EUROPE: WITH the publication of the Parliamentary Bill to approve the new European Constitutional Treaty we can now look forward to a proper debate on the treaty and the proposals it contains.

The parliamentary debate will provide - for the first time - an opportunity for the public to hear both sides of the story.

Now that it is clear that the referendum question is straightforward and non controversial, perhaps we can concentrate on the important issues facing Britain and its relationship with its closest partners in Europe.

There will be a stark choice facing voters: to continue with our present course of active engagement in Europe or take a step into the unknown by rejecting the treaty. The first course has served us well for over 30 years, ensuring British prosperity and higher living standards. The second course of action is fraught with uncertainty and would be a leap into the unknown. - Joe Keenan, Regional Director (North-East), Britain in Europe.

IMMIGRATION

ON the eve of the 60th year of remembrance since the concentration camp Auschwitz was liberated, after a million Jews, Poles, Russians, Romany and many other nationalities were murdered at that camp, I find it utterly distasteful that the son of one of the Jewish refugees who escaped the clutches of the Nazis, namely the Conservative Party leader Michael Howard, should begin to suggest policies that limit the numbers of refugees.

Just imagine if similar policies to Michael Howard's were in place in Britain during the time Michael Howard's parents fled Romania? - Kevin Popper, Redcar.

FROM what Michael Howard says, one might imagine that half the world's refugees were coming to Britain.

In fact, most end up in the poorest countries and the entire EU receives just three per cent. Britain ranks eighth in Europe in terms of refugees per head of population.

One might also be forgiven for thinking that most immigrants are asylum seekers and refugees. In fact, the number of asylum seekers has halved over the last three years, and they now make up only a quarter of net immigration.

The rest come in, quite legitimately, on work permits or other managed migration programmes, and over half are British returnees. Of foreign workers in Britain, the overwhelming majority are in professional/managerial jobs, and over one third come from Ireland, France, Italy or other EU countries.

But hey, let's not allow the facts to spoil a good scandal. - Pete Winstanley, Durham.

REGIONAL ASSEMBLY

I COMPLETELY agree with Councillor John Shuttleworth (Echo Jan 26), that the unelected North East Assembly should disband, and the £860,000 council taxpayers' money, along with the £2m of funding, could be better used.

In fact, under last week's Conservative proposals to cut waste and duplicated effort, regional assemblies would have their powers stripped.

With councils now looking to budget for the year ahead, the public should demand their local authority refrain from funding the assembly, or clearly and publicly state why they wish to continue to fund it.

It is almost unbelievable, but quite typical, that Labour and the Lib-Dems, fierce supporters of the regional assembly, still wish to field candidates in local elections. Under their proposals, the regional assembly would have stripped away local democracy and local councillors, now they are suddenly all for "local decisions".

Of course, Wear Valley's Labour leader and the Lib-Dem leader of the Opposition have a canny little number sitting on the regional assembly, both hypocritical and unnecessary. The real mugs, of course, are ourselves, for continuing to allow such use of taxpayers' money. - Jim Tague, Bishop Auckland Conservatives.

JOHN Shuttleworth is right to demand the immediate abolition of the unelected regional assembly (Echo, Jan 26).

Our MPs in the North-East (almost all of whom belong to the party of Government) should now acknowledge the clear rejection by the voters of a regional assembly, and should insist that the Government gets rid of it.

Significant powers, such as those over planning, have been given to this unelected body, and our MPs should demand that they are promptly returned to local authorities.

It is completely undemocratic for such important issues to be decided by a small group of unelected and unaccountable people.

If our MPs fail to act, then they are aiding and abetting the Government as it rides roughshod over the wishes of the people of the North-East yet again.

The Prime Minister, as Sedgefield's MP, should for once properly represent the voters of the area - or are we going to have this costly assembly foisted on us regardless of what people actually want? - Judith Wallace, Whitley Bay.

SIR WINSTON CHURCHILL

IN reply to E Whittaker (HAS, Jan 25), whilst Sir Winston Churchill played a part initially in the European Movement, based on an alliance of sovereign countries who would remain independent, he later stated in Collective Essays of Winston Churchill: "We are with Europe but not of it. We are interested and associated but not absorbed".

Prior to his death, he protested against Britain's entry into the Common Market.

Winston Churchill saw Britain and the Commonwealth as a separate entity to the United States of Europe.

Prime Minister Tony Blair was against the EEC in the early 1980s. He stated: "Above all, the EEC takes away Britain's freedom to follow the economic policies we need. We will negotiate withdrawal." Now he is after the top job - president.

The founding of the EU goes back to the First World War era when the United States of Europe first saw the light of day with a wide range of business leaders, including Adenauer, a future German political leader.

The founding fathers were Jean Monnet, Louis Loucher and Count Coudenhove amongst others.

I am sorry but Mr Whittaker is incorrect in his statement that the EU will not effect our sovereignty, our laws, our currency; EU law is above English law and EU judges rank higher than English judges.

Don't forget the Metric Martyrs. The EU is the higher authority - but who voted for that? - John H Waiting, Guisborough.

EDUCATION

IS the report (Echo, Jan 17) really true? Pupils have been awarded B grades at maths GCSE after scoring only 17 per cent, a large drop from the 40 per cent needed last year. Worse still, 45 per cent is sufficient for an A grade.

Roger Porkess, who designs maths syllabuses, is quite right. It really is a dreadful mess.

Even the most elementary mathematics tells you that if you do 100 sums and get only 17 right, that is very poor. Likewise, getting 40 correct is less than half and no way should earn a top grade.

No wonder employers can no longer rely on GCSE grades as an indication of the real intelligence and ability of an applicant. - EA Moralee, Billingham.