Roz Foyer's article ("Energy bills are rising again. Time to take back control", The Herald, March 31) is an excellent summary of the energy sector in the UK, and particularly that of the electricity sector. Her final sentence, “It’s time to take back control of our energy”, may be the best solution but achieving this will be a monumental task which is unlikely to be attempted by the present Labour Government. The energy company ownership across the sector is now owned by and large by overseas investors. To take these back into public ownership would cost billions and is unlikely to be considered with the Government adhering to its fiscal rules.

The Government has tried to claw back some of the excess profits from energy companies by introducing the Electricity Generator Levy and Energy Profit Levy. The money recovered is not used to reduce the price of electricity but goes to the Treasury and the Government can use some of this money to alleviate fuel poverty. The Government could have used GB Energy to build and finance all new energy infrastructure using public sector borrowing and setting up an operating company to run the power stations or could consider franchising out these plants to energy companies to operate and maintain. This solution may take 10 years to reduce energy prices.

In the short term the Government could change the system of payment for wholesale price of electricity which is linked to the international gas price. This results in high prices. The Government could also reduce the tax on electricity, which is 21%. This is made up of 5% VAT, 12% Environmental Levy and 4% Green Tax. Electricity is the solution to our economic problems and achieving net zero for the sector and should not be taxed at these levels.

Charles Scott, Edinburgh.

Banks should be called to account

I certainly feel the pain expressed by Sarah-Jayne Dunn of CAB Scotland when expressing concern over individuals trying to open a Basic Bank Account (“Basic Bank Accounts need to be easier to open, The Herald, March 29). It is no different for a charity

As Session Clerk of a church, where our current local branch was to close, I was tasked to arrange the opening of two new accounts in the only other bank in the town. The bank website suggested the process should complete in 20 minutes. After attempts at the online process I gave up and eventually phoned the helpline. After three hours the agent was able to advise that the first account was ready to go. The following day a further three hours was spent to open another account to be operated by the same named office-bearers.

The following five months were taken up with a succession of emails advising “You have new actions to take on your application".

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One section was to assist with the identity checks for one signatory, who could not pass the test because she had neither a mobile phone nor email address. She did however prove her existence when she presented her ID documents personally in the branch. Some weeks later, when this still was causing problems, I was advised that if documents are passed to the branch for onward transmission to the New Account Group, the prospective account holder should also telephone the helpline to confirm receipt. The fact that no such instruction was given by the branch staff was put down as "a gap in the knowledge cycle".

A further obstruction in the process was the requirement to submit the names of all trustees. However this was only acceptable if it was provided on headed notepaper from another bank, a lawyer or an accountant. The reason for this added requirement was so that the Compliance Department could check the detail with OSCR. The fact that OSCR redacted such detail from our charity Annual Report and Accounts bore no weight.

Eventually after nearly five months and a succession of phone calls and emails I resorted to surface mail to the bank HQ complaints department to complain over this over-burdensome process and seek an explanation.

In a two-page response stressing the security aspects of the process, but offering no explanation or justification for such a convoluted process, the tail piece at least confirmed the bank staff have a sense of humour, when I was advised: “We note you have asked in your letter for the application to be withdrawn; we would ask you to telephone the help line to confirm this." To crown it all some two weeks later an email advised that "since your current application has been in process for over six months, we cannot proceed. If you wish to open an account please complete a new application".

How I long for the day that personal banking is what it says on the tin and not a tortuous dual with apps and chatboxes.

Tom Donaldson, Wishaw.

We need more cycle paths

Less than two per cent of journeys made in the UK are by bicycle, a pitiful total compared to the one-third of journeys in the Netherlands; if the UK is to achieve its net zero objectives it needs to make its road network like that in the Netherlands, creating a coherent transport system that encourages the use of bicycles while still allowing other road users to go about their business.

Cycling in the UK is needlessly dangerous because our streets are laid out almost entirely for the benefit of car users and this needs to change. The health and environmental benefits are obvious.

David Bradshaw, Kilcreggan.

Do we need more cycle paths in our towns and cities?Do we need more cycle paths in our towns and cities? (Image: Newsquest)

The lengths they go to...

I try to distance myself from public politics. I am, however, tempted by an email from a friend in Australia, in which she tells me of the 212m-long newly-built Spirit of Tasmania IV ferry, which has been mothballed in Leith. Why? Those who signed the contract did not take the trouble to check whether the ferry's home berth in Devonport was big enough to take the ship. The new berth may be ready in early 2027.

Thinking of a short-term deal between CMAL and the Tasmanian authorities, I was disillusioned on finding through Google that even Troon harbour accommodates ships of up to only 160m.

Words by Nikita Khruschev seem apt: "Politicians are the same all over. They promise to build bridges even when there is no river."

David Miller, Milngavie.