Letters

THE choice of Durham City as the headquarters for a North-East Assembly is unwise.

A brief study of the rail network shows that Newcastle would be the central location for a future Regional Assembly. Berwick is a 45 minute journey from Newcastle, and Darlington 35 minutes.

Newcastle has the advantage of an airport, also a sea link with Scandinavia and the Baltic states, who are soon to be members of the European Union.

Having the seat of power at Newcastle could eventually lead to the development of the airport to increased international status, the creation of a high-speed mainline rail link and the expansion of the Metro rail system to all parts of the region.

This would stimulate investment, create employment, increase prosperity across the North-East and move it gradually into a wealth creating society suitable for the 21st century.

Choosing the City of Durham would create an introvert people looking at old stones and dwelling on the past.

Durham has its rowing boats and helicopters but Newcastle has ocean sailing ships and aircraft flying daily to the continent.

The secret of success is to take the best of the past then carry it across new horizons, with Newcastle holding the key to the future. We must never forget the future beckons, the past waves goodbye. - T Conlon, Spennymoor.

ROYAL FAMILY

SURELY it is time the Royals paid for their own security. The Australian tax payers are paying for a 19-year-old Harry to have a good time for two months. Pay up Charles. - CM Johnson, Bedale.

TONY BLAIR

I WAS pleased Tony Blair gave such a robust performance in his recent interview with Sir David Frost.

Despite all recent criticism, he gave the impression of a man who is absolutely confident that what he is doing in government is right.

Quite rightly, he defended the military action in Iraq.

Committing troops to armed conflict takes a lot of courage by a Prime Minister and it was a splendid victory for the Allies.

As for the public services, the Labour Government's policy of investment is much better than having services underfunded as they have been in the past.

I believe Tony Blair's Government has achieved many fine things and that its true worth will be shown in the years to come. - LD Wilson, Guisborough.

FUEL PRICES

IF there is one thing all sides agreed on it was that the conflict with Iraq should have brought down the price of oil and petrol.

Yet six months on, the poor motorist is about to get clobbered again.

Gordon Brown's decision to put 5p on the price of a gallon of petrol will put a dent in the drivers' pockets just as the economy is in danger of turning for the worse.

Residents in rural areas where the sight of a bus is becoming as common as the dodo, will be hit particularly hard.

Mr Brown says the rise is due to the improved international situation following the end of the Iraq conflict.

If the effect of the war has been to stabilise international tension, should not oil prices be coming down?

The truth is that Mr Brown needs the cash as Britain goes into the red.

British drivers already pay through the nose because the Treasury takes three quarters of the pump price.

Chancellor Brown should think again. - DT Murray, Coxhoe, Durham.

MENTAL HEALTH

ISSUES relating to mental health have once again hit the headlines due to the hospitalisation of Frank Bruno.

While most of the press coverage tried to show some understanding, we were also treated to the usual sensationalised rubbish from certain tabloids.

To put mental illness into some sort of perspective, research has shown that one in four of the population will suffer from mental illness at some stage of their lifetime.

Put this another way, the odds are that considerably more people will require psychiatric treatment than will win £10 on the National Lottery.

It is also true to say that it is easier for an ex-offender to return to employment than someone who declares that they have suffered from a mental illness.

The ex-offender also has a very good support system in place, whereas support for those with mental health problems is minimal.

There are small groups of people attempting to improve the lot of the mental patient, or service user as we now appear to be called. One thing that can definitely help our situation is to have good, positive press coverage that helps to raise awareness and diminish the stigma attached to this type of illness. - David Foster, Thirsk.

WATER SUPPLIES

ISN'T it strange that a survey on a proposed change to GM foods in Britain showed an almost complete rejection of this idea (as the long term effects are unknown) but apparently people are unconcerned about the addition of a controversial chemical to our water supply, ie fluoride? - F Atkinson, Shincliffe.