IF all you wanted to do on holiday was to stretch out on the beach, you would not choose a resort with a shingle beach. Most people, however, want a variety of activities and a little research reveals they can enjoy them in most resorts and that they are prepared to accept the shingle.

The EU laws agreed by our politicians may contain an element of "shingle", but overall they bring benefits to their areas of application that would be denied if the broad picture was not looked at.

The information to gain the broad picture is there, but people have to make dedicated efforts to find and understand it. There is a need for channels of information to enable greater understanding. This becomes critically important if a referendum on the mainly tidyingup EU Treaty is called.

People who have looked at the treaty in some detail have found that the "shingle" is minimal.

Others have focused on the "shingle" and some would have us withdraw from the EU.

Given detailed examination of the treaty a referendum is not necessary, but if we are to have one time must be taken to enable people to be given the broad range of information.

Bill Morehead, Darlington.

I AGREE somewhat with Hugh Pender (HAS, Aug 27) regarding the rights of victims over criminals, but in the case of head teacher Philip Lawrence's killer, Learco Chindamo, who is to be allowed to stay in the UK on release from prison, is it not the case that the real cause is the EU directive, 2004/58, regarding the "free movement of peoples"?

Britain is free to deport a criminal such as Chindamo if he poses a risk to the public, but we can't deport a man in prison. To release the man from prison surely means the lawmakers have deemed him not to be a risk, so Britain is not really at liberty to deport the man released from prison.

Might I point out Article 69 of the new EU Treaty, which asks nations to abolish "any controls on persons, whatever their nationality, when crossing internal borders". So, wherever you are from or might have done, once you enter any EU country, you are free to enter any of the other 26 nations.

Is it really too much to ask that this great nation debates and makes the rules for its own people in our own Parliament?

Jim Tague, Bishop Auckland Conservatives.