Letters: The recklessness of pursuing lockdown without a cost-benefit analysis

SIR – Stuart Moore (Letters, October 31), discussing the handling of the Covid pandemic in Britain, correctly asks: “Why was not a single cost-benefit analysis done?” 

This is the multibillion-pound question. Vast sums were spent on Covid-related measures, yet neither the Government nor the Opposition bothered to ask whether they achieved value for money. We will be paying the price for this for decades.

Keith Phair
Felixstowe, Suffolk

SIR – Just as I feared, the Covid Inquiry is deteriorating into a finger-pointing circus, obscuring what should be its true purpose: to study the measures taken to contain the disease and suggest better ways to deal with any future pandemic.

Andrew Hughes
Durham

SIR – At a time when we are told that money is short, millions of pounds are being wasted on the Covid Inquiry, which goes on and on. 

I believe most people share my view that it is all an utterly boring, self-indulgent pantomime. Sweden completed its investigation into Covid in far less time than ours seems likely to take.

This is just one more thing that shames our country.

John Twitchen
Leigh-on-Sea, Essex

SIR – The Covid Inquiry is rightly examining the conduct of politicians, experts and decision-makers during the pandemic. 
However, while this is taking place, we should not forget about the conduct of the media – and particularly the broadcast media – at the time, and the impact it had.

My abiding memory is of the aggressive interviews on the breakfast programmes, in which politicians were castigated if they showed any resistance to more extreme measures.

I wonder how many decisions were taken out of fear of being publicly shamed by self-appointed experts.

Nik Perfitt
Bristol

SIR – A A Forsyth (Letters, October 31) refers to the deaths that were wrongly attributed to Covid. 

My 92-year-old uncle died in April 2020. He was admitted to hospital with a variety of issues and was close to the end of his life. He undoubtedly caught Covid while in hospital. Covid was declared as the cause of death. When we questioned this, it was explained that only one doctor was needed to sign a death certificate for Covid but two were required for all other causes.

Stuart Worth
Redbourn, Hertfordshire

SIR – The saying, “Hindsight is a wonderful thing”, has surely never been more apt than it is now.

Wendy Farrington
Kendal, Cumbria

Asymmetric ceasefire

SIR – It is fine for the Mayor of London and various MPs in England and Scotland to call for a ceasefire in Gaza (report, October 28), but what are they proposing should be done with regard to Hamas, whose atrocities triggered the whole disaster? 

Without such resolution and action, the conflict would simply be put off – if indeed Hamas and its allies would agree to and respect a ceasefire. 

Peter Williman
Chatteris, Cambridgeshire

SIR – Hamas, the controlling authority in Gaza, seems to have plenty of money for missiles, guns, ammunition and building tunnels. However, the people of Gaza don’t have basic supplies such as water, food or medicines. 

Perhaps the world should ask where all the previous aid has gone and where any new aid will go.

Lindsay Mirelman
Edgware, Middlesex
 

Reasons to see a GP

SIR – As a retired GP, I entirely agree with Dr Irving Wells’s comments (Letters, October 30) that a “trivial” consultation may lead to a more serious illness being discovered. 

I was also taught that one of the most important aspects of a consultation was the patient’s comments on the way out of the room (such as “While I am here, doctor…”), which could well be the start of the real reason for the consultation. 
This seems to be negated by the current system of suggesting that the consultation is “for only one symptom only”. 

Dr Malcolm Freeth
Bournemouth, Dorset
 

Back on track

SIR – You report (telegraph.co.uk, October 31) that the plan to close railway station ticket offices across England has been scrapped. 

My blood pressure can now return to normal.

Priscilla Hall
Colchester, Essex

SIR – Passengers don’t want an air miles-style scheme to attract us on to the railways (report, October 31).

What we want is a reliable service that departs and arrives on time, with no overcrowding and seating for at least the majority of passengers.

John B Winterburn
Earlswood, Warwickshire
 

Smashing pumpkin

SIR – Patricia Rayner (Letters, October 30) gives various uses for pumpkins. 

Pumpkin chutney is a stalwart family recipe, handed down from my mother more than 50 years ago. It tasted great then – and still does.

Linden Porter
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire

SIR – My wife and I had never bought a pumpkin, but this year we were given one by the farmer next door who had a surplus. After some research I made a spicy pumpkin soup, which was delicious. The remainder we mashed with potatoes for Sunday lunch.

Roger Boyce
Dornoch, Sutherland

SIR – The American author and broadcaster Garrison Keillor would sympathise with John Brandon’s negative view of pumpkin pie (Letters, October 30). 

He wrote: “Pumpkin pie is a living symbol of mediocrity. The best pumpkin pie you ever ate wasn’t all that much different from the worst pumpkin pie you ever ate.”

Anthony Orr
Bossut-Gottechain, Wallonia, Belgium

Microplastic plague

SIR – There are 171 trillion plastic particles in our oceans today. About 35 per cent of the these come from textiles. Each time clothes are washed at home, more than 700,000 plastic microfibres can be released from washing machines into our rivers, seas and oceans.

Across the world, governments are waking up to the importance of protecting people and the planet from microplastic pollution. Landmark legislation in France means all new washing machines will soon be fitted with microfibre filters, while in Australia similar measures are set to be introduced by the end of the decade.

The UK is lagging far behind. As a result, the British public and our ecology are not being protected from microplastic pollution. This is particularly concerning given that microplastics carry chemicals that are causing cancer, mutations to DNA, metabolic disorders and endocrine disruption, have toxic reproductive effects, affect neurodevelopment and can affect the nervous system.

What’s more, microfibre filtration technology is readily available and is being used by a number of British companies already working with international partners. The Government now has the chance to address the greatest environmental challenges of our time. Today we’re calling for the urgent introduction of mandatory microfibre filters on all new washing machines sold in the UK.

Alberto Costa MP (Con)
Sarah Champion MP (Lab)
Pauline Latham MP (Con)
Jonathan Lord MP (Con)
Selaine Saxby MP (Con)
Flick Drummond MP (Con)
Caroline Lucas MP (Green)
Richard Thomson MP (SNP)
Baroness Walmsley (Lib Dem)
Dr Philippa Whitford MP (SNP)
Allan Dorans MP (SNP)
Sammy Wilson MP (DUP)
Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green)
Baroness Meacher (Crossbench)
Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer (Lib Dem)
Baroness Harris of Richmond (Lib Dem)
Lord Taverne KC (Lib Dem)
Baroness Lister of Burtersett (Lab)
Baroness Meyer (Con)
Baroness Bakewell of Hardington Mandeville (Lib Dem)
Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill (Lab)
Lord Storey (Lib Dem)
Lord Randall of Uxbridge (Con)
Lord Thurlow (Crossbench)
Mark Spalding
President, The Ocean Foundation
Adam Root
Founder and CEO, Matter
Neil Austin
CEO, Xeros
Alison Waliszewski
Director of Policy, The 5 Gyres Institute
Hugh Knowles
Co-Executive Director, Friends of the Earth
Dominic Dyer
Chair, Nature 2030
Melissa Green
CEO, National Federation of Women’s Institute
Natalie Fee
Founder, City to Sea
James Wallace
CEO, River Action UK
Dr Sam Sinclair
Director, Biodiversify
Jo Royle
CEO and Founder, Common Seas
Ali Azimi
Co-Founder, Drip by Drip
Sandra Capponi
Co-Founder, Good on You
Rob Buurman
Director, Recycling Netwerk Benelux
Dr Laura Foster
Head of Clean Seas, Marine Conservation Society
Emy Kane
Managing Director, Lonely Whale
Cllr Louis Stark (Lib Dem)
Herefordshire Council
Cllr Neil Hughes (Lib Dem)
Westmorland and Furness Council
Dr Brigitte Steger
University of Cambridge
 

The ties have it

SIR – Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, now expects male MPs to wear ties when Parliament resumes (Features, October 31).

I would like this extended so that, whenever MPs are on television in their official capacity, I can enjoy programmes such as Question Time and listen to them rather than thinking they would look so much better wearing a tie than showing either a crumpled shirt collar or open neck. A suit jacket is not designed for such informality. Moreover, an MP’s tie indicates the personality of the wearer. For instance, David Cameron’s was thin and blue and rarely straight.

Lutena Yates
Aveton Gifford, Devon

County meddling at communities’ expense

SIR – As a former leader of Hampshire County Council, I agree with Tony Wolfe (Letters, October 30) that history, culture and the views of local people should be considered when determining administrative boundaries.

The village of Wellow, in which I live, is on the Wiltshire boundary. However, much as we like our neighbours, we are “Hampshire hogs” while they are “Wiltshire moonrakers”.

When ministers visited my offices in Winchester to raise the idea of creating a Solent city, I would direct them to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, which refers to “Hamtunscire”, an area that predated a united England.

You can draw straight lines on maps, but without local support they will not work, will cost a lot and will destroy any sense of community.

Roy Perry
Wellow, Hampshire

SIR – I was amused to read about Lord Heseltine’s light aircraft ride to re-map our traditional English county boundaries (report, October 26). 

He was also the power who, in the early 1970s, told county councils to review their historic boundaries in the interests of administrative convenience. Berkshire duly met Oxfordshire and agreed to hand over North Berkshire (Wallingford, Abingdon, Wantage and Faringdon) in exchange for Henley. When the Bill was published, however, Henley stayed in Oxfordshire and in February 1974 Michael Heseltine, as he was then, was elected as its MP. 

When later writing about these events, I approached Lord Heseltine for a comment. He replied that he had played no part in the decision to retain Henley in Oxfordshire.

Clive Williams
Upper Basildon, Berkshire

An exchange of notes inspired by Lady Nicotine

SIR – While away at school I wrote to my father, sending him a copy of an advertisement for the Apal treatment to stop smoking (Letters, October 31). He replied, saying that Lady Nicotine had put him in a good mood, so he was sending the enclosed – a large, white £5 note. 

I had to admit defeat.

Pamela Booth
Hathersage, Derbyshire

SIR – A succinct but very welcome letter arrived near the start of my university life. It read: “Darling. Find enclosed cheque. Dad.”

Grainne Nelson
Leyland, Lancashire 

SIR – At university and obviously living beyond my means, I received a letter from my very tolerant bank manager. It contained just three words: “Dear 
oh dear.”

Martin R Cooper
West Horsley, Surrey

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