SO George Osborne thinks families are suffering the brunt of the petrol price rises does he?

Well George, it’s not just families, it’s all working class folk. As you’re not one of them you will never know, Mr Osborne.

You say the Budget will provide something to ease the pain. Well, why wait for the Budget? Show us you really do care by acting immediately.

Come the Budget, road tax will rise as always (for the environment, of course).

In one hand, out of the other, as usual.

Lawrence A McGowan, Sherburn Village.

ECONOMIC PROSPECTS EVERY encouragement should be given to investments in the North. We have benefited from Asian investments and I think that overseas students who have studied at our universities will have had an influence in the enterprises who have employed them in the workplace.

The Home Office wants a cap on overseas students.

Universities want to recruit students from other countries.

We live in a world with global trade and we need to encourage rather than discourage contacts with other countries.

G Bulmer, Billingham.