SIR - Coun Stephen Inman very kindly reminds us of his version of what he calls the 'Mike Foster winter holiday story,' (Letters March 27), but still manages to maintain the carping tone of his original comments.

I understand that Mr Foster would have foregone his break had a 'pair' not been available and that his break was designed to coincide with half-term in the county - a week that unfortunately did not coincide with the Parliamentary half-term, as we are still saddled with a system that does not have a common break for the whole country.

He goes on to comment that as Westminster recesses are so long MPs should be able to take their holidays within them. This would be a fair comment if it did not ignore the work for constituents that MPs still have to deal with during such breaks.

Indeed, I recall Mr Luff pointing out in this paper that he had little time for a break during the summer recess for this very reason. It should also be remembered that responsible MPs with school-age children are further restricted over holidays by the need to fit in with school term dates.

That said, I am delighted to see the commitment Coun Inman has towards his council duties and he should be commended for it. I have no doubt that those living in a certain ward in the Forest of Dean, whose councillor was the prospective Tory candidate for Worcester at the last election, would wish for someone equally zealous to represent them - instead of a person who only turned up for council meetings once in every six months, finally resigning just before she would have been sacked.

A REECE,

Worcester.