09/01/06

No longer will it be possible to simply send a form and pictures via the Post Office or in the mail.

Instead, in a response to a question raised by Alan Beith MP, the Home Office Minister Andy Burnham has admitted that there will only be 69 interview centres across the whole of the UK.

Also, although the average journey to an interview centre will be 25 miles, people in rural areas may have to travel far greater distances in order to secure a passport.

There is a concern at the time and cost implications for people without easy access to the new centres, particularly if a passport is needed at short notice.

Surely, if such interviews are deemed necessary, it would have been simpler to have given the job to another organisation closer to people's doorsteps like local councils or the Registrars for births, marriages and deaths. - Jacquie Bell, Parliamentary Spokesperson, Richmond (Yorkshire) Liberal Democrats.

BUSKING

RE the young medical student who was busking to help her financial situation (HAS, Dec 24).

Like most other people I was very angry, but I cannot agree with the view that special status should be given to medical students.

All young people who are studying at university are in the same boat including my granddaughter, who is studying law, a profession of equal importance as medicine. She too is experiencing the same difficulties.

I have written to Tony Blair voicing my concerns about this state of affairs, but of course received the usual sit-on-the-fence reply we have come to expect of our politicians. I dare bet his son will not leave university saddled with thousands of pounds of debt to clear off.

For a man whose election battle cry was 'education, education, education', I wonder how he can sleep at night knowing that some of our brightest young people are being put in danger of suffering real hardship in order to follow their education.

However, as long as we have Scottish MPs sitting in our Parliament deciding the fate of English students to their detriment and voting for Scottish students receiving free university tuition, our situation will never improve. - PA Aspinall, Crook.

POLITICAL CORRECTNESS

THE British people are being cowed and bullied into silence by a new tyranny. We all know what it is - it is called political correctness.

It is a political tool which prevents the truth being spoken if that truth exposes unpleasant facts about any group which is a minority.

It has, of course, nothing to do with protecting groups or minorities from attack but it has everything to do with silencing one's political opponents.

It is a favoured tool of the political establishment, used against the voters. An example is the BBC's reporting of serious crime where the suspect is black. They do not give a description of the person sought by the police in case it offends blacks or immigrants. But the BBC does say if a suspect is white.

Another example is the rise in HIV/Aids in Britain where the chief cause is immigration (much of it illegal) from Africa but this it is "politically incorrect" to admit.

Another example is the building of NHS isolation facilities for diseases which were eradicated generations ago among the British people but which immigrants are bringing to this country. This cannot apparently be admitted, so silence - and therefore the impossibility of tackling the problem - is the order of the day.

Even the new leader of the Tory party seems not to have understood what political correctness is - and how very dangerous it is for a democratic society. On the other hand, of course, it is very useful for a totalitarian society. And if the three main parties in Britain are in a conspiracy to deny the problem what does that say about their democratic accountability to us? - Rodney Atkinson, Stocksfield, Northumberland.

NATIONAL LOTTERY

RE the letter from Jo Kenrick, marketing director of Camelot (HAS, Dec 30).

Why is it that if Camelot is having record sales, the twice weekly jackpot has been cut by almost half?

I seem to remember that we were told by Tony Blair that we would have the most up-to-date lottery in the world - that is not true is it?

Whoever bought the ticket in Doncaster would have been paid out if they had lived in Australia.

Apparently, they send you a cheque within two weeks if you win in Australia. - Charles Wilson, Darlington.

BUS BLUES

IT WOULD be interesting to know how many other parts of the country were deprived of bus services over the festive season.

Taxis are, of course, available at a price, but what a price! It could be argued that bus staff are entitled to their holiday, but the same could be said for others who are obliged to work, such as police, hospital staff, emergency services, and other public service employees, not forgetting bar staff.

The fact of the matter is that the buses were withdrawn as a cost saving exercise, but at who's expense?

Far from the promised improvements in public transport, services continue to shrink with ever reducing bus services. My question is, does anyone really represent our interests in this area, and are any decisions taken with the interests of the general public in mind? - Alan S Holmes, Ferryhill.

WIND FARMS

WHEN a planning application for a wind farm (factory) comes before the council they should 'all' try voting 'against' the application.

It would then show how useless the whole process is - a farce. Along comes our little man from the ministry and overrules them - and that's called democracy.

I attended a council meeting at Darlington as an objector to the proposed 'factory' at Royal Oak Farm and surprise, surprise, the 'Fat Cats' won again.

The same happened with the Trimdon Town Kelloe site. EDF energy appealed and even before the appeal had been heard, EDF had submitted the same plans again.

It's very alarming and clearly shows that well funded and well connected private organisations can overcome the wishes of the people.

Consultations are still ongoing with the MOD as the Royal Oak development falls directly in line of sight from RAF Leeming air traffic control. The blades of a wind turbine interfere with the radar system and look like planes on their screens.

Ground-breaking research programmes into wave power were scrapped by the then Tory government in the 1980s under pressure from the British nuclear lobby. That was over 20 years pioneering work wasted. We had the chance to lead the world. Now Blair is talking about nuclear power. No doubt the new Tory party will portray itself as pro-green and pro-marine power. - Mrs N Staff, Town Kelloe.