Readers' letters - April 4

Tory MP John Redwood says we are the world’s fifth-largest economy, but what he fails to point out is that our economy is based on debt – we are not the world’s fifth-richest country.

Anyone who has just received their new tax coding letter will now be aware that, out of 15 items where the Government spends our tax, the fifth-largest is for repayment of national debt.

And that is because we have a huge trade imbalance – we spend much more on buying from abroad than we gain from our exports.

Many of these imports are not needed, except people think it’s posh to buy foreign food. The richest countries are those which sell more than they buy, like Germany, France and China.

It doesn’t matter if we leave the EU or not, we have to buy more British goods.

Passports are a good example. Note that Germany, France and several other countries state that making passports is a matter of state security, so don’t go through the tendering process at all, as EU rules allow.

Why don’t we?

John Poulter

Address supplied

Encourage cycling as well as recycling

As a result of the landmark case of a musician winning a claim for hearing loss (caused by sitting in front of the brass section of an orchestra), and with a High Court judge saying:

“Musicians are entitled to the protection of the law, as is any other worker,” might we now have a judgement that cyclists are entitled to the protection of the law, as is any driver?

Drivers have a whole raft of hi-tech safety devices and cyclists only have polystyrene helmets – they don’t offer the same protection as steel shells, impact zones, air bags and so on.

Also, where four ‘fat’ tyres and a four-wheel drive helps to prevent drivers from skidding in treacherous driving conditions (caused by climate change), two skinny, high-pressure tyres on a lightweight bicycle don’t.

Further, given that Elon Musk has plans to fly to Mars in the foreseeable future, and the RAF claims: “This is a really good time to be involved, not only in the air force, but in the aviation and space industry, as we develop new technologies and new ways of pushing human boundaries,” shouldn’t speed-limiting equipment be fitted to all motor vehicles?

After all, if we need to reduce plastic pollution and encourage recycling, shouldn’t we be doing even more to reduce CO2 emissions and encourage cycling?

Won’t the future of the next generation be threatened if we don’t?

Allan Ramsay

Address supplied

Korean War servicemen

I am acting on behalf of the authorities at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, Busan, South Korea, where more than 800 British Servicemen are buried.

The authorities there wish to obtain photographs of those servicemen interred and also of those who died but have no known grave.

Copies of the photos will be placed in the man’s records and will also be displayed on the walls of the Cemetery Hall of Remembrance for all time.

The following names are just some of the young men from the North West who gave their lives in Korea: L/Cpl Dennis Metcalfe; Gnr Gordon Yates; Kgn John E Nuttall; Rfn Brian A Mulligan; Pte John J Cragg; L/S Denis Raine (RN); Pte John Gawith; Pte Duncan Little; Pte John T Brown; Spr James M Beck; Rfn Harold Howarth; Sgt Eric Pigg and Pte Leslie Russell.

Any family or friend who lost a loved one in the Korean War (1950 to 1953), and wish to take part, can send the photograph to me. You can contact me on 0161 368 5622 or 07467037742. Or email [email protected]. May I thank you for any help you can give on this matter.

Brian Hough

116 Fields Farm Road

Hyde, SK14 3NP

Cheshire

More tar on road surfaces

If they actually put more tar on the road, instead of the miserly 20-25mm, the surface would probably last longer. But then, if they did that, their work would probably dry up.

Stephen Hall via email