I AM a retired senior nurse manager who, for all of his career, worked within the NHS alongside people who worked unsocial hours for very low wages.

Most were nurses but others were radiologists, laboratory technicians and physiotherapists, and those stalwarts, the porters, cleaners, kitchen staff, ambulance personnel and so on. All earned much less than teachers and many had school-age children.

In order to keep the NHS running 24 hours a day, every day, it is not possible to give all those employees with school-age children time off during school holidays. This, of course, does not just apply to NHS staff but also to other public sector workers.

I would therefore like to know MP Ivan Lewis's response to this as he apparently supports the fining of parents who take their children on holiday in term-time, as if those that I have spoken of do not have enough to put up with. When my sons were children, I was often absent at Christmas, Easter and Whitsun, because I was on duty: and no, we were not paid extra. Holidays were few and far between because we couldn't afford them.

It really is time Mr Lewis and his colleagues faced up to reality. I would say to those groups that I have referred to, if you have the opportunity to take holidays together as a family, take them and get the best bargains you can. Stand together and demand that Mr Lewis help you find solutions that will not penalise you financially.

A few weeks ago, Mr Lewis talked about tackling bullying. Are not his proposals to fine parents who take their children on holiday during term-time "bullying"?

RETIRED NURSE