Help that would tackle problem

From: Eammon Ward, Sheffield Green Party, Eskdale Road, Sheffield.

DAVID Cameron says he wants to help the 81,670 people claiming incapacity benefit as a result of health problems stemming from alcohol, drug and obesity conditions. But what “help” has the coalition given so far?

Research has shown that proposals for a minimum alcohol price would have affected just one of the 3,667 deals offered by the four major supermarkets during a three-month period.

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These problems will persist until we find a government prepared to tackle the underlying causes, and not just the symptoms.

Hitting the nail on the head

From: Peter R Hyde, Driffield, East Yorkshire.

JULIAN Smith (Yorkshire Post, April 28) hit the nail right on the head. The whole system is drowning in a sea of red tape. The Police, Fire Brigade, National Health Service and many others are spending their time filling in forms, most of which either have no meaning or are probably never even read.

Many years ago, I was disposing of some old confidential files at an incinerator when a van load of computer printouts were being destroyed by a hospital porter.

Most, he told me, were copies to every department whether they concerned that department or not. They were not read but had to be circulated because of the rules.

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I know that reams of forms are never even read but have to be completed whether or not they are needed because of “the rules”.

Taken away

From: Iain Morris, Caroline Street, Saltaire, Shipley.

Since I was on a training course at Manchester Polytechnic (1971-72), everything has changed. Teachers have had the tools of their trade taken away from them.