Letter: Personnel a priority

Sir: I was very disappointed that Edmund Hall's article (2 November) gave the impression that the Royal Navy does not treat personnel matters seriously. Mr Hall quoted a Ministry of Defence spokesman as saying that Fleet Command meetings discuss a wide range of issues 'from fleet management issues to more mundane matters including personnel or ship painting . . .' Mr Hall was actually told that these meetings discuss a wide range from 'fleet management issues to welfare of personnel and mundane daily routines such as ship painting'.

This misquotation has the unfortunate effect of suggesting that the Royal Navy considers personnel matters to be mundane. Quite the reverse is true. Personnel issues and the welfare of service men and women are, as you would expect, at the top of our agenda.

Yours faithfully,

C. J. ESPLIN-JONES

Director of Public Relations

(Navy)

Ministry of Defence

London, SW1