Deathly prose

I was struck by your article on 20 March (“Scots minorities have lower death rates”) which clearly shows that the SNP administration is hiding something cataclysmic from us all. According to your piece, out of a total Scottish popula- tion of five million people, no fewer than four million died between 2001 and 2013! Even the Black Death only accounted for around one-third of the population of Europe.

For such figures to apply means that they must have been stacking bodies in the streets, although I seem to have missed this. Also, as a believer in capitalism, I would have thought share prices in funeral directors’ firms would have gone through the roof.

Maybe it’s just been restricted to the West Coast? I hear that they have terrible health problems over there – but, to look on the bright side, it will certainly help the housing crisis!

ANDREW HN GRAY Craiglea Drive, Edinburgh