Meanwhile, criminals who wreak havoc in our society cost the public purse in police time and Legal Aid, plus the costs of their keep in prison (£60,000 per year).

To add insult to injury criminals are claiming compensation up to £44million because they had to slop out in prison.

Has it never occurred to the authorities that criminals should be paying back into the public purse the costs they have incurred? — Make Them Pay.

What awards did he receive? He must have one for his role of Hudson in Upstairs Downstairs. — Curious.

[Gordon Cameron Jackson was born on December 19, 1923, in Glasgow. He did work on the radio as a child, but went to work as a draughtsman when he left school.

His career as an actor took off at the age of 20 with his appearance as an airman in the film Millions Like Us. His early work also consisted of repertory theatre in Perth.

He made his London stage debut in 1951, in the long-running farce Seagulls Over Sorrento.

In 1949 he starred in the film Floodtide alongside actress Rona Anderson whom he married in 1951. The couple had two children, Graham and Roddy.

Gordon's film work remained busy throughout his career and he appeared in 96 films. Some of his best known roles were in films such as Millions Like Us, Tunes of Glory, Whisky Galore, The Ipcress File and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. He also appeared in six made for TV movies.

In 1969 he played Horatio in Tony Richardson's production of Hamlet at the Round House and won the Clarence Derwent Award for Best Supporting Actor.

In 1971 came ITV’s classic Upstairs Downstairs in which Gordon played butler Hudson. In 1974 he was awarded British Actor of the Year award and a Supporting Actor Emmy for that role.

Next came The Professionals, where he played the gruff Cowley opposite Martin Shaw and Lewis Collins. In 1979 his was awarded an OBE.

Shortly after completion of the Professionals, Gordon appeared in the Australian mini-series A Town Like Alice and won Australia's Logie award.

His career was cut short when, in 1989, it was discovered he had bone cancer and he passed away on January 14, 1990.]

I had to go to the doc today,

At the health centre along the way;

Its handiness just fits the bill,

For checking my health, or getting a pill.

I’m glad to say my check went well,

Nothing was wrong that he could tell;

But to keep my well-being at its peak,

Could I make an appointment for the following week?

Now as a patient it’s usual when,

The doctor asks to see you again;

You make the appointment before you leave,

But what I heard next I couldn’t believe.

The receptionist turned and said to me,

You can’t make an appointment here, you see;

You have to make one over the telephone,

Give us a ring when you get home.

You’ll have to ring us after eight,

And after nine might be too late;

If you are lucky enough to get through,

Then we will book that appointment for you.

All the way home I kept thinking how,

They are running the health service now;

It seems to me that in this modern day,

They can’t tax the sick, but they can make you pay!

I can remember in days gone by,

Seeing my doctor eye to eye;

The nurse and receptionist both knew my name,

If I lay ill in bed the doctor came.

Now if I’m feeling sick let’s see,

Just how much it’s costing me;

To begin with I’ll have to pay for the call,

To see if there’s room for me at all.

And if they’re fully booked that day,

Ring again tomorrow is all they’ll say;

When eventually I do get to see the doc,

The prescription charges give me a shock.

It seems to me the older I am,

The Government doesn’t give a damn;

Life should be easy, but I’m having to strive,

Wondering how can I afford to stay alive.

—       A. Campbell, Balunie Avenue, Dundee.

I have emailed the manager a few times and he has not replied.

I have three kids under four and have two of them in a double buggy.

I relied on the ramp as getting in the lift is a nightmare.

There are always young kids in it who are too lazy to walk down the escalators and it can take me anything from five to 20 minutes to get into the lift. — Michelle Hutchison, Candle Lane, Dundee.

[A spokesman for the Wellgate Centre said that he had unfortunately not received the emails.

He added that the ramp has been closed due to work being carried out on the Vision Express and Virgin Megastore units.

Vision Express has now been extended to where the bottom of the ramp used to be and the lift can be used between the first floor and ground floor. It is possible to walk between the first and the second floors.

He added that the lift is soon to be replaced and will be much faster. Also a dedicated member of staff works to deter groups of children from occupying the lift.]

Dundee pensioners have not benefited greatly by the free concessionary travel, being strictly controlled by council boundaries.

This new initiative will change all that and give pensioners the freedom to travel and visit family and friends.

This issue should be discussed fully with the bus companies and pensioner groups, for a positive re-assurance that free concessionary travel nationwide means exactly that. — Jack Stewart, Chairman, Perth & Kinross Pensioners Forum.