Letter: Hubbard and Howard

Sir: I read with interest Ian Burrell's account of the rehabilitation initiative based on The Way to Happiness, L Ron Hubbard's commonsense guide to better living. I fully endorse all that Nico van den Berg is quoted as saying, but I am not "lobbying Michael Howard", the Home Secretary. As far as I can tell he has no interest in the rehabilitation of criminals, preferring instead to curry favour with the faithful at the Tory party conference by promising to build more prisons, particularly for young offenders.

Every member of the House of Lords receives a Writ of Summons from the Queen to assist her in defending the realm against "imminent perils". We are faced with increasing levels of crime and progressive social decay, which many people do feel is a threat to the stability of the nation. If any member of the House of Lords knows of an effective remedy yet fails to promote it, he or she would be failing to comply with that Writ.

Lord McNAIR

House of Lords

London SW1