Sir, I have worked extensively in the UK energy sector for more than 40 years and visited all the UK’s steelworks (news & business, Apr 12) and other major energy-consuming industries. The companies I worked for have offered significant investment to increase efficiencies in the steelmaking process, all of which were soundly rejected by the unions as the proposals also reduced headcount. The union representative said this would result in strikes. Here we are 30 years later with some of the most inefficient steelworks in the world and the company having to go cap-in-hand to the UK government to protect jobs. It is a travesty that the taxpayer is now bailing out these archaic industries and allowing the unions to continue to have a future say in any changes that are made.
Neil Bailey
Director, Contract Energy Services
Taunton, Somerset
Sir, Having previously majored in ecology at university I’m keenly aware that balances need to be struck if we are to resolve global climate concerns. But “robbing Peter to pay Paul” — in this case importing coal rather than relying on readily available resources in the UK — metaphorically shoots us in our collective green foot. Instead of supporting the likes of the recent planning application for new coalmine in Cumbria, we have to resort to the prospect of the navy being on alert to escort fuel in a steel crisis. By refusing to access home-mined coal we are increasing the carbon footprint of a strategically important commodity and introduced yet another aspect of foreign dependency that further undermines national security.
Rear-Admiral (ret’d) Bruce Williams
Kingsbridge, Devon
Sir, We were appalled to hear the response from the Tory benches to the government’s plans for maintaining at least some small steelmaking capacity in the UK. We do not know how they have the nerve to criticise such a plan, when they have stood by for 14 years and watched the industry decline. Shame on them.
Chris and Marian Emptage
Broadstairs, Kent
Sir, Perhaps we should suggest Canada avoid US tariffs by sending us at least some of their iron ore. We should also reverse the disastrous decision not to mine our own coking coal in Cumbria. Both steps would support the Scunthorpe plant’s supply chains. Yes, zero carbon must remain our objective, but for sectors such as steel the technology is not yet mature and energy is prohibitively expensive in the UK. If we are to develop manufacturing and sectors such as defence we cannot be beholden to a country such as China whose policy is to become a sole supplier, thus leaving us subject to their policy decisions.
Mike Pinder
York
Sir, The prime minister’s recall of parliament to give the business secretary the power to do everything possible to stop the closure of the blast furnaces at Scunthorpe and to subsidise the cost of coking coal to fuel them completely misses the point and compounds an error. The traditional method of making steel in a blast furnace was invented by Sir Henry Bessemer in 1856 but is no longer economically or ecologically viable. For these reasons Tata Steel has already installed electric arc furnaces at Port Talbot in place of blast furnaces which they closed down.
Seymour Redstone
London SW15
Middle East peace
Sir, Rightly, the stated aim of British Middle East diplomacy is to help restore the Gaza ceasefire with the release of all hostages and an end to Israel’s use of starvation as a weapon of war. A political horizon beyond war is needed. France (world, Apr 11) and Saudi Arabia are shaping a June Middle East peace conference for co-existence based on international law and self-determination for both peoples, Palestinian and Israeli. The US attitude is beyond prediction.
Britain has “form” on Palestine/Israel and should give a lead to increase momentum, working with France and like-minded partners in Europe, the Middle East and the global south — just as Sir Keir Starmer is doing commendably on Ukraine. President Macron speaks publicly of recognising Palestine. British leadership entails recognition of that state alongside Israel, on the land that the International Court of Justice advises is unlawfully occupied by Israel.
Sir Vincent Fean, former consul-general, Jerusalem; Sir Edward Clay, former high commissioner to Kenya; Sir Richard Dalton, former ambassador to Iran; Frances Guy, former ambassador to Lebanon; Lord Hannay of Chiswick, former ambassador to the United Nations; Rupert Joy, former EU ambassador to Morocco; Robin Kealy, former ambassador to Tunisia; Robin Lamb, former ambassador to Bahrain; Peter Millett, former ambassador to Libya; Richard Northern, former ambassador to Libya; Sir William Patey, former ambassador to Afghanistan; Sir Harold Walker, former ambassador to Iraq; James Watt, former ambassador to Egypt; Jon Wilks, former ambassador to Qatar
Fish food chain
Sir, Irrespective of the amount of mackerel used to feed farmed salmon, I fear that Feedback Global’s concerns (letter, Apr 11) are unduly pessimistic. A conversion ratio of 6kg of food to produce 1kg of salmon is better than is achieved in the wild where a ratio of 10kg to 1kg from one trophic level to the next is widely accepted. The more favourable conversion ratio in farmed fish can reasonably be attributed to them neither having to undergo extensive migrations nor hunt for their next meal.
Dr Stephen J Lockwood
Author, The Mackerel: its biology, assessment & the management of a fishery (1988), Deganwy, Conwy
Ukraine carve-up
Sir, Germany was divided up between the Allies after the Second World War (“Trump aide: Ukraine can be split up ‘like Berlin’ ”, news, Apr 12) because her actions as the aggressor forfeited the right to future autonomy. Ukraine, however, is not the guilty party. Nor does it pose a threat to future stability as an aggressor nation. Russia is the guilty party and yet President Trump will reward President Putin for his unprovoked attack on Ukrainian sovereignty by ceding him land and resources and fulfilling part of his dream of a new Soviet-style empire. Trump may as well just thank Putin for launching his attack in the first place.
Simon van Someren
London SW1P
Sir, It seems that an ignorance of history is a prerequisite for being a Trump envoy. It seems General Keith Kellogg has not noticed that, of the four zones into which Berlin was divided after the Second World War, none was controlled by Germany.
David Argent
Crondall, Hants
Sir, The remarks by General Keith Kellogg ignore the social tragedy which unfolded when in 1961 the Berlin Wall was erected, almost overnight, splitting up families often for ever. I was involved with an organisation, International Help for Children, which gave respite holidays with families in England to many children who had lost contact with close relatives by the city division. I remember visiting the wall and hearing of the deaths of those who tried to cross it illegally so I do hope a similar situation will not arise in Ukraine if dividing the country is the only solution.
Anthony Daniel
Sevenoaks, Kent
Lowering voting age
Sir, I chaired the Youth Citizenship Commission established under the previous Labour government to examine votes at 16. We declined to recommend lowering the voting age. Sir Keir Starmer urges change because the “sky didn’t fall in” (news, Apr 9; letters, Apr 11 & 12) when Scotland and Wales introduced the measure. Nor would it had 12-year-olds been given the vote. That does not make it a good idea. Votes at 18 were introduced in 1969 because 18 was the recognised age of adulthood. Has that changed?
Professor Jon Tonge
University of Liverpool
Social media ban
Sir, The case for banning under-16s from social media has become undeniable (news, weekend essay & leading article, Apr 12) but translating that into daily reality is a different matter. Self-regulation by social media providers is insufficient. Any attempt to implement age verification is fraught with difficulties. There are data protection issues around uploading proof of age documents such as passport scans or national insurance numbers.
Furthermore not only are teenagers well practised in gaining under-age access to alcohol, tobacco, pubs and clubs using fake ID, parents are increasingly unwilling to make a stand. The only solution is for governments to put in place binding regulation of social media companies.
Mark Steed
Principal & CEO, Stamford School
Lack of harmony
Sir, Excessive volume, repetitive repertoire and out-of-tune playing are not the only factors that may turn exposure to busking into something akin to “psychological torture” (news, Apr 12). Shopping in Exeter in 1996 was frequently rendered fraught by an accordionist outside Waterstone’s. He had mastered reasonably well the use of the tonic and dominant triads, but the subdominant eluded him, with often dire consequences for his harmonisation of well-known melodies. As it happened, this was the year in which E Annie Proulx published Accordion Crimes; the temptation to offer him a copy in lieu of a financial contribution was often difficult to resist.
Nicholas Marston
Professor of music theory and analysis, King’s College, Cambridge
Age is a privilege
Sir, I was enthralled to see in the case study for puppy Prozac (news & leading article, Apr 12) that as part of the dog’s socialisation, it was “exposed to the elderly”. The elderly are not some homogenous group that are somehow weird and frightening. We are people who have had the privilege of being on this planet for a while. But perhaps that is why my sons visit me: merely to socialise their dogs.
Annie van den Brink-Budgen
Ipswich, Suffolk
Fast food nations
Sir, I was amused to see that “Lunch with The Times” (business, Apr 12) with Domino’s chief executive took place at a Domino’s restaurant. In the days when I worked for McDonald’s European advertising agency I made a tour of their major European offices, starting in Helsinki. The Finnish chief executive announced that he had booked a table at a very good local restaurant and I was looking forward to some Finnish food. Needless to say, it was a McDonald’s. The same occurred in all the European capitals that I visited.
Nick Handley
Haywards Heath, W Sussex
Team-building tea
Sir, It is no surprise that enjoying a team cuppa makes for a happier team and more meaningful work (business, Apr 12). The only surprise is Harry Wallop did not point out that means, of course, not working from home.
Mark Levy
Knutsford, Cheshire
Marriage guidance
Sir, Allow me to add to Janice Turner’s examples of unexplained in-jokes (comment, Apr 12). In queues, one of us will quip, “Have you cancelled the papers?” Still hilarious to us after 19 years.
Adele Huntley
Darlington, Co Durham
Sir, Janice Turner’s article on long marriages was heartwarming. Having someone to discuss the day’s events with is important, but it does require that you have something to report. My husband and I have always pursued different interests, so much so that, when we were congratulated on our 50 years together, he was quick to point out that we had seen each other for only 25 of them.
Beryl Whyatt
Welwyn Garden City, Herts
