L MCGREGOR writes that she is against any procedures for gender balancing (Letters, February 13). She did not mention in her letter the question of university entrance in this context.
In 2016 Scottish universities were instructed by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) to recruit more male students in attempts to deal with the long-standing gender gap with regard to student entrance. There had been a growing divide since the 1990s. The SFC adopted such a position even though such a policy would "displace" female candidates. It is the case that universities had hitherto tended to choose the candidates with the best grades with the highest potential and, in recent years, female pupils have outperformed males in exams. There is, of course, a separate debate ongoing about increasing the intake of students from under-privileged areas through "positive discrimination".
It is clear that in a number of professions, such as medicine and law, there are now more women qualifying and taking up practice than men.
Some have gone as far as describing this trend as "feminisation" of these professions. It may be that a major re-adjustment is required in our society, particularly for men to be increasingly prepared, for family or other reasons, to become house-husbands or part-time workers while their wives/partners become the main breadwinners. That would, indeed, be a massive jump forward in the cause of gender equality.
Ian W Thomson, Lenzie.
App safety
I SEE that some SNP ministers are using WhatsApp to communicate with their private offices ("Transparency fears as SNP ministers use encrypted app for government work", The Herald, February 12). This is extremely unwise. WhatsApp is encrypted but is owned by Facebook which hoovers up all messages and uses AI to build a picture of everyone using their data and photos.
A much better app for secure messages is one called Signal. This is not owned by any of the large data companies like Google, Facebook or Amazon and has much better encryption than WhatsApp. I am surprised that ministers have not been informed of WhatsApp’s vulnerabilities or even those of “private” emails that the First Minister is said to use. Keeping the public safe from both internal and external threats is the prime task of government so I would expect them to have a better control of their communications.
Colin Gunn, Glasgow G73.
Fund the BBC
UNTIL recently I would have disagreed with Mark Boyle (Letters, February 13) and argued that the TV licence fee was essential to ensure the independence of the BBC from government. However, I now agree with Mr Boyle that the BBC should be funded from general taxation.
At present the BBC has to impress the government of the day in its charter renewal negotiations, which seems to me pretty much the same in practical terms as receiving funding from general taxation. I think the settlement should be for five years at a time to allow the BBC to plan ahead. Such a change would eliminate the need to collect a licence fee, using criminal sanctions or otherwise, and would ensure that the BBC can continue as a public service broadcaster.
Scott Simpson, Glasgow G12.
Well versed
I HEARTILY agree with Gilbert MacKay (Letters, February 14) and his views on Poem of the Day. His judgment on Scott's Continent of Venus is without doubt wholly accurate. May I suggest that the next time Lesley Duncan takes a well-earned break that our Mr MacKay be given the job on an acting basis?
Gordon Fisher, Stewarton.
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