Barbara Ellen’s insightful article on “bad” careworkers (“Focusing on ‘bad’ carers allows the guilty to escape,” Comment) highlights the crucial issue of whether as a society we are prepared to pay for a fully functional and fully costed social care system. It is not just in careworker pay and conditions that current underfunding is evident. Over 360,000 fewer older people receive social care services from councils than they did in 2008 and the Local Government Association warns of an estimated £4.3bn funding gap in social care by the end of the decade. Every day our helpline takes calls from pensioners and their relatives who are struggling to get the proper help they need. There is a real risk that the new Care Act could fail for lack of money.
Whoever forms the next government also needs to commit to an open and honest debate about the true costs of social care.
Janet Morrison
Chief executive
Independent Age
London W14
Give engineers due status
As a retired chartered civil engineer and a father of three daughters I commend your item on the encouragement of females into the world of science and engineering (“The UK needs to invest more in its scientists – especially the women,” (Comment).
I would suggest it is not only a change of science education that is needed to encourage youngsters (including girls) into science and engineering, but an improvement in the status of the professions. Speaking for engineers, this can be achieved principally by a considerable improvement in remuneration compared with other professions, and a protection of the title of “engineer” which in this country can be applied to anyone who can wield a spanner.
In Canada, only a member of the Provincial Association of Professional Engineers could be described as an engineer, and such restrictions apply in most other countries.
Michael Tong
Kingsbridge
Devon
Universities are over-manned
The substantial rewards given to university chiefs (“University chiefs see their salaries soar, but the question grows… do they deserve it?”, News) are the most visible part of a massive managerial iceberg that absorbs an increasing proportion of university income. The chiefs need their managers, administrative and support staff. The paperwork generated requires increasing proportions of administration much further down the hierarchy too. In one college I know, the ratio of managers to teachers more than doubled in the last 10 years or so, and now offers a higher level of supervision than was found in Roman galleys.
Dr David Harris
Plymouth
Some notes on country music
Tracy McVeigh’s article about British country music says: “Its origins were also heavily influenced by traditional Celtic ballads from Scotland and Ireland, brought to the US by immigrants from Europe.” (“Nashville hits the UK as a new generation learns to love country,” News.) This is a common mistake. In fact the Gaelic element in American music, which is particularly strong in country fiddle styles, is entirely due to the Scottish highlanders who settled in the mountains of the British North American colonies a generation before the American revolution. The continuum between Scottish traditional music and country music has been seen in the great Shetland fiddler Aly Bain’s TV series The Transatlantic Sessions, where country stars such as Emmy Lou Harris and Iris DeMent appeared in a traditional setting.
John Wilson
London NW3
Stop picking on pensioners
“Osborne in new pensions giveaway”? (News.) I cannot believe I am the only 65-plus reader who saw red at this. Yet again, it is implied, George Osborne is handing more money to pensioners in a blatant attempt to influence our voting. No, the money which George Osborne is allowing us to access is OUR money, saved over the years of our employment. Can the Observer cease jumping on the “divide and rule” bandwagon so loved by the red tops or is this sort of sloppy headline to be the norm even here?
Jean Reid
Dumfries and Galloway
Seething over slow broadband
Will Hutton is absolutely right about the state of the country’s broadband service. (“For Britain to thrive we need fast access to the internet everywhere,” Comment.) If even areas of London are suffering, perhaps he might sympathise with those of us in the south-west who suffer some of the lowest speeds. Our area is not due to be surveyed until summer 2016, and even then there is no guarantee that the exchange will be upgraded. It’s a shame that several billion can be found to shave 20 minutes off the rail journey time between London and Birmingham (never mind the associated costs to people and the environment) but not less than £2bn for arguably more vital infrastructure which might obviate the need for so much travel.
Caroline Wilson
Chardstock
Devon
