LETTER: Montserrat cash

LETTER:

Montserrat cash

Sir: You report ("Relief to volcano-hit Montserrat showed `bungling incompetence'", 5 August) that the all-party Commons International Development Committee repeated the Government's claim that it is spending pounds 25,000 per Montserratian.

However, this figure is obtained not by using the pre-volcanic eruption figure of 11,500, but the number currently on the island - 3,000. If those in neighbouring Antigua or the 3,500 currently in the UK are included, the figure is nearer pounds 6,500, or just over pounds 2,000 per person per year.

JEREMY EVANS

Bristol