WITH reference to the letter from Dr Bannon regarding rescuing immigrants crossing the Mediterranean, this reflects great credit on his humanitarian outlook. However, regarding increasing our monetary contributions to extend the aid, I would point out that Great Britain is the second largest contributor to world aid after the USA, giving £17.88 billion pounds, while Italy, who does most of the rescuing, contributes £3.25 billion, so I think it is a few other countries that should make the increase, bearing in mind that there are many people in our own country who are in need of help and having to use food banks. There is also another point which may, in the cold light of day, appear to be very cold hearted; what is going to happen to all those who are rescued and where are they going to go? In theory people seeking asylum are supposed to register in the first EU country they come to — which is usually Italy, but it has now got to the stage where the continental countries do not want any more it seems that many of them are being passed on and end up at the French ports trying to get into this country whose own population has made it very clear that it wants to stop or severely limit the numbers coming in. I don't pretend to know what the answer is but perhaps the only way to enforce some control is for those who have been rescued to be taken straight back to the country from which they embarked on their journey. Again, this may seem hard hearted, but the situation cannot continue as it stands.      Paul Mercer Peter Tavy IN reply to Dr Bannon's letter last week, it should be of no real surprise that some policies of this government can be classed as evil. They happily apply such attitudes to their own fellow citizens on a regular basis, such as impoverishing the poor to the extent that food banks are required, whilst enriching the already incredibly wealthy, privatising the NHS without any political mandate to do so, punishing the sick and disabled by stopping their benefits because they were not finding work (even if they were dying). Need I go on? Governments are judged on the way they treat their own people, especially the sick, weak and vulnerable. What will this government's legacy be? An even greater tragedy is the silence of the Christian churches in the face of this onslaught. They seem content to do their 'social aid work' as usual, but back off when it comes to tackling the root causes of the problems. How nice it would be to see them reach beyond their respectable spiritual timidity. Until this changes it should be of no surprise to find that the bulk of the population do not take them seriously. The Bible is a huge political statement. Rex Harpham Tavistock