May 12, 2006

It is an unfortunate fact that the Post Office has a declining network. There are already more PayPoint outlets (15,000-plus) than Post Office branches across the UK (14,585), with another 2,000 PayPoint outlets predicted to come online by 2007.

PayPoint outlets are also open for an average of 100 hours per week - 98 per cent are open on Sundays and 79 per cent from 9am to 8pm.

A second consideration for our decision was value for money for licence payers. Despite your reader's scepticism, we do expect to save more than £100m over the life of the new contract, savings which will be put directly into programmes and services.

Finally, there are many other different ways to pay for TV licences. More than 12 million people pay by direct debit, while others pay via our website, by posting a cheque, or by phone using a debit or credit card.

For details on concessions or payment schemes, visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk or contact TV Licensing on 0870 241 5590. - Pipa Doubtfire, Head of Revenue Management, BBC TV Licensing.

BRITISH COMEDY

US Brits have a unique sense of humour, and it is no surprise that some of my German friends and business associates think that I am a crackpot.

I grew up on a healthy comical diet of Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan and Jim Davidson on television, and their madcap antics always made me chuckle.

These days, my children have the displeasure of having to watch "comedians" such as Julian Clary, Graham Norton and Ben Elton, who have yet to even raise a slight smile in our household.

The days of great British comedians may now be over but, thankfully, the unique British humour will continue to be appreciated, as we tell humorous stories about goldfish and garden plants as we visit other countries.

The Labour Party may be hell-bent on destroying the British identity, but they will never be able to take away our humour, even if the current Government is made up of clowns. - Christopher Wardell, Darlington.

IMMIGRATION

I HOPE Peter Sagar (HAS, Apr 27) can agree that many, if not most, of those expressing concerns on the subject of immigration are neither racists nor BNP supporters.

Rather, they are aware through various media that foreigners are arriving in this country in greater numbers than ever before, and they look for evidence that the Government approves of this, or indeed, whether Government has any control in the matter.

What they find shows that, for many years, governments from both main political parties have been witnesses, rather than managers of, a steady increase in immigration. Evidence of control, regulation, or even of policy, is difficult to find. Figures are rarely mentioned, being too often the product of guesswork. Public discussion of the subject is frowned upon.

Those who imagine that a substantial criminal record would bar a foreigner seeking entry to Britain will be dismayed at the recent revelations of Home Office mismanagement of foreign prisoners, who make up one eighth of the total prison population. This must cast doubt on Mr Sagar's implied claim that immigration brings improvement in our society. - Bob Jarratt, Caldwell, Richmond.

FOREIGN CRIMINALS

IN his criticism of my earlier letter, Tony Kelly (HAS, May 10) conveniently ignores my description of the failure to deport foreign convicts as "deplorable", and my reference to "tragic misjudgements with regard to the suitability of offenders for release".

I was merely trying to counter the alarmist reporting of this issue, which may have led some people to believe that more than 1,000 foreign rapists, murderers and muggers are wandering our streets.

While there have been disgraceful failures within various government departments, all of the 1,023 foreign prisoners released over the past seven years have served their sentences.

They include three murderers and nine rapists, but the majority have not committed serious crimes, do not present a significant public danger, and have not been recommended for deportation. - Pete Winstanley, Durham.

KEEP IT UP

FURTHER to David Johnson's letter (HAS, May 10) I must endorse his remarks regarding the "good" things that are happening on the so-called "sink estate". I was in an audience of more than 120 at the local church on the estate to witness a fabulous show given by young people, called Stars In Their Eyes.

A most professional show was put on by the youth and youth leaders, who do some very good work with the teenagers of the area at Auckland Youth and Community Centre (AYCC).

This show was the second production, the first having been very well received at the local workingmen's club, where more than £600 was raised for the AYCC to continue their good work.

The church benefited by more than £110 also. Together with the AYCC and the Churches Community projects, Woodhouse is becoming a better place to live, despite the negative remarks often aired in the Press. Keep up the good work. - Peter Hall, Church member, Bishop Auckland.

IVF AGE LIMIT

LORD Winston makes the point that it is wrong to deny people NHS fertility treatment on the basis of age. Those who set an upper limit are using age as a crude indicator of a woman's probability of success. We could avoid this age discrimination if NHS funding was awarded retrospectively.

Women who feel their chances are good enough to justify the attempt would put up the money for this. The price of treatment for that cycle would afterwards be refunded if it was successful.

Some will, of course, say they can't afford to do this. But, if they haven't been able to save a few thousand pounds in all the years they have been childless, one wonders how they will cope when they have a child. - John Riseley, Harrogate.

HARD TO ACCEPT

WHILE many people continue to search for an NHS dentist, those who have one now face the Government's new charges. A single filling is now £42.40. I understand that some politicians support charging for hospital food. When you also consider higher prescription charges, who can believe the Government that the NHS is "free at the point of delivery"? - Derek Cattell, Windlestone Park, County Durham.

IN TUNE...

I support M and J Green (HAS, May 11). The young people in the Durham County Big Band who played at the reopening of South Park, Darlington, should be commended on their achievements. If an equivalent number of young people had disrupted the afternoon it would have been front page news. I think it is high time that the vast numbers of decent youngsters were given some credit. - Jean Lazenby, Darlington.