SIR - In reply to Les Brotherton's letter (T&A, July 23). As a former teacher in the inner city I have taught many children of Asian background.

Studies on French-speaking bilingual students in Canada in the 1970s have supported the view that not having English or host-country language on entry to school does not in any way hinder language or indeed intellectual development.

As a monolingual Polish speaker in the 1950s, I and thousands others entered school having no English yet we Poles, Ukrainians and other ethnic minorities were more usually in the top ten per cent of achievers. My children - now 27, 26 and 23 - all spoke Polish at home and still do with their grandparents. All have had success at school.

I now tutor privately children of my neighbours, all Asians who want the best for their children.

It is schools, their attitude, expectations and Bradford Council who are letting the children down.

Whether one has English at home or not is merely a smokescreen for the monolingual ethnically-challenged do-gooders who insist that all things English are OK, yet when it comes to bidding for Capital of Culture status, parade the minority ethnic culture.

Stefania Lewkowicz, Carrbottom Road, Bradford 5.

SIR - So Lord Ouseley says that the prison terms meted out to those criminals who were involved in last year's riots were "harsh beyond all reason" (T&A, July 19). He is perfectly entitled to his own opinion just as I am entitled to disagree with him.

Lord Ouseley does not live in Bradford, and I doubt very much that he has suffered any rioting where he does live!

Let us not forget that not one of the rioters jailed will serve the full sentence. They will serve half.

Some people now seem to want to "water down" what many of the rioters were doing, ie "they were only throwing a few stones".

Thank goodness these acts were filmed so the ferocity and aggression of these stone-throwers was captured for all to see.

Brian Pickford, Summerbridge Crescent, Eccleshill.

SIR - Lord Ouseley's long-winded and no doubt expensive Race Review was generally accepted by the mainstream and the various political protagonists alike. The city had reached its lowest ebb and we were all desperate for any sort of guidance. The review was not exactly convincing but I for one gave it the benefit of the doubt.

However, after Ouseley's latest utterances about the severity of the rioters' sentences, I feel that he has lost credibility. The integrity of his Review must now be called into question when he can espouse such thoughts.

The riot was unprecedented in Bradford's history and even a token stone-thrower carries a collective responsibility. Apart from the millions lost that night in damages, the rioters created a climate of fear that exists to this day.

Ouseley should visit some of the club members who thought their time was up when they were locked in their barricaded premises amid an arson attack.

John Masters, Kirk Lane, Yeadon.

SIR - Thanks for Jim Greenhalf's enthusiastic review of David Gill's excellent new book of dialect verse, The Amateur Yorkshireman.

As Jim says, dialect poetry means a great deal more than "Albert and the Lion" monologues, with due respect to Stanley Holloway. It was good, also, to hear Gill demonstrating the point by an accomplished reading on BBC Radio 3 the very same day.

Anyone who missed his performance can catch up on this newest jewel in West Yorkshire's poetic crown on Wednesday, July 31, when David headlines the monthly Orpheus poetry and song event at the Melborn pub in White Abbey Road, supported by an excellent local singer-songwriter, Eddie Lawler.

What's more, everyone attending will get a free copy of David's new book, which has got to be the bargain of the year!

Karl Dallas, Church Green, Bradford 8.

SIR - So G A Hudson (T&A, July 23) thinks someone should shut me up! Well, Mr Hudson, let me answer the points you make. The costs of Bradford Bulls plc to taxpayers given in my earlier letters are figures reported in this paper, all I might add confirmed by our Council.

Local government has not just a moral but legal obligation to fund education, council housing, healthcare, care for the elderly, local sports facilities, cleansing etc...but most certainly not professional sport, whatever the shape of the ball.

The indisputable facts are that while money has been poured into Rugby League since 1985, homes for the elderly, swimming pools and sports centres have closed, council housing has fallen into disrepair due to a chronic lack of funds, education is desperately short of money...Need I go on?

The question Mr Hudson should be asking is why, despite receiving very large sums of money from Sky TV and the highest gates in Super League plus £337,000 per year from the taxpayers of this city, his club is unable to fund its own new-build stadium, or indeed meet the running costs of an existing one.

Barry Wood, Knights Fold, Bradford 7.

SIR - This year sees 100 years of Army nursing from 1902-2002. Behind every wounded Tommy stands a lady in the scarlet and grey cape and dress, still wearing the veil of rank (discarded by her civilian sister) of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps (formerly Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service).

Despite the dreadful loss of QAs on Dunkirk's beaches, and the slaughter of these brave ladies by Japanese soldiers after the fall of Singapore, this nursing regiment appears not to deserve headlines on its anniversary.

When I proudly state I was a QA, I am often met by blank stares and asked "A what?"

I was in London in April for the 100th reunion, and enjoyed every moment. I know we in Bradford have at least one young lady from Denholme who is at present in the QARANC and has seen duties in Bosnia and Kosova so far. Well done, Belinda.

Nowadays male and female staff the QA's ranks - as also, the Royal Army Medical Corps, our brothers-in-arms.

So, good luck to Claire, our new recruit from Bradford. May many other young folks think hard and swell the ranks.

Mrs F Dunn (former L/Cpt QARANC 1949-51), Great Horton Bank Top, Bradford 7.

SIR - I write with regard to a comment made by Judge Scott regarding his sentencing of Frank Grant, (T&A, July 17): "You want to be seen as a decent black man who sets an example."

While I do not condone Frank Grant's violence in any way, I believe Judge Scott should explain to Bradford's Afro-Caribbean male population exactly what he meant by that remark.

He would not have said this if Frank was a white man. I believe comments like this reinforce stereotyping.

Alison Kuhne, Sydenham Place, Undercliffe, Bradford.

SIR - My wife, who had been terminally ill with cancer, passed away recently and I would like to take this opportunity to put on record the wonderful and dedicated service she experienced from Bradford Social Services, care services, McMillan organisation, NHS etc.

We hear and read so often about the failure of the Health Service. My own experience, particularly over the last two months, has been that Bradford can be proud of the care displayed by all concerned.

May they continue their good work.

F Reiman, Ashfield Road, Shipley.

SIR - I would like to comment on the recent sad events concerning Bradford Cathedral choirmaster Alan Horsey.

As many would agree, Alan has worked very hard using his musical talents to bring true Christian happiness and enjoyment to people of all ages at Bradford Cathedral.

J and V Riley, Hough, Stump Cross, Halifax.