HEALTH SERVICE: THERE is a difference between telling people how to run their lives and firmly advising them that they are causing much of their own ill health by their lifestyle, especially where smoking, drinking, drugs and obesity are concerned.

There is little sense in doctors treating patients who insist in continuing with the addiction and self-abuse that made them ill in the first place.

Perhaps a compromise would be a fair solution. Give treatment, help and advice in the first instance, so the patient has every opportunity to benefit from the cure. If, however, the patient ignores advice and returns to the lifestyle that causes the problem, they then have no right to complain at being relegated to the end of the waiting list for further treatment or help. - EA Moralee, Billingham.

ASYLUM SEEKERS

I WAS angry but not surprised when I read T Miller's letter (HAS, June 4) and how it ended with "charity begins at home".

We all know that there are many illegal immigrants in our country but also there are many genuine asylum seekers who are in desperate need of help. Negative comments don't help at all, they stir up hatred.

Through no fault of their own, asylum seekers have had to flee their countries. So many have seen members of their families and friends killed. I know people who have scars on their bodies through torture. - Topsy Swain, Darlington.

DURHAM CITY COUNCIL

A LETTER (HAS, June 2) accuses the former Labour administration of Durham City Council of lacking conscience and integrity and yet the author choses to hide behind a cloak of anonymity.

There can be no denying that Labour suffered a disappointing result on May 1, despite significant achievements of the previous four years.

However, the Liberal Democrats campaigned on the single issue of time for a change. They conducted phoney surveys, fuelled discontent and said they would cut £100 off council tax with no means of doing so.

Now that the realisation has dawned, the electorate may well ask was it all a Lib Dem con trick? - M Bennett, Durham.

UNEMPLOYMENT

WE were given to understand that globalisation and the opening up of world markets was to create more work and wealth around the world.

But it is now obvious UK companies are using globalisation as an excuse for their failings and to shop around the world in search of cheap labour.

To take work from workers in our country to give to workers in another country, because their country's cost of living is so much cheaper than ours, seems to be unethical and morally wrong. It also smacks of exploitation.

For years now it's just been manufacturing jobs going abroad. But now the service sector of UK businesses are also sending work to India. One can't help but wonder just how far up the employees' hierarchy ladder do UK companies intend to go. Until all work that can be done abroad is done abroad, and what then?

What UK companies seem to be overlooking in their rush to go abroad in search of cheap labour is that the British worker they so despise and begrudge a wage, is also either directly or indirectly their customer and if the customer isn't working, or just working in some part-time job, they can't buy, or, like me, get so angry they won't buy.

For years, UK businessmen blamed the workers and unions for everything that ailed UK industry. Now they blame globalisation.

Isn't it time they looked to themselves and their management style and skills instead of blaming the rest of the world and his wife. - Olga Foster, Bishop Auckland.

ONCE again we read about yet more jobs being lost in our region and still the powers above can come out with figures showing that unemployment is falling.

I overheard a conversation on the bus the other day about the loss of jobs in the area and could not believe my ears when one of the men said that it was all down to that Thatcher woman.

I could not help myself, but I reminded them that she was not Prime Minister any more, that it was the present Labour leader, Tony Blair, who was running the country, or should that have been ruining the country. When will people see that this area means nothing to our leader? - Peter Brown, Trimdon Village.

YOUR correspondent Mr Dolan (HAS, May 26) wants the UK to be fully integrated into Europe so that we can be the same as all the rest of the European countries.

Presumably then he would be prepared to see an increase in UK income tax, VAT and National Insurance and restrictive labour practices to bring the UK into line with the rest of Europe.

Of the three largest countries in the EU, Germany is in recession and France very soon will be. As always, Italy is in a complete mess, whereas the UK has the best economy in Europe.

Mr Dolan would appear to want to do away with the UK Parliament in favour of direct rule from Brussels.

Actually, I think that the majority of the British people are happy to be able to choose who will govern them at elections every four to five years, rather that than be ruled by unelected commissioners and bureaucrats from Brussels.

Brussels is too remote from the people. The European Parliament and the unelected Commissioners should transfer power back to national governments where it belongs. - K Peacock, Hurworth, Darlington.