Letter:Opposition to Bill Clinton's welfare reform

Sir: The disturbing thing about President Clinton's decision to sign the US Welfare Reform Bill is that this new bill is in contravention to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children (Article 4) of which America is one of the signatory nations.

The effects of more recent reductions in US welfare programmes is now being seen across the US, especially in low income family groups with children. Community health organisations across the US are recording increasing malnutrition amongst children from poor families. Children who are underweight compared to the expected weight for children of their various age groups.

The already reduced welfare food stamp programme now results in many American families living at or below third world levels of nutrition.

DAN DRAPER

Cowes, Isle of Wight