Letter: How fear and ignorance cloud the debate about the age of consent

Sir: Accompanying your regular reports presaging the Commons' vote on lowering the age of consent for homosexual acts is a slogan 'The Age of Consent Debate - 16/18?' Might I remind you that the debate is not confined to whether the age should be lowered to 16 or 18 but includes the point of view that it should remain at 21.

Although the reality is that the legislation will be amended (because there are not enough Conservative MPs prepared to reflect their constituents' views), your paper's contribution to the debate would be more welcome if it were seen to be less concerned with satisfying the politically correct squad.

Yours faithfully,

HENRY PAUL

Hampden Park, East Sussex

21 January