Letter: Sleaze-buster

Sir: On behalf of the board of trustees of the People's Trust I should correct your report "Fayed's pounds 1m anti-sleaze trust closed" (21 September).

There were three key areas of error. The first is that the People's Trust was struck off for non-filing of accounts (these were in fact filed within the legal timetable) but for an administrative oversight which led to the company's annual return not being submitted on time. All administrative errors have now been corrected and we have made formal application to the High Court for the People's Trust to be restored to the register.

Second, the People's Trust is continuing the work which was carried out during the 1997 election campaign. Studies have been commissioned from experts in constitutional law concerning the forthcoming Bill of Rights, reform of the House of Lords and devolution. We are also continuing to give support to individual cases of injustice.

Third, it is not at all the case that Mr Al Fayed has lost interest since the tragic events of August last year, and he remains one of the key supporters of the trust's work.

The comment by a spokesman for the Conservative Party shows that they still cannot distinguish between an administrative oversight and the sort of failings for which their party met its due reward at the hands of the electorate in 1997.

ROBERT FALLOWFIELD

Trustee, The People's Trust

London SW3