Letters: VW must start with a full and free inquiry

The following letters appear in the 6 November edition of The Independent

Many diesel VW cars are pumping out illegal toxins (Getty)

Latest revelations from Volkswagen leave one wondering what next is to be revealed. A trusted brand is failing. Their only immediate remedy is to arrange an independent inquiry such as BP did (Baker Report, 2007) and BAE Systems (Woolf Report, 2008).

At BAE the then chairman, Sir Richard Olver, announced beforehand that the company would be bound by all recommendations and allowed the Woolf Committee full and free access. This would be a first step for VW to demonstrate it understands the enormity of its actions. To order this would demonstrate leadership by the new CEO.

Philippa Foster Back
Director, Institute of Business Ethics
(Member of the Woolf Committee)
London SW1

The media are being biased and unfair in concentrating on VW. Most, if not all, motor manufacturers are, and have been for years, lying about fuel consumption and hence emissions, frequently by huge amounts. The “official” fuel consumption figures they produce bear no relation to reality. VW, being German, have just been more efficient at it than most.

Of course the real reason why the US authorities have picked on VW is to try and stop or reduce their penetration of the US market, which they have achieved by producing better-quality vehicles. It is obvious that this is a major factor because the “land of fracking” is certainly, in other respects, not noted for its environmental concerns.

Dudley Dean
Maresfield, East Sussex

It will be interesting to see how many VW owners actually take the offer to have their cars significantly “detuned” by the proposed modifications to meet the claimed environmental criteria. They may not appreciate driving away in a car which is not as responsive as it had been before the changes.

A manufacturer’s recall is optional for the owners, and as it does not concern safety or operational problems, the take-up may be much less than VW are allowing for.

Chris Powell
Southsea, Hampshire

Why is the refugee crisis our fault?

Your editorial on the refugee crisis (4 November) correctly says that Jordan, Egypt and others are not rich countries. But Saudia Arabia, the UAE and Qatar are some of the richest countries in the world. They are also Arab, Muslim and far warmer than Europe.

Why don’t the refugees go there, and why don’t you criticise the governments of those countries for not taking them in? Why is everything our fault?

Rob Edwards
Harrogate

Jane Jakeman makes a very good point when she suggests that academics and other innocent users of the internet, using “trigger” words in online searches, may be targeted by the security services under the new government proposals (letter, 5 November). She then suggests that vacuous “youth culture” such as tacky TV programmes and drunkenness might contribute to young Muslims being attracted to what Isis has to offer.

Is it not strange then, that thousands of Muslims are fleeing areas controlled by Isis for the secular/Christian west, undertaking risky journeys and an uncertain future rather than live under the barbaric interpretation of Islam practised by Isis.

If what Ms Jakeman says is true these disenchanted young Muslims should ponder that they are not forced to get involved in this decadent youth culture of the West but heaven protect them if they refused to do anything demanded of them by Isis should they succeed in travelling to Isis-controlled areas.

Patrick Cleary
Honiton, Devon

Over the past few years, Islamic State terrorists have massacred innocent Syrians and Iraqis; burned and beheaded Christians, Yazidis, journalists and aid workers; tortured and enslaved hostages; filled mass graves; thrown homosexuals off tall buildings; attacked power plants; destroyed churches, historical sites and ancient artifacts; and groomed teenage boys as suicide bombers and teenage girls as sex slaves.

Now that the jihadists are happy to target planeloads of holidaymakers, can we at last resolve to use any and all means to wipe this evil group from the face of the earth?

Keith Gilmour
Glasgow

No need to wear a poppy

Thank you to Simon Kelner (4 November) for expressing what I have always felt about wearing the poppy.

Like him I am happy to respect our armed services and contribute to the annual appeal, but see no need to tell anyone about it. When I was young the Second World War was a very close memory and poppies were worn on the 11th and perhaps a few days before. Now, like Christmas decorations, there seems to be a competition to wear them earlier each year, and to leave them on the front of your car for ever.

I suspect that for many people handing over a small amount of cash and sporting a poppy may fulfil the same function as the large health and safety manual on the stop shelf of the manager’s bookcase: “That’s done; don’t need to think about it any more.”

The purpose of buying poppies is to raise money for ex-servicemen. The purpose of wearing them is to remind you of the sacrifice that so many servicemen make, not to show the world how compassionate you are.

Melissa Hawker
Little Marcle, Herefordshire

Orchestras fulfil the BBC’s mission

The BBC should certainly be funding orchestras. Its orchestras have attracted praise from across the world, and as world-class institutions they form the basis for much of the Corporation’s music output.

Michael Rolfe (letter, 29 October) is wrong to suggest that the Proms would flourish without BBC support. It is naïve to look at an Australian model of funding for British regional orchestras, relying on funding from central and local government. The taps are being turned off by the Treasury for the arts generally.

As to expecting London to pay for the Proms, because of the benefit to the city that flows from the season; this suggests that the Proms are net drain on the BBC’s finances, With ticket revenue and international programme sales I would be very much surprised if the festival was not a net contributor to BBC funds. And in addition it provides hours of broadcasting content which would have to filled with something paid for anyway.

To suggest that the financial and cultural benefit of the proms goes entirely to London to the detriment of the regions is also ludicrous. Sir Henry Wood was willing to collaborate with the BBC when the Proms got into financial difficulties, not just to settle his cash flow, but also to enhance his mission to bring music to the masses as cheaply as possible. That is more true now than it was in his day with access to concerts every day on Radio 3, via television and the i-player. Thus do the Proms and the BBC’s orchestras work towards the goals of the BBC to “educate, entertain and inform”.

Russell Pearce
Haywards Heath, West Sussex

Chemsex: how we hope to limit the harm

Your article about “chemsex” (4 November) cites our landmark study, published in March 2014, which examined the links between chemsex, HIV risk and mental health problems. Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham recognised early on that this emerging phenomenon was a public health priority and our research is being used to inform practice locally and worldwide.

Our leadership of the London HIV Prevention Programme uses social marketing and digital outreach to target those most at risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, including via chemsex.

Our boroughs are setting an example to the country in how to tackle these complex public health problems, but progress will be fatally undermined by the Government’s proposal to cut public health funding by £200m this year, and its recalculation of the local authority public health grant, which is set to divert funding from areas of greatest deprivation to the most affluent parts of England.

Cllr Jim Dickson
Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing
London Borough of Lambeth

Despots welcomed to Downing Street

The Saudi rulers, the Chinese president and now al-Sisi, the butcher of the Egyptian revolution. Is there a blood-soaked dictator in the world whose hand David Cameron won’t shake?

Sasha Simic
London N16

Trade deals with the Kazakh president, who is visiting this week, include agreements to support a steel production facility in Kazakhstan. Would it be asking too much for David Cameron to show a similar level of support for Britain’s steel industry?

Gerard Harrison
Liverpool