‘Sorry’ is no use to Carillion staff

THE Government is now guaranteeing loans for Carillion sub-contracts. Is that not the equivalent of nationalisation? In this country we have the finest civil service in the world which is called upon to run enterprises that have failed. It is able to do this successfully, as proved when civil servants ran the East Coast mainline.

So, why do we need outsourcing conglomerates in the first place?

It’s now time to stop the political ideology of “private good, public bad” because it has gone too far.

Outsourcing failures are bleeding the life out of essential services such as health and local government.

Decision makers need to rethink priorities – it’s not all about profit. Noel Beresford, Chesterfield, Derbys # It’s no use MPs calling former directors of Carillion “delusional” (Mirror, Feb 7) if they are not prepared to change the legislation so those responsible can be held accountable. Otherwise, such statements are just grandstanding. Where the finger should be pointed is at how economics is taught at universities – a discipline that takes very little or no account of the ethical dimension and to which many MPs and the captains of industry unquestioningly bow in ritual observance. Geoff Naylor Winchester, Hants # What happened at Carillion is pretty much a repeat of what happened at MG Rover when the directors’ pension fund was a huge pile of money and the workers’ was a big hole in the ground. In that case, the directors didn’t get much more than a slap on the wrist and the money spent on the inquiry would have been better spent on the workers’ retirement.

Judging by punishments handed out for financial malfeasance to those named and shamed by Andrew Penman in this paper every week, I’m not optimistic about the outcome of an inquiry into the collapse of Carillion. John Lee, St Ives, Cambs # The TUC is calling for urgent risk assessment of all large outsourcing firms in the wake of Carillion’s collapse. Why aren’t these firms vetted before contracts are handed out?

This is another scandal the Tories are accountable for. Those responsible should be brought to book, but I’m not holding my breath. It’s no wonder the UK is in a mess with the Government dishing out private contracts willy nilly. Dave Mellor, Warrington # Carillion boss Philip Green has said he is “deeply sorry” for the collapse of the company, but what does that mean? It means that they have been caught out and want taxpayers’ money to sort out their mess, just like train firms and banks. Mary Thorpe, Blackpool # Those who profited from Carillion should have their assets seized and be left with just one home, one car and £20,000 in the bank. Perhaps then other directors will be a little more circumspect. Trevor Armfield Royston, Herts # It’s easy to say sorry. What would be more appropriate is for these fatcats to give up some of their massive pension pots to help the Carillion workers. J Scott, Wigan Gtr Manchester