BANNING meat on the bone - is this not just panic by an inadequate, spineless administration just stumbling along?

The Government had three options. But they chose this one, even though the odds against eating BSE-infected meat are equal to winning the lottery twice over.

Why should the choice be taken away from people on the whim of scientists who make their living out of promoting BSE?

Is it not time that this was put in perspective when there are 4,000 people killed by cars, which are not banned; tens of thousands killed by alcohol - not banned; tens of thousands will die through smoking - not banned? Four thousand will die of flu this winter and, possibly, up to 30,000 in an epidemic. More children will drown after falling through ice this winter than have been killed by the variant of CJD linked to BSE.

Should not people be allowed to eat meat on the bone if they want, just like those who are allowed to smoke and drink? You have to die of something.

What about the thousands of millions of pounds spent on making British beef the safest in the world?

Is this not simply a case of headline-grabbing by 'bullish' Labour - which seems to be its main occupation?

WALT MEADOWS, Whalley New Road, Blackburn.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.