Benefit cuts have driven people onto the streets

SIR – Fraser Nelson argues that the Government’s welfare reforms have been vindicated because there hasn’t been a rise in homelessness despite warnings about the impact of benefits cuts.

Since the implementation of benefit cuts in 2011, official figures have shown increases in all forms of homelessness, including an 11 per cent increase in rough sleeping and a 21 per cent increase in those in temporary accommodation.

Independent analysis by Heriot-Watt and York universities identified benefit cuts as an important driver of rising homelessness, noting that cuts “weaken the safety net that provides a 'buffer’ between a loss of income, or a persistently low income, and homelessness.”

Alison Garnham
Chief Executive, Child Poverty Action Group
London N1

Unreliable energy

SIR – Ed Davey, the Energy and Climate Change Secretary, has declared an “urgent national need” for projects such as the Rampion wind farm.

Yet wind farms are hopelessly inefficient and unreliable. Fairly regularly, the total wind-power output of Britain falls to just a few tens of megawatts, which is effectively zero. This “subsidy farm” will destroy the environment, kill huge numbers of seabirds and wreck the beautiful sea views.

Christopher Wright
Findon, West Sussex

Earnest advice

SIR – Tim Walker is not quite right to say that nothing can be added or taken away from The Importance of Being Earnest.

Wilde pruned his original version to good effect. But some splendid lines were lost, as when Cecily informs Algernon that John Worthing has lunched on pâté de foie gras sandwiches and the 1889 champagne:

“1889? Are you sure?”

“O yes. It is on medical advice. Even the cheaper clarets are forbidden to him.”

David Damant
Bath, Somerset

A load of hot air

SIR – Why are those hot-air hand dryers so noisy? Bring back the paper towel.

Mike Haberfield
Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire

Bringing peace to Gaza

SIR – Surely it must be obvious that the random firing of rockets will never win a conflict, and is very likely to bring retribution. If Hamas would acknowledge this, peace could be achieved overnight and bring the suffering in Gaza to an end.

Martin Mears
East Ord, Northumberland

Rationing on the NHS

SIR – In order to save money, many Clinical Commissioning Groups, GP-led bodies that now control a large proportion of NHS spending, are restricting or rationing access of patients with certain complaints to hospital consultants. These complaints include hip and knee problems, cataract, hernias, carpal tunnel syndrome and even skin disorders. Such conditions vary between CCGs: some do not interfere with patient referral at all.

Another type of group, known as “musculoskeletal teams”, have been established in some areas between GPs and consultants. They boast of being a “one-stop shop”. This is not quite correct, but they did manage to prevent nine out of 10 patients seeing consultants, according to an article last year in the British Journal of General Practice.

Surely medical professionals must be enabled to treat patients to the best of their ability. Such NHS policies deny patients the treatment they rightfully expect. These interferences between doctors are unkind and, in my opinion, unethical.

Robert Simpson-White (FRCGP)
English Bicknor, Gloucestershire

SIR – I doubt that social media is the chief culprit in dissatisfaction with GPs.

At one visit to my GP, I was told that I should only raise one subject for treatment; if I had more, I should book a second appointment. Moreover, I had already had eight minutes in the surgery (mostly occupied with the GP looking up data on his computer) “and if I give you any more time I’ll have a riot on my hands”. Now the surgery offers five-minute appointments.

With such treatment from GPs, patients may well be driven to self-diagnose online, but the internet is not the cause of increasing complaints.

Alan Shaw
Halifax, West Yorkshire

SIR – Over the past week, I have suffered a pounding heart and acute breathlessness after even minor exertion.

When my wife attempted to make an appointment for me to get checked out by my local GP in a practice that has traditionally employed four doctors, she was informed that one doctor had recently left, one was off on long-term sickness, one was starting two weeks’ holiday that morning, and the remaining doctor was rather busy and could see me in 10 days’ time. Or I could try again in the morning to see if he had a vacant slot.

Should I (a) pester the practice in the hope of an earlier appointment; (b) visit the outpatient unit at the local hospital 25 miles away; (c) do nothing in the hope that it goes away; or (d) negotiate favourable terms with the local undertaker?

D R Tagg
Alford, Lincolnshire

Good news

SIR – I was delighted to learn that Evan Davis is to become the new presenter of Newsnight. Now I shall be able to listen to the Today programme again.

Richard Coulson
Maidstone, Kent

The wit has gone from cricket’s commentary box

SIR – There was a time when listening to cricket commentary was a joy. The likes of John Arlott and Brian Johnston reported on the game with style, insight and humour.

Now we must endure shift after shift of whinging ex-players as they compete to criticise every shot, ball and field placing.

Tony Smith
Braceby, Lincolnshire

SIR – Several things are beginning to annoy me with the televised Test cricket.

First, the personal habits of individual players leaves a lot to be desired – witness the close-ups of Alastair Cook picking his nose. In addition, several players from both sides have a disgusting habit of spitting. Then there is the overdone high fiving, hugging and general euphoria at every wicket fall. I find this “modern” approach repugnant and unsporting.

Jack Phillips
Dedham, Essex

SIR – At the latest Lord’s Test, the ground staff were brushing the pitch during breaks in play, rather than only between innings. Has the law been changed?

Wear and tear of the surface as the match proceeds gives the bowlers assistance – of which they get very little, now that pitches are protected from the weather.

Brian O’Gorman
Chichester, West Sussex

SIR – After a miserable day for English cricket at Lords, I wonder how many wives are telling their husbands to cheer up and accept that it is only a game?

Frank Dike
Bridport, Dorset