PRESIDENT BUSH: YOU asked (Echo, Nov 22): "Has President Bush's visit benefited the North-East?"

You gave the answer in the marvellous pictures and well-constructed articles recording the momentous few hours.

The BBC's Washington correspondent, reporting on television in his summary of the President's visit, said: "When the people in America watch on television the reaction of the people of Sedgefield to the visit they will be thrilled at how the President made himself at home with ordinary people and the enthusiastic manner of their friendly welcome."

My congratulations on a great team effort in capturing the excitement of the community on the wonderful occasion presented to them.

Your website will be in the forefront of introducing the North-East to the rest of the world, proudly proclaiming: "This is the North-East." - Thomas Conlon, Spennymoor.

BIG CONVERSATION

THE Big Conversation proposed by Tony Blair must draw a wry grin from many.

The Prime Minister claims he is at "a fork in the road" and wants to consult the nation. One can almost hear the derisive laughter echo round the nation.

This from the man who flatly refused to allow the people of Britain a vote on that invidious list of traitorous betrayals, the proposed European constitution.

Mr Blair is using the clever ploy of getting close up and friendly with everyone, to try and recoup some of this fast-dwindling popularity. Too late. The British people know from past experience that Mr Blair has already decided what he intends to do and will do it, regardless of what anyone says or suggests.

This so-called conversation will be merely an exercise in forcing his ideas on anyone who will listen.

If Mr Blair really intended to listen to the people and act on their wishes, he would not be forcing us deeper into Europe for a start. He knows that the majority of the population would rather withdraw entirely from Europe. They would tell him, if only he'd allow a referendum. But he won't listen to that sort of conversation; it doesn't suit Mr Blair's plans for this own future. - EA Moralee, Billingham.

Teesside AIRPORT

Darlington Borough Council is, to say the least, misguided in supporting the proposed change in the airport name.

Imagine the frustration of the traveller/tourist to the cathedral city arriving possibly late in the day to find there is no direct rail or road service, so eventually arriving at Durham at added expense and probably in a longer time than the high speed trains service.

Surely 'Durham' is misleading.

If a geographical identity is necessary, then Darlington is more appropriate and internationally known.

Councillor Empson of Redcar is correct is saying that Teesside is established and regional, whereas Tees Valley is not and leads to confusion with Teesdale. Incidentally, neither Stockton nor Middlesbrough are in a valley.

Surely, if renaming is vital, then Darlington and Teesside Airport would be more honest and practical. - GF Angus, Darlington.

CAPITAL PUNISHMENT

I AM incensed to write this. The sooner that capital punishment is introduced the better. The MP who strives for it would get my vote.

We kill rats because they are vermin (they don't know any better) so why not human vermin (who should know better).

It's no good talking about setting aside "citizens rights". People who kill are outside the law and are not citizens. Why give them rights? They have no respect for decent communities.

Capital punishment probably won't act as a deterrent, but it gets rid of vermin. By putting them in "hotels" for a few years is more than they deserve and too expensive.

The case of capital punishment making irreversible punishment is not an issue, because with today's scientific and DNA knowledge, miscarriages of justice would be almost nil.

I care about people as I have donated 78 pints of blood, and donate regularly to several charities, but I still do not like human vermin. - E Waterhouse, Durham.

CAPITAL punishment should never have been abolished. How can law and order work if there is no punishment.

It appears to me prison is like some holiday camp or you wouldn't have repeat offenders. Even some murderers are repeat offenders, so we have serial killers the country cannot afford to keep given 15 years. And with good behaviour they will be out in seven-and-a-half years.

Mental hospitals can keep prisoners for life and they can set killers free after a few years.

So why can't the public have a vote on the death penalty instead of governments taking it into their own hands?

Innocent people wouldn't hang. It's lies and corruption that hangs innocent people. - TW Armstrong, Murton.

LETTERS on capital punishment (HAS, Nov 27) both quite rightly make the point of an innocent person being hanged.

Not even the most zealous pro-hanger wishes to hang an innocent person. But there are some murders where there is absolutely no doubt who the murderer is, and there is no reason why these people should not be hanged. - Leslie Lewis, Bishop Auckland.

TUITION FEES

IT seems that parents are the most concerned about the tuition fees the students will pay after they graduate.

Parents are not expected to pay anything towards the fees. The students pay later but only when they earn a sufficiently high salary.

At an education gathering in London a few years ago it was emphasised that it was wise to gain higher qualifications since they meant that your earnings would be higher. A graduate, over a lifetime, will earn £400,000 more than he or she would with no degree.

It is clear that, owing to the safeguards built into the scheme, the less well-off will fare better. As the proportion of graduates increases towards 50 per cent, it should be remembered that, if the money were raised by taxation, the vast majority of taxpayers would be financing a scheme that passed them by and from which they would have no personal gain.

It seems that those who benefit should pay a limited contribution towards a scheme which is so valuable to them. - David Oliver, Cleadon.