IF Mr Reynolds thinks crime figures are important (EA Friday January 7) he might take the trouble to report them accurately.

Violent crime has not doubled since 97, it has come down by 24 per cent. Burglary and car theft is also down.

The British Crime Survey has been tracking trends since 1981 and its reassuring message is that the chance of becoming a victim of crime is at its lowest for 20 years. Perhaps it's due to the large increase in police numbers that this government has achieved.

Turning now to his remark about eight million inactive people, I'm among that number having retired ten years ago.

As far as I know, even Mr Howard and his Tories don't plan to force those in their seventies back to work. They will be relying on us to provide unpaid care for even older relatives and grandchildren when they shut geriatric wards, care homes and nurseries to deliver tax cuts.

D REEVE

Swindon