UK Chancellor Philip Hammond MP has recently been quoted as predicting that after 2020 it will no longer be possible to maintain the 'triple lock' on state pensions. This is the commitment that annual pension increases will be determined by the highest of - price inflation, earnings growth and 2.5%. It is easy to understand the Chancellor's prediction when we consider the obscene amounts of our money being spent by the UK Government - whilst we remain part of the Union - on 'vanity' projects such as renewing nuclear weapons that can never be used and on pursuing military adventures around the world in a vain attempt to pretend that we are still a 'world power'.

Contrast this with the commitment by the SNP that in an independent Scotland the triple lock will be maintained indefinitely. And before anyone asks "how could you afford that", it has to be pointed out that once Scotland was a nation again, after independence, we would no longer be paying our share of the enormous cost of Trident renewal and no longer paying our share of the huge cost of upgrading the Houses of Parliament. In addition, tax receipts from North Sea oil - although currently less than a few years ago - would be retained in Scotland instead of, as at present, disappearing into the black hole that is the London Treasury without ever touching the sides.

The moral is quite clear:- if Scots wish to protect the value of their state pensions, the only way is to vote for independence next time.

Anyone wishing to be kept informed about pensions and the case for independence is invited to contact pensioners for independence at pensionersforindependence@gmail.com.

Peter Swain

Dunbar, East Lothian

JUST listening to Clyde 1 Super Score Board about the plastic pitch introduced to many teams. 1943 was when I played in Fore Park, Duntocher. If you could play football you can play any plastic pitch. There's no football now, it's all mobile stuff and Facebook - a lot of rubbish. To this day get the school children back to playing football for their schools. The tennis ball was the answer when children came home from school, not now. They rush home to get their tablet and mobiles etc.

In my time, I loved the football - no mobiles, tablet or Facebook. That's how there'll be no football for Scots later on in years. Get the children back to school football. The tennis ball is modernised now, just get the children to repeat.

A Holloway

Duntocher