Readers' letters - June 11

It’s all well and good for Jeremy Hunt to say that every household in the country wouldn’t mind forking out an extra £2,000 to prop up the NHS. Well, I, for one, do mind. Not because I don’t care about the NHS. I truly believe it is the most precious asset this country has. But instead of imposing another unwelcome tax in these austere times, he should look at where the £118bn the NHS receives from us is going and where he can use it more resourcefully. For a start, do they really need to spend £420m on legal fees, £4bn on agency staff and £25m on interpreters?What about collecting the £30m owed from overseas patients? We can’t forget the £12bn they spent, (and wasted), on a new computer system that was scrapped before they even used it.Boy, somebody got rich there! And I’m betting this is just the tip of the iceberg. So my advice to you, Mr Hunt, is to go back to work and sit down with your managers, administrators and the pencil-necks in the accounts department and get your house in order and put your noggins to work on running a more efficient service rather than coming to us taxpayers for more bail-out cash. Peter Flynnvia email

entertainmentLove Island under scrutinyDoes the nation realise the most important matter under scrutiny at the moment is a happening called Love Island? Forget volcanoes, rail problems, even Brexit. On television every day, we are given news reports and chat shows concerning a group of self-centred, conceited men and women – swimsuit clad– discussing whether they suit each other and can manage to stay together for a year and win £50,000. If it wasn’t so funny, it would be sickening.At least it does prove we Brits have retained our sense of humour to help pay for such a farce!Edna Levivia emailfinancesTV licence help is available Following the inclusion of the National Debtline research in your News in Numbers section (LP June 4), which found that nearly six in ten (59 per cent) of people wait over six months before asking for help, we wanted to reassure people that there is help is available to them across Lancashire. TV Licensing works with more than 400 charities and money advice organisations across the UK to help them provide the best advice and information on staying licensed. A licence costs £150.50 for the year and there are payment plans which make it possible to pay in more manageable instalments. Our new online map at www.tvlicenceadvice.co.uk gives details of local money advisors who are there to listen and help, and we encourage any local organisation offering money advice services to get in touch with us on 0113 887 3000 to add their details to the map.Jason HillSenior Communications SpecialistTV LicensingretailGreen war on high streets

What was most obvious to me, watching TV reports of the fall of the House of Fraser, was that most of their soon-to-be closed stores are situated in pedestrianised streets with no parking spaces.I haven’t gone shopping in my local department store in more than 25 years, due to the impossibility of getting my car within several hundred yards of the front door.I prefer to frequent out-of-town malls with free and convenient parking. It must be nice for the Green anti-car lobby to smugly walk and cycle past the shuttered shops of our high streets, the death of which are largely due to their blinkered efforts.John Eoin DouglasAddress suppliedresearchDid you meet Wilfred Pickles?

I wonder if any of your readers can help me?I am writing a biography of actor and broadcaster Wilfred Pickles (1904-1978).I have read books written by him and his wife, and have been offered help from his surviving relatives.If any of your readers ever met him and/or his wife Mabel, or had any sort of contact with them, please could they contact me with details by letter or email?Thank you very much for your help.Andy Owens65 Woodlands Avenue, Halifax HX3 [email protected]