NISSAN

ALL credit must go to the world-class workforce at Nissan Sunderland for their high productivity and dedication to quality, which in part is achieved by a willingness to do shift work.

However, the £40m grant from the British Government must be looked at in its true context as Nissan is now effectively controlled by Renault, which is 70 per cent French owned.

The grant, therefore, represents a bung from the British Government to the French Government to persuade Nissan it should build the new Micra at Sunderland rather than at Flins in France where the workers will not work at night.

What I want to know is, as the money does not guarantee that the decision will go in favour of Sunderland, is it on a sale or return basis if the decision goes in favour of the French plant?

When Carlos Ghosn and his colleagues make their decision they should reflect on the fact that the British taxpayers' money will go a long way towards compensating them for the damage done to their profits which is not due to the strength of the pound as he mistakenly claims, but to the weakness of the euro. - JS Pearson, Belford, Northumberland.

YOUNG PEOPLE

ON my way home from work I pass through Chancery Lane, the alleyway alongside Pizza Hut, in Darlington.

One night there was a homeless young man of approximately 18-20 years sitting in the freezing cold. Coming in the opposite direction was a group of six youths, ten to 12-years-old. I feared the worst when they stopped in front of the man sitting down and began to question him. "What are you doing? Why are you sat in the dark?" I hoped they weren't going to attack him.

As I passed the gang they were actually going through their pockets and managed to scrape up 85p between them to give to the young man.

It quite shocked me, I was expecting the worst and with today's kids always in the news for all the wrong reasons, I thought I would write and tell you something positive for a change. - Alison Mann, Darlington.

FOX-HUNTING

HOW can Tony Blair and the Labour Party justify turning otherwise law abiding citizens into criminals? Can we as a nation be so apathetic that we allow the way of life of a substantial minority to be destroyed?

If fox-hunting is to be banned it must be logical that shooting and fishing will follow.

I personally have no wish to go hunting and I don't knowingly eat meat, fish or fowl. I find it impossible to accept the death of an animal for my pleasure, but we must defend the right of everybody to pursue the course of their lives as they don't directly affect others and if killing an animal is involved it is carried out as humanely as possible. - S Feaster, Chairman, Rydale Branch, United Kingdom Independence Party.

IT was entirely predictable, knowing his penchant for double-speak, that after promising to vote for a ban on hunting, Tony Blair should make himself scarce from Parliament during the actual vote.

It was also entirely predictable that Labour MPs would vote for a ban. They know full well that most of us don't care one way or the other about hunting, so it's an easy victory for them. It has nothing to do with saving the poor old fox however, nor has it anything to do with wildlife preservation, but everything to do with getting rid of yet another symbol of British individuality. All the easier to sink us into the morass that is multicultural Europe. - A Pearce, Peterlee.

West Auckland

IN reply to Mrs Rielly's letter (HAS, Jan 13) here is the abstract which appeared in my West Auckland Focus. I quote: "Once again we have a Christmas tree in West Auckland thanks to a few of the residents forming a committee. Special thanks should go to Lynn Rielly for doing all the organising and to Richard Wade and friends for organising the erection of the tree."

I began delivering this leaflet and had delivered five per cent of them. The next day I was contacted by Mrs Rielly who had received a complaint from Councillors Sonny and Margaret Douthwaite. Mrs Rielly insisted I deliver no further leaflets to which I agreed. At no point in my leaflet do I suggest the Christmas tree is a Liberal Democrat initiative or any councillor has financial interest in it. In fact each councillor gives an equal amount to purchase the tree each year.

I prepare and deliver this leaflet, which contained many other items, to try and keep the villagers informed. I now wish to inform the villagers of West Auckland they will receive the leaflet in the very near future. - J Ferguson, West Auckland.

TRAINING

BISHOP Auckland College is offering free places on its IT courses to people receiving benefits. Very laudable.

I wonder just how many actually get work after the course ends or have some just found somewhere warm to go during the winter.

There are friends who are in work but earning above the benefit line and are, due to home and family commitments, unable to afford to pay for these courses themselves. They are in jobs in which their employers are either unable or unwilling to help in their career development.

Would it not be better targeting these free places at these people? They would stand a better chance of either promotion or finding other employment, so actually creating jobs. - RP Bainbridge, Crook.

NEW LABOUR

I DO believe that your resident scribe and Mr Blair's cheer leader will be in for a big surprise come the next election. I am referring to Hugh Pender.

New Labour may get in power again, but I forecast that they will lose a large number of MPs.

Mr Blair has taken our country into Europe against the majority of the people's wishes and against a referendum by our people. He has sold our freedom and our way of life, but the bubble will burst, make no mistake.You know the old saying "Dangle the carrot and the donkeys will follow." - F Wealands, Darlington.