The answer is that the serious research is there, in laboratories, in clinics.
We understand a great deal about breast cancer and new treatments are being developed. The “breast cancer gene” was an important result from years of painstaking research but, like many scientific discoveries in this field, it has been over-interpreted. There are many groups with a valid interest in making the most of their discoveries: governments, pharmaceutical companies, research charities, publishers. The other attraction for Mr Moncrieff, who was attacked by a gerbil, is that they eat rodents.Yours faithfully,PAUL WHITEMANHinckley, Leicestershire31 May. From Dr Peter D. Brown
Sir: “Where’s the serious research?” asks Esther Oxford in her article about “loony advice controlling breast cancer” (“Eat more soya and burn your bra”, 30 May). Corn snakes make no noise at all, have to be fed only once a week, do not bite at all, are very amenable when being handled, go into semi-hibernation for three months in the winter and live and breed quite happily in a relatively small vivarium in the kitchen for the rest of the year.Our female has just laid 20 fertile eggs and sale of the hatchlings should pay for all the food and equipment needed throughout the year.
From Mr Paul Whiteman
Sir: Chris Moncrieff (Letters, 31 May) could do a lot worse than choose a snake as a first pet, but I would suggest a corn snake would be ideal, rather than a boa constrictor.
Three years ago, we bought a hatchling corn snake (nominally for the children) and, having been impressed with how little trouble it is to keep, I bought my wife the other half of a breeding pair as a birthday present.There are many advantages to keeping snakes in general, and corn snakes in particular. Consequently, while the proportion of one death for every five thousand mines was roughly accurate, the total number of deaths was, as stated by the French authorities, approximately 3,000 which, although very high, was very far short of 20,000.Secondly, while you correctly make it clear that the mine clearance was not carried out solely by the Germans, it is perhaps right to highlight the fact that the French involved were civil volunteers, that it was they who had the task of actually defusing the mines and that 20 per cent of them sacrificed their lives in that exceptionally dangerous work.Yours faithfully,MARYSE BOSSIEREPress CounsellorFrench EmbassyLondon, SW131 May. The figure of 20,000 was reached on the basis of that proportion.In fact, the report had been based on the very first estimate of the existence of 100 million mines, made in 1944 by the Ministry of War, whereas the total number of detected mines was in fact around l3 million. The French authorities have given a global figure of 3,000 deaths.
The Red Cross report had put forward a crude estimate of one death per 5,000 mines. In fact, read carefully, it would tend to corroborate the French estimate of the number of deaths. Once I know the outcome, I will publish my salary.The writer is the Director General of Gas Supply.. From Mrs Maryse Bossiere
Sir: You refer (“Scandal of PoWs sent to deaths on minefields”, “Minefield plague was legacy of war for France”, 23 May) to the French estimate that “2,500 Germans and 500 French died during the mine clearances” [in post- war France], while “archives held by a former Red Cross inspector suggest that more than 20,000 may have been killed”.
Indeed, in May 1948, a report of the International Committee of the Red Cross published a report to that effect. So far, I have not taken any, though I think in principle it is right for someone in my position to benefit from the wider perspective a variety of appointments brings.A few months ago, I drew this to the attention of the DTI, and suggested that my salary was brought more into line with that of other regulators These discussions are continuing.
Gas regulation became virtually a full-time six-days-a-week job, and obviously this left less time for additional appointments than had originally been anticipated. This is a usual arrangement in jobs like mine.Within two months of my appointment, the timetable changed. Legislation within a year and full competition by 1998 became a real possibility. I took the post on the understanding that it would not keep me fully occupied and I would be able to fit in at least two other appointments. At that time the likely timetable for full competition was after 2000 and legislation was no more than a dream.
No other country has gone as far in introducing competition into its gas market.I took this job in September 1993. Providing we get the framework right, over time, this will significantly reduce prices.The Gas Bill being debated in Parliament will allow full competition in the industry Careful judgements are involved. This means setting pricing rules, for example, that ensure sensible investment decisions are taken. My current task is to set a framework for a fully competitive gas industry that will benefit the people and the economy of Great Britain. British Gas says that regulation since privatisation has cost it pounds 3bn. Without a regulator, this would have been passed on to the customer.As well as keeping gas prices down for domestic consumers, I protect customers against bad standards of service while they have no other choice of gas supplier. This means I have time to get to know the gas industry well and am in a stronger position than, say, a government minister to exert pressure on management to perform.Unlike a minister, I am not governed by short-term political considerations.And the system works.