Letter: Abuse: playing to the voters

Sir: In your report "Summit to crack down on abusers" (11 May) you quote from the Secretary of State for Wales's letter: "Whenever abuse of children in public care occurs it naturally gives rise to a strong public reaction. As a government we need to be seen to be responding to this appropriately."

I have not seen the full text of his letter, but it does not appear to have occurred to him that the public duty of care requires the Government to act to remedy the situation. What he is concerned with is that the Government should be "seen" to be responding to the public reaction. In other words, he pays regard to the electoral implications, and expects, perhaps rightly, the Prime Minister and Cabinet to have the same narrow view, rather than a concern to protect children from future abuse.

Peter Reynolds

Southport

Merseyside