YOUR report that Scottish ministers are kept out of the loop in UK negotiations with European institutions and frequently excluded from meetings, with often "disastrous" consequences, should come as no surprise to anyone (January 22).

In an enlarged European Union of 27 members, if you aren't at the top table you simply don't matter. With independence, Scottish ministers will be free to represent Scotland's needs and priorities in Europe by right. Under the terms of the Treaty of Nice, an independent Scotland would have seven votes in the Council of Ministers, while at present Scotland has none. We would have almost twice the number of MEPs to stand up for Scotland's interests in the European Parliament, and we would be able to nominate a European Commissioner.

Thousands of jobs in Scotland depend on exports to the EU. In defending Scotland's interests, an independent government will be able to give priority to areas which are now neglected by British representatives in the EU, not least the Scottish fishing industry. Ten new countries joined the EU in May 2004, including Cyprus, Estonia, Lithuania, Malta, Latvia and Slovenia. These are all smaller than Scotland, yet all of them now have a seat at Europe's top table, recognising how vital it is to be represented in the EU as a full independent member state. It's time Scotland did too.

Estonia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kristiina Ojuland, commented: "Smaller states already take a more international view because we cannot afford to ignore the existence of bigger states. But we will take every opportunity to influence events because if we do not we will be just as affected by them, and have things done to us instead of playing our part in shaping events and preparing for them."

Until independence, Scotland will continue to be affected by decisions it has played no role in shaping and Scottish ministers and civil servants will hold the coats as our London masters negotiate away our interests.

Alex Orr, 35 Bryson Road, Edinburgh. YOUR report, Scotland "frozen out of Brussels", totally demolishes the claim that as part of the UK Scotland "punches above its weight" in the EU and elsewhere. Our interests are only taken into account when they are to be negotiated away for what London considers more important matters.

Do even the most dismissive of unionists, lining up in their desperate determination to run us down, think we could do any worse by representing our own interest ourselves?

Hamish Scott, 17 Carlaverock Drive, Tranent. AMID an election campaign deluged with ridiculous scare upon scare it was refreshing to read Douglas Fraser's article on the leaked report to the First Minister from the Scottish Executive's own top civil servant in Brussels. This revealed Scotland was suffering badly because of Whitehall indifference to Scottish priorities in Europe.

The first obvious question is why we Scots require someone to "leak" this important information before it comes into the public domain? The second question is, how can Scotland's First Minister, who purports to have Scotland's, rather than the Labour Party's, best interests at heart, continue to support the discredited Union when even his own advisers are telling him it is a complete shambles and is working against the interests of the people of Scotland?

It's time Scotland had a First Minister whose first priority was Scotland rather than his own colleagues' political survival.

Councillor Celia Lawson, Renfrewshire Council, Paisley.