Julian Lewis (letters 1st Jan) is beginning the New Year by upholding the reputation of the Conservatives as the nasty party.

He persists in referring to Colonel Terry Scriven as ‘Mr.’ Scriven. Terry Scriven earned the rank of full Colonel in the British Army through service to his country starting as a boy soldier at 15. The sacrifices regularly reported from Iraq and Afghanistan demonstrates that the Regiment which Terry commanded is in the thick of it.

Julian Lewis seems to think that the participation by Liberal Democrat MPs in the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme will silence criticism. Actually it doesn’t. I never feel bound to slavishly justify every action or opinion of Lib Dem MPs nor would they would expect me to.

The criticisms of the scheme are not aimed at its content anyway. The questions are: 1. If it is so useful for MPs to appreciate the Armed Forces to better equip them to make informed policy choices, why isn’t it sponsored by the Government? Groups MPs regularly travel the world at public expense to achieve the same objective.

2. Why are the accounts of the scheme not available for public scrutiny?

3. Why is the selection of MPs to participate in the scheme left to an non-parliamentary body headed by the former Tory MP Sir Neil Thorne?

4. How does it look when the scheme is partially funded by the defence industry?

It is disappointing that Terry Scriven, and the BBC McIntyre Show have been frustrated in asking legitimate questions, particularly in the present climate.

May I close by confessing that I was twice defeated by Julian Lewis to save him the trouble of pointing it out and may I also congratulate him on the quality of his academic work which is never in dispute.

BRIAN DASH, County Councillor Dibden & Hythe.