Time we English received parity

SIR - Scotsman Alistair Darling has scrapped Leeds Super Tram, but a similar tram system, at similar cost, goes ahead in Edinburgh. Where's Darling's constituency? Edinburgh!

Another prime example of anti-Englishness by the Scottish-dominated Labour Cabinet. This is even more proof that Blair favours Scotland (and Wales and Ulster).

Scotland, Wales and Ulster receive far more government funding, per person, than another Scotsman, Chancellor Gordon Brown, spends on England.

Surely it's time for English MPs and English people to protest at yet more unfair treatment of the English by Blair and his Scottish Cabinet 'chums'?

When can England expect to get parity with the rest of the UK? Probably only when we have an English Parliament, with no Scots, Welsh or Ulster MPs.

By the way, what do Bradford's MPs think about this? We'll not find out as they don't reply to letters!

Dave Murgatroyd, Briarwood Drive, Wibsey.

Just like the Blitz

SIR - Ban them, ban them, ban them - fireworks of course. For the last few weeks, but especially on November 4 and 5, we have been subjected to the worst noise nuisance ever.

If laws are in place then they are clearly not being upheld. I am too young to remember the Blitz but I can only imagine the noise and fright caused is the same as what we are all having to deal with year in and year out. Back gardens are not the place to let off fireworks designed for displays.

My thoughts go out to the elderly, terminally-ill and the poor animals, both wild and domestic. If they were half as frightened as my cats, people should be ashamed.

If others feel as I do then I urge them to write to their MPs demanding a total ban.

Let parents who want to see the glee on their children's faces go to public displays well away from people's property.

Jenny Sampson, Rossmore Drive, Allerton.

Smoking deaths

SIR - If Alan Holdsworth (T&A, November 4) really believes Frank Dobson MP lied about half of all smokers dying from smoking-related diseases, he could check the Office of National Statistics website.

It will tell him deaths caused by smoking were five times higher than the 22,833 deaths arising from: road traffic accidents (3,439), other accidents (8,579), poisoning and overdose (881), alcoholic liver disease (5,121), murder and manslaughter (513), suicide (4,066), and HIV infection (234) in the UK during 2002. I never cease to be amazed at the ability of some smokers to delude themselves that cigarettes are safe. Every year around 106,000 smokers die of a smoking-related disease - the equivalent of a jumbo jet crashing every single day.

The pro-smoking lobby argue that, because there have been no successful lawsuits, there have been no deaths from passive smoking. This is a fallacious argument and terribly misleading to employers.

It is impossible for a person dying of an illness caused by passive smoking to prove which tobacco manufacturer made the cigarette responsible, which is why lawsuits are now focusing on employers who allow their staff to be exposed to second-hand smoke.

Kate Alley, Action on Smoking and Health, Clifton Street, London.

A small start

SIR - The best government news for some time is the intention to introduce a bio-fuel obligation on the companies that sell us petrol and diesel.

It will start at five per cent ethanol from sugar beet and wheat in the petrol and bio-diesel from rape seed and recycled vegetable oils in the diesel.

A small start, indeed, but it will help reduce carbon dioxide climate-change emissions, support farmers and encourage local producers of these fuels.

It would be better to reduce the use of cars but at least it is a step in the right direction.

Keith Thomson, Heights Lane, Bradford.

Why so negative?

SIR - Having had my bedroom completely refurbished, I had cause to ring the Council for the removal of some bulky items - two wardrobes, a dressing section and various drawers.

Their response was that only four items would be taken and all the items should be left at the top of my drive for a period of up to ten days, which means access to the property would be impossible.

This Council has got to be the most negative in the country as no matter what you require it is rendered too difficult unless it's collecting council tax.

So much for all the talk about fly-tipping.

A Reid, King's Road, Wrose.