THIS week it was revealed that the police bill for translation has soared from £13,580,599 in 2003/04 — the year before the European Union expanded eastwards — to £22,178,040 last year.

This is an awful lot of money which should be used for combating crime on our streets. Would it not make more sense instead of pouring money into interpreting services that they teach English to people coming into the country?

COUN DAVID PEARSON (via email)