IN his letter about immigration, John Young (HAS 6 May) questions the relevance of the lower end of the social scale.

Unfortunately, most societies are based on a three-tiered system .The top tier rules, while the middle tier manipulates the lower tier on behalf of the top tier in the expectation they will gain admission to the top level.

Areas of lowest immigration, like the North-East are also those with highest unemployment. After all, no one moves to a place with no opportunities.

Historically, immigrants, including the indigenous workforce moved to carry out specialised work, fill gaps in the work force and/or take up better paid work.

All of this enabled the rich to keep a strong hold on power and wealth by widening the income differential. The gap between the elite and the poor, particularly in Third World countries in terms of resources, is energising the need to emigrate and lowering the living standards of the poorest in all societies.

Mr Young can rest assured that outside the family or village, most of us are, and will remain, irrelevant to the top tier of our societies.

To blame the poor immigrant will not change this situation.

B Jackson, Sacriston.