Cruel sports? Where do you think supermarket game comes from?

THANK goodness Dr Toni Shephard (The Yorkshire Post, October 5), who describes herself as ‘head of research’ at the League Against Cruel Sports, is not a medical doctor responsible for human health.

In just one letter to your paper she got enough things wrong to kill any number of patients! She alleged ‘appalling welfare’ in gamebird rearing, and yet all gamebirds are reared under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 which makes it an absolute offence to harm livestock, including gamebirds, or to fail to provide for their needs. If gamebird welfare is so very ‘appalling’, how is it that the RSPCA says it is unaware of a single conviction under this act relating to gamebirds?

Dr Shephard also claims the shooting industry has ‘negative impacts on the environment and conservation.’ How odd, then, that the RSPB’s Director for Conservation – no particular friend of shooting one would have thought – is on record as saying, “Shooting can do some fantastic things for our wildlife. There are loads of people who are doing some great things with shooting at the heart of their land and wildlife management.”

Those of us who know the woods and wild places created by gamekeepers for their gamebirds and the benefit of many other species will understand this. The city-based Dr Shephard clearly does not. Or take her assertions that ‘an average of 500 birds are shot down on each shoot and most are dumped in a pit and not eaten’, when in fact the correct figure for he average number of birds shot per outing is less than 50 and 97 per centof all edible quarry goes to human consumption. Where else do you think all that wonderful game in our supermarkets comes from, Dr Shephard?

From: Martin Swift, Craigview, Sauchie, Alloa.

Just recently Yorkshire celebrated the winning of the County Championship.

Shame though that a section of our glorious county should politically move to cause a split from the rest of Yorkshire and also cause division within at least a bordering county. All this for political motives that will once again carve up Yorkshire just as the ill-fated Metropolitan County Councils that was brought in by one Tory Government only to be disbanded by another years later.

For me the only solution with devolution in the North is that of a united effort to bring about a Yorkshire Devolved Assembly.

Let’s face it. Yorkshire has a similar population to that of Scotland and a similar diversity and sticking together and putting Yorkshire first as a whole is better than a divided Yorkshire...either that or bring back the Ridings.

Although now working and living in Scotland, I’m still Yorkshire through and through.

From: Dick Appleyard, Saxilby, Nr Lincoln.

AS a life ong non-smoker, I was pleased when I heard on the news a few months ago that we are going to have a new law introduced on the 1st October for smoking to be banned in cars, if there are children in the car. But, unfortunately police have now decided that the new law will not be enforced (Jayne Dowle, The Yorkshire Post, October 5).

Smokers have got no right to force non-smokers to passive smoke, when any of the non-smokers don’t want it. If any smoker wishes to smoke, I prefer it if they do their smoking outdoors or in a designated place where they are not forcing their habit on non-smokers. Smokers should respect non-smokers wishes when non-smokers wish to not have to passive smoke.

From: John W Marshall, Cold Bath Road, Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

I READ in your paper (The Yorkshire Post, September 30) that a Anne Frank exhibition is touring parts of Yorkshire with visits to Doncaster, Bradford and Rotherham, already planned.

I wish it could be seen also in Harrogate where a tree, dedicated to Anne Frank’s memory thrives opposite the Royal Hall. With Harrogate’s many exhibitions and trade fairs, such as an exhibition would be seen by people of all ages and nationalities.

It is a much needed reminder of what Anne and so many other Jews suffered in the Second World War and visits to it should be encouraged.

From: Jennifer Bookbinder, Cottingley Gardens, Leeds.

I WRITE in response to the letter from Hilary Andrews (The Yorkshire Post, October 1) about extortionate air fares. Everyone knows that it is extra for a suitcase in the hold. Could they not have managed with one suitcase between them and two lots of hand luggage? It is quite easy to travel light if you use common sense.

I never take a suitcase now, and it also saves time at the carousel. I am not aware that you pay to check-in, unless you opt for express check-in. Or if you forget to check in before you go, then it is a silly price at the airport.

From: M Dobson. Feversham Crescent, York.

ONCE again the longer nights are with us and, once again, York Hospital has switched on the decorative floodlighting (installed last autumn) to illuminate the plant room on the roof of their office building.

How can NHS trusts expect their protestations over budget deficits and lack of funding to be taken seriously when they blatantly waste money on non-essential, non medical fripperies?