Last updated at 14:49, Thursday, 12 April 2012

IT’S surprising, on looking back, what a variety of subjects have been tackled by U3A speakers over the past few weeks.

On the arts side, we have had Anthony Payne talking about the wonderful palaces built in India during the reign of the Mughal emperors. He entertained us with the story of Akbar the Great under whose rule the empire flourished both culturally and economically.

Beautiful buildings still exist from that period, including the wonderful Taj Mahal. He showed us lovely slides of the architecture and art which had attracted him on his tour of Northern India.

John and Judy Hall, again on the art and architecture theme, gave the Art Group a well illustrated tour of The Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg which they had recently visited. Peter the Great, another ruler interested in creating beautiful buildings and collecting works of art, has left a wonderful legacy to future generations.

Closer to home and looking into the future rather than into the past, Adrian Bull spoke to the Discovery Group about the prospects for new nuclear power in the UK and Cumbria.

He pointed out that current operating nuclear stations, which are providing one sixth of the electricity generated in the country are being progressively shut down during the next decade as they reach the end of their design lives. If these stations were to be replaced by gas fired plants, the country will become far too reliant on a fuel that is supplied from Russia or the Middle East.

Adequate reserves of uranium are available in Australia and Canada. He also reminded us that the use of nuclear power gives rise to negligible carbon emissions. Current designs of pressurised water reactors ( both American and French) are of standard, modular design and would produce a substantial quantity of electricity relatively cheaply. The problem of waste storage and decommissioning still remain, of course, and have to be resolved.

Another subject of great value and interest to retired people was the talk on inheritance tax given by David Hopkinson, an independent financial adviser. He explained how we could reduce the amount of tax paid by a) making use of special investments, b) making gifts, c) relief against income tax, and d) spending it ourselves before we die (on holidays!?).

Special investments such as loan trusts could be set up, gifts of £250 during the year are tax exempt and an annual lump sum allowance of £3,000 is allowed tax free. Income tax relief is also given on business and agricultural properties. The secret is to use these allowable dispensations. They are not tax evasions!

The matter of providing for future long-term care needs was discussed by Graham Duffy. State funding of an individual’s care was, of course, dependent on income, savings, disability, etc. and he admitted that the standard of care given tended to be a post code lottery.

Where West Cumbria is in a listing for long term care, we weren’t told, but judging by the eloquence and knowledge of each of these very interesting speakers West Cumbria surely comes high in the ratings for the spoken word.

First published at 11:58, Thursday, 12 April 2012
Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk