SO the Dalton Terrace surgery Holgate has decided rather than 'up their game' they will restrict the number of patients to within their immediate location.

This might have made some sense when you used to expect a house call from your GP, but nowadays most consulting is done over the phone or internet.

Even yearly health checks are "self service" with patients having to get your own blood taken, and do your own blood-pressure tests. And then fill in your own form on-line.

In my working life problems were usually worked out and solved rather than turning your back on them.

And you wonder why so many patients block up the A&E in hospitals.

D M Deamer,

Penleys Grove Street,

Monkgate,

York

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Must be consequences for Just Stop Oil protesters

ANTHONY Day makes a heartfelt plea for the release from prison of the Just Stop Oil Five (Letters, Press, July 24).

I am somewhat less sympathetic. These protestors sought to become martyrs for their cause, giving it added publicity.

This they have achieved. They must have realised that when they blocked traffic on the M25, there would be legal consequences.

The sentences were, perhaps, more severe than they expected. But as far as I can tell, the judges acted correctly in interpreting the law and following legal guidelines.

I presume that the defending lawyers for the five will now take the case to the Supreme Court.

Mr Day believes that the Conservative government tightened the laws governing protests to the point of being unfair.

If this is so, Mr Day could write to his MP and urge that these laws be amended and relaxed.

David Martin,

Rosedale Ave,

Acomb, York

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We all end up paying for these big fines

BT were recently fined over £17m by Ofcom for a massive 999 emergency calls failure.

Other utilities and service providers fall foul of the regulators from time to time with similar consequences.

However, as the cheers and applause over justice done subside, let’s reflect that the consumer, the innocent party, probably picks up the tab or most of it.

Eventually, and by ‘osmosis’, it’s the customers who’ll end up paying by the trickle-down effect of increased charges or other legerdemain.

Celebrations should be muted when the ‘big boys’ in the transport, communications, energy, water etc sectors get clobbered!

Who’s really being ‘clobbered’?

Derek Reed,

Middlethorpe Drive,

York

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Crown Estates are a significant contributor to the Treasury

I WAS disappointed to read Emelia Kettle's report concerning the increase of the Crown Estate's income which, regrettably, was most misleading.

Under the current law, the Crown Estate's income, which this year has reached £1.1 billion, is paid over by the Crown to the Treasury.

That means the government receives the whole of the Crown Estate's income. In return, it pays back to the Monarch (not the Royal Family) 25 per cent for the funding of official duties by way of the Sovereign Grant.

It is, therefore, misleading to say the Sovereign Grant is taxpayers' money because it is merely rebating a percentage of what has been received from the Crown Estates.

It would be helpful if Ms Kettle wrote a comprehensive article, fully explaining how the Crown Estates are a significant contributor to the Treasury.

Richard Watson,

York Road,

Haxby

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