19/10/04

I suspect that the real reason behind this enthusiasm is the concept of divide and rule. If England is divided into regions, each squabbling one with another, it will be so much easier to control, both by Whitehall and Brussels, than would a united country, ruled over by an English Parliament.

And this poses another question: what happens if the North-East is the only part of England to have its own assembly?

A future Conservative Government will undoubtedly set up an English Parliament which will leave us out in the cold. - Peter W Elliott, Eaglescliffe.

THERE were 7,000 good reasons (Echo, Oct 14) to vote 'Yes' for an elected regional assembly.

That represented the increase in unemployment here in the North-East over the last quarter. During the same period, the total number of jobless in the south east fell by 7,000.

Unemployment is already nearly double that of the south east. Business start-ups here are half that of the rest of the country, and far more of our children leave school without any qualifications.

We all know there are real imbalances in our economy, and the people and the economy of the North-East are suffering as a result. Bizarrely, the 'No' campaigners, backed by the Tories, want to keep things the way they are.

In contrast, the proposed assembly will have real powers over investment, job creation, and training and skills. It will provide the region with the leadership it has been crying out for. If created, decisions on how nearly £1bn is spent will be taken here in the North-East, and not in Whitehall.

For the sake of our children's prosperity, this is an opportunity that we cannot allow to slip. - Nick Wallis, Darlington.

DURING the regional assembly campaign much has been made of the importance of deciding at regional level how nationally allocated funding will be spent.

This is rightly an important point in the case for a Yes vote. It already happens with European funding, but in this case the influence of elected members is less than it would be under an elected assembly, and the region's track record is not good.

There are, however, two further points which are easily overlooked but of significance. Nationally and at European level considerable funds are available for key policies which are not allocated to specific regions. We desperately need a regional set-up which will focus on achieving the maximum funding and support from these sources. Small and medium-sized companies would benefit in particular.

Furthermore, all this expenditure needs to be rigorously directed towards the creation of jobs and economic growth,

A regional assembly gives us the potential to do this, and to my mind is the overwhelming argument for a Yes vote. - Dr Gordon Adam, ex-North-East MEP, Newcastle.

OVER the last week or so we have seen, read and heard how easy it is to be negative. There have been no cogent joined-up arguments from those who would have us vote against a regional assembly for the North-East. They have chosen the opportunity to attack politicians as if they were not fallible human beings like ourselves.

Politicians are scene setters in the play of life. They endeavour to set the scenes that enable us to live, work and play together. All of us in our various ways contribute to the scenes that have been set.

Scenes however need changing in the light of developments. When this light comes strongly from us, politicians have to change the scene. Where the light comes from a variety of sources and is complex, politicians need to show leadership and change the scene.

Those of us who have had to work hard to convince people in the different areas of the North-East that a task is better undertaken together know the advantages that an assembly would bring. Politicians have taken the lead in proposing a regional assembly. We need to recognise that the change of scene will benefit us all when we play our various parts in making it work. - Bill Morehead, Darlington.

PENSIONS

I TAUGHT for many years and pension contributions were deducted from my salary at source. There was no choice.

As I came to retirement age, I received an index-linked pension. At 21, of course, I would have preferred no taxes, especially income tax, but having no choice in either matter at 60 I am very pleased that this system was in place.

We also pay National Insurance contributions for our health service. If we choose to pay for private health care then that is our prerogative.

Of course, if we amass private savings our income tax will rocket and death duties will cripple our descendants - a no-win situation.

Why can't anyone apply basic common sense in all matters? No, they prefer to spend thousands on ridiculous reports.

Many people are made redundant before retirement age - many employers preferring younger people because basic wage helps them increase their coffers. - Marie Garrod, Sedgefield.

EDUCATION

MARTIN Stephen, Chairman of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, is only partly right in his remarks that the most intelligent teachers should be reserved only for the brightest pupils and should not teach lower ability classes (Echo Oct 5).

Having a high degree of knowledge in a subject does not necessarily mean that a person has the ability to teach it.

Teachers of whatever intelligence should work with the age groups and academic ability groups that are most suited to their skills and with whom they feel most at ease. It is vital that our children are taught well and teachers without the aptitude to pass on knowledge to their pupils are not doing their job.

Less able children need very specialised teaching, which not every teacher is able to give. Similarly, high achievers need their own kind of specialised education in order for them to thrive at school.

Perhaps Dr Stephen means that the teachers with a deep understanding of a subject who would struggle to put that subject across to less able children, would be best placed teaching children at the higher end of the academic scale.

Dr Stephen is right that "one size fits all" does not work. Well-trained teachers know their limitations and where they will be able to teach most effectively. They also know their strengths. These strengths should not be squandered to the detriment of good education in schools. - EA Moralee, Billingham.