed out of laybys seemingly without checking oncoming traffic first and of course, speeders. Most culprits seemed to be foreign, but the behaviour of some UK motorists was no better than the visitors. Very few complied with the 20mph speed limit in towns and villages.

In the summer, I also rode my bike to Glen Coe which was quite an experience and equally as bad as the NC500. For example, coming out of the village I could not help but notice a foreign driver adjusting a camera while balancing it on top of the steering wheel and travelling at an estimated 50mph towards me. The excessive speeding around Glen Coe is frankly unacceptable and it is luck there are not more accidents and fatalities.

A more visible police presence on the popular tourist routes would no doubt help as a deterrent to poor road craft but, that is not enough. An annual safety campaign by Police Scotland is required to educate all road users and especially foreign visitors on the risks and rules of driving on our roads.

A final plea to all motorists: please double-check for bikers at junctions and give them plenty of room.

David Loudon, Clarkston.

Mark St Andrew's Day properly

IT is now 17 years since the passing of my bill in the Scottish Parliament to introduce a bank holiday on November 30 (or the following Monday if November 30 is a Saturday or Sunday).

Unfortunately that does not oblige any employers, not even the bankers, to give their workers a day off.

The only direct effect of any bank holiday legislation is to allow the postponement of a financial transaction until the following working day without incurring a penalty. That used to be the traditional way of facilitating a national holiday but that tradition seems now to be largely ignored, especially in the private sector.

The public sector is not much better. The Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament recognise the St Andrew’s Day holiday but only four out of Scotland’s 32 local councils follow suit.

I applaud the annual STUC St Andrew’s Day March against Racism and Fascism but the trade union movement could and should do more to gain wider recognition of a St Andrew’s Day holiday.

Local councils should also do more by granting a holiday for schoolchildren and council workers on or around St Andrew’s Day.

Such measures would help to ensure that there is one very special holiday in the year when the people of Scotland can celebrate our patron, our national identity and our membership of the international community.

Dennis Canavan (former MP/MSP), Bannockburn.

Reader Jacki Gordon's picture of a blackbirdReader Jacki Gordon's picture of a blackbird (Image: Jacki Gordon)

Where have all the blackbirds gone?

I HAVE written in the past in praise of Jacki Gordon's fine portrayals of nature. However, her latest masterpiece (Picture of the Day, November 27) has prompted me to ask whether the once-familiar blackbird is still indeed common. I'm afraid that, from my experience, this is no longer the case in the Cambuslang/Rutherglen area.

Up until this year, I have enjoyed listening to their magical refrain in the surrounding gardens during spring and summer. Sadly, this year they have been conspicuous by their absence both there and in the nearby parkland. In contrast, when away in both Cumbria and Ross-shire, I have been able to enjoy their song.

I wonder if other readers in the South Lanarkshire and Glasgow areas have had the same experience or have they been more fortunate than I?

Gordon Evans, Rutherglen.