Letter: Refugee problem

Sir: Hungary, struggling to rectify the economic consequences of 40 years of Communist misrule, is reported to be housing and feeding some 100,000 refugees from what was Yugoslavia - a number roughly equal to 1 per cent of her population.

Could not the United Kingdom - member of the Group of Seven richest nations, permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, currently holding the Presidency of the European Community - set a lead in Western Europe, by paying to house and feed comparable numbers in proportion to her population?

I remain, Sir,

Yours faithfully,

STEPHEN PALFFY

Richmond, Surrey