Letters to the Editor

SIR - Students who have achieved high grades in their A-level and GCSE exams deserve the highest praise for meeting the current requirements, assessed by a combination of exams and assignments.

However it is inappropriate to state that standards are now higher than previously, when top grades were less common, because the criteria and course content of subjects have changed significantly to prevent an exact comparison.

For example at one time subjects were only assessed by exams, and each grade had a maximum allocation, hence only a fixed proportion could attain top grades. In foreign languages emphasis was placed on formal grammar and the study of literature, when now the emphasis is made on free expression and the literature component has been omitted.

In the natural sciences and mathematics, university departments have found that current students are less well prepared for degree studies than earlier generations, as much material which was included in traditional A-levels had been subsequently omitted.

Today's students are required to prepare assignments as part of their final results, which develop research and presentational skills, but it would seem that some of the more challenging intellectual content of traditional studies has been omitted.

Alec Suchi, Allerton Road, Allerton

That's democracy!

SIR - I refer to the letter from Ken Morton (T&A, August 17) deriding Mr Sutcliffe's input on West Bowling Golf Course and the excellent letter by Mr Rashid (T&A, August 19) pointing out problems with regeneration in Bradford in regard to fair and independent appraisal

As an elected MP Mr Sutcliffe has done constituents great service in preserving an amenity in his constituency and has shown fortitude in representing community views.

At public inquiry a number of other objections were considered and, in the light of such, a decision was made which Mr Morton does not agree with.

The community acknowledges and supports Mr Sutcliffe's efforts - that, unfortunately Mr Morton, is democracy not a "sucker punch".

Developers make fallacious arguments of convenience regarding job creation; this philanthropic view is far removed from any potential money they will make on short-term schemes.

Mr Sutcliffe has also endorsed the Woodside village green which is currently under threat by a large development currently approved by the Council despite no certification for one of the owners on file.

Such cases are test beds for a government that purports to protect and enhance green belt and greenfield sites

Colin Duke, Meadway, Woodside, Bradford

Information hunt

SIR - I wonder if any of your readers can help with any details of the life of Francis Egan, my great uncle? He died on August 4, 1933 aged 47. Probably born in Bradford in 1886, he was a councillor and a JP, retiring in 1927 or 28. He had a sister Mary Harrison (nee Egan). I would be grateful for any information.

Trevor Harris, 19 Swallow Gardens, Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, BS22 8RU

Worrying thought

SIR - I remember a while ago when an intruder sat on the Queen's bed and more recently one of the Fathers for Justice was caught perched on a ledge outside Buckingham Palace dressed as Batman.

Then we had the nondescript in drag scaling a wall at Windsor Castle and actually standing next to Prince William at his birthday party.

Now, for the second time, a reporter has breached security at Sandhurst and got within touching distance of Prince Harry (T&A, August 15).

After each incident the Ministry of Defence always says it will investigate but the public never hears the result of its inquiries.

If the security forces can't protect the Royals it doesn't bode well for the rest of us!

David Rhodes, Croscombe Walk, Bradford.

Government's fault

SIR - I do not mind criticism of my letters, but insults annoy me. Geoff Tasker (T&A, August 16) still believes that the second Gulf war was legal, and not about oil, when there is already a scandal about the oil-for-food scheme.

He says I believed in weapons of mass destruction, which I do not and never did. The Ministry of Defence and the War Office run the Army, so the Government really do try British soldiers.

If the war had been about liberating people, America and Britain would have invaded Zimbabwe no matter what the African Union thought about it.

He says my comments about the bombings in London are bordering on incitement - how silly.

I have earned the right as any free Englishman to say what I like about this Government.

The Government was warned a long time before the attacks took place; so I say it is their fault, especially as they have lost the plot over illegal immigrants.

N Brown, Peterborough Place, Undercliffe.

Deal with discipline

SIR - I must respond to David Rhodes (T&A, August 9).

Abolishing capital punishment and the further erosion of discipline are two of the reasons this country is in the state that it is in, or do the headlines "Lawless Britain" not mean anything to Mr Rhodes?

Also, why should people of this country have to "cope" with the financial implications of terrorism etc? As a taxpayer I would prefer this money to be spent on other things - firstly, dealing with discipline and law and order, mainly preventing things happening rather than mopping up afterwards.

With regard to the IRA, I feel it is Mr Rhodes who lives in cloud cuckoo land. All governments bent over backwards to appease them over the years.

Thousands of deaths, tens of thousands injured and now Adams, McGuinness etc in Parliament (which I find insulting to those bereaved).

Why not go the whole way, Mr Rhodes, and invite Bin Laden and Bakri to discuss things?

I wish Blair would adopt his international tough stance in his own country!

G Drake, Sangster Way, Bradford.

More tolerance

SIR - With reference to the letter from G Tasker (T&A, August 16) about N Brown being a doom-monger, Mr Brown has a perfect right to have his opinions as anybody else.

Maybe he is right or wrong, it doesn't matter, he has that right.

I don't agree with a lot of things I see in readers' letters sometimes, but as Voltaire said centuries ago "I don't agree with a word you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

So perhaps a little more tolerance of other people's viewpoint may be in order, because nobody's right all the time - or wrong either.

W H Morey, Sycamore Court, Sycamore Close, Bradford.

Can anyone help?

SIR - I wonder if any of your readers can help me? I am looking for a photograph of the little wooden bridge that was over the stream at the end of Ravenscliffe Avenue - known as Fagley Beck.

The bridge, now gone owing to vandalism - was used by many families on the Ravenscliffe estate going for walks etc in the 1940s and 1950s.

I would pay to have copies made and return any original photographs of this bridge. Please help if possible - I lived on the estate from 1935 to 1951.

Bernard Shone, 12a Whitehill Park, Whitehill, Bordon, Hants.