PAUL Buckley - letters March 23 - may be a young Conservative but he shows the same gift for malicious falsehood as his elders.

Discerning readers will be tired of hearing it but every time these people tell tall tales it's necessary to go over the same ground again.

The Government is not legislating to deny choice in education. It's already passed the School Standards and framework Act which gives choice to parents over whether they wish to continue with selection.

We are fortunate in Lancaster in having a wide range of excellent schools but no-one in their right mind would want to go back to the mediocrity and division of the old 11 plus system that the Tories extol.

Incidentally all credit to your balanced reporting but it only encourages these people when you report their views on the Budget as if they matter. The real importance of the Budget to Lancaster and Wyre is that:

Spending on Health will increase by 50per cent per household over the next four years rising to £2,800 per household per year.

No Lancaster and Wyre family earning less than £235 per week will pay any income tax from October this year.

Every primary school in Lancaster and Wyre will receive a cash grant of between £3-£9000 and every High School £30,000 for books and equipment from this weekend.

Long term unemployment has come down 59per cent and youth employment 75per cent since May 1997. The new measures to improve and extend the New Deal, the £100 job grant available from next April and the measures to assist business by cutting Capital Gains Tax will be of further help.

20,893 pensioners over the age of 60 will benefit from the increased winter fuel payment of £150.

The education system in Lancaster is one of our big assets and the city council told me only yesterday that they are experiencing a huge level of interest from business looking to set up here.

All the Tories are trying to do is talk the city down and create silly scares because they have nothing sensible to offer.

Hilton Dawson MP

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