SIR: While Ruth Kelly wastes yet another BEN article on a non-issue, ie the Third World (March 12) I wish to do her job for her and speak out on behalf of our manufacturing industry. By official measure, manufacturing output fell by 0.5 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year, an ominous sign indeed. With British manufacturing teetering on the brink of recession, the government must act to facilitate the expansion of the manufacturing industry. A way to do this would be to cancel all foreign aid and instead to use that money to subsidise entrepreneurs who wish to purchase capital goods. investment in capital goods will allow British manufacturing to obtain a greater share of the world market as well as making our market here less dependent on foreign imports. If Third world countries are in

debt, then that is their problem and not ours. Why waste government revenues on foreign concerns when our own nation is in need of such money? Britain is our nation, our homeland, our concern first and foremost. I say 'no' to foreign aid and 'yes' to investment in Britain.

Anthony Makara

Broadwalk, Westhoughton

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.