NO matter how far you kick a can down the road you eventually catch up with it and we have caught up with the West Lothian question at an inopportune moment for the SNP ("Outrage at fast-track Evel plan, The Herald, July 3).

Having insulted England in every possible way the SNP now find their easy-going centre-right neighbour wants no input into its domestic affairs from a bunch of bellicose, leftist Celts.

Why in any case would the SNP want to interfere in English matters that are none of their concern and for whose implementation they cannot be held accountable by voters?

It was in fact Nicola Sturgeon who forced the issue when she ordered her Westminster colleagues to abandon the self-imposed ban not to vote on exclusively English issues.

She now describes English Votes for English Laws (Evel) as "staggering in the extent of its hypocrisy and incoherence", but incoherence and hypocrisy are not exactly unknown in the policies of her own party.

Rev Dr John Cameron,

10 Howard Place,

St Andrews.

AGAIN Iain AD Mann (Letters, July 2) hits the nail firmly on the head. The House of Commons is a busted flush. How can MPs who do not attend a debate then go from the bars to the voting lobbies to register their vote? What then is the point of having a debate? The Government, with its majority, might just as well say what it wants to do and have it accepted with no debate.

Looking at the attendance of MPs in the chamber it seems that it is simply not necessary to be in there, with one exception. Prime Minister's Question Time sees the chamber packed with members who are keen to display all the manners of fourth form students. Questions are rarely answered and the whole occasion is a display of the worst of the Parliamentary process.

If this is the best example of working democracy the Mother of Parliament's can offer then we would be better opting out entirely. We and they would then, simply not have to worry about Scottish MPs not being able to vote on English matters.

Dave Biggart,

Southcroft, Knockbuckle Road, Kilmacolm.