I AGREE with Gordon Evans (letters, August 24) who castigates former Holyrood Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, regarding Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi. I was disappointed on first learning about the Justice Secretary's view that the convicted man, whose terminal illness was the ostensible motive for freeing Megrahi from prison in Greenock, was, indeed guilty of the crime – that was Mr MacAskill's stated view, though during that period following the trial at The Hague, he delivered at least one speech in parliament worthy, in my opinion, of a Moderator's eloquence at the opening of a General Assembly in Edinburgh. It has since seemed to me that Mr MacAskill was astutely enjoying possession of his big slice of cake while taking the opportunity of a few quiet bites. He stood on a moral high ground of mercy while keeping sides with those who said "guilty as charged". This despite compelling evidence and huge doubt, including a huge payment to a key witness against Megrahi, that in itself could, and likely should, have compelled a retrial.

For the sake of the convicted dead man's family it is to be hoped that despite the gap in time a verdict more amenable to the cause of justice will be reached.

Ian Johnstone, Peterhead.

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VESTED INTEREST

DR Sanjeev Kanoria, in advising your readers about healthcare financing (“Here's how to fund care of elderly”, The Herald, August 22) clearly has a vested interest in the topic. As your footnote states, he gave up working as an NHS surgeon, and founded a care home business. This is now a huge commercial enterprise, with well over 30 homes. It is small wonder that Dr Kanoria is asking for more funding for the private sector, which needs to feed the appetite of its investors. It is significant, in this context, that he totally fails to mention the urgent need for improved wages and conditions for care workers.

Dr Kanoria complains that politicians refuse to set a date for a public inquiry. Setting up a public inquiry would of course delight the commercial profit-based sector, because it would delay – possibly for years – the radical changes that we need to start working on now, to create a genuine national care service on the same lines as our beloved NHS.

Michael Otter, Kinlochbervie.

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THE CONE GATHERERS

WHEN our family arrived at Machrie, Arran, from Dundee for our annual and eagerly anticipated summer holiday in the 1950/60s, one of the first duties of the three children was to cycle to the pine trees near Morton's farm to collect cockabendies to assist in igniting the fire in our rented house.

Like your reader Fiona MacQueen (Letters, August 25), I have never heard of this word being used outwith our own family. Very interesting to see it feature as Scots Word of the week after all these years.

David Gray, Ayr.

IN my native village, Carradale, Kintyre, pine cones were called cockabendies. Over the years I have asked people brought up in all corners of Scotland if they were knew pine cones as cockabendies and nobody did. Recently I put the question to a friend brought up in Lossiemouth, and for the first time found someone who knew them as such.

Catherine Staines, Edinburgh EH12.

TIMBER TIMBRE?

I WAS interested to see the candidates for Tree of the Year 2020 ("Ancient Scots trees go out on a limb to battle for prized title", The Herald, August 23). Perhaps in a similar vein we could have a Plank of the Year 2020. I can think of several politicians worthy of being nominated.

Michael Watson, Glasgow G73.