SIR – Debating the EU with Jason Smith (Letters, January 4) is like flogging a dead horse.

His information comes from the Bruges Group, an openly Eurosceptic organisation – hardly unbiased.

For my part, I use National Statistics, where facts and figures are in the public domain and easily verifiable. But, to quote Alexander Pope: “It is with our judgments as with our watches: no two go just alike, yet each believes his own”. So be it. But one final tilt on my part.

If Jason believes that associate membership of the EU is a cheaper option than full membership, he should know that EFTA countries like Norway have to pay a thumping great premium to the EU to obtain access to the Single Market.

On top of that, they have to adhere to rafts of EU legislation which they had no hand in formulating.

Stuart Baker, Markham Croft, Leeds