I WAS amazed at reading Nicola Sturgeon’s column in the Evening Times (September 6) about welcoming refugees.

Can Nicola tell us where they are to be housed?

The same day I had to visit my bank in Queen Street and, between Hope Street and Queen Street, I counted 13 beggars. Eleven of them were not Scottish.

There were 10 people sleeping rough in shop doorways. What a welcome to Glasgow for visitors coming to our city.

I think it is about time we started thinking of our own citizens first.

In the same edition of the paper on page 12 it says Nicola is to set out a vision for the future. Perhaps that future should be looking after the things that affect us like the NHS and our schools.

Forget another independence referendum and trying to stay in Europe.

W Fleming, Glasgow

WITH reference to the article about population changes (Evening Times August 11), of course the population of Edinburgh could someday be bigger than Glasgow’s inner city. (Although Greater Glasgow will always be larger than Midlothian).

There are far more new homes built in Edinburgh.

There are still parts of Glasgow which could be demolished for house construction, and green belt areas could be built on.

People complain about parts of Sauchiehall Street being run down, parts of it could be flattened and new homes built there.

Also, if the much needed ‘Crossrail’ was built, that would lead to massive regeneration.

Colin Hyslop, New Cumnock

READING about Cordia staff facing reduced salaries due to overpayment, (Evening Times September 13) the article says “the ERROR (Cordia’s error) is believed to have been in place for around five years, with staff now owing the firm up to £5,000.”

It’s Cordia’s ERROR, Cordia should be incurring the cost.

At least Dick Turpin wore a mask but then again that’s what this arms length company Cordia is - a mask for Glasgow City Council.

David Keane, posted online

THE article about teachers in Glasgow being told not to set homework reliant on computers due to poverty levels (Evening Times September 13), this is Scotland 2017 - a third of kids are living in poverty and statistics say this will rise to 50%.

When will this government start to look at how Scotland is continuously promoting that we need to fill the city up with more and more people when we can’t even afford to look after our kids?

Working families are in poverty categories and no wage increases and higher bills mean we are all poorer.

Simple maths, the more people the more money that needs to be spent on them and the poorer our nation becomes. Great way of running our country.

Carol Thomson, posted online