It is correct that “the government has already announced a plan to recruit 2,500 extra prison officers” (Deal raises hopes of end to prisons crisis, 2 December), but that will still leave the service 4,500 short of the staffing level it had four years ago. I’m awaiting a reply to a written question I have tabled seeking clarification of how many more staff will have to be appointed to replace the considerable number expected to leave the service in the next five years, believed to be in the region of 5,500.
Jeremy Beecham
Shadow justice minister, House of Lords
• While agreeing with the rightness of not putting injured armed services personnel and their families through months/years of litigation (Combat related compensation could be raised, 2 December), could I additionally suggest there be some mechanism to estimate these costs before a decision to go to war is made. People are not machines.
Hazel Anderson
Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
• Andrew Davies (‘I can’t control myself’, G2, 30 November) is quoted as saying of the catchphrase “You might very well think that; I couldn’t possibly comment”, “I was pleased to discover that line wasn’t Dobbs, it was me”. That’s odd, because I’m reading House of Cards at the moment (Harper, 2015), and on page 99 Urquhart says: “You might say that, Mattie. I couldn’t possibly comment.”
Raia Browning
Oxford
• My husband died a year ago. I still recycle the Sport section without reading it (Letters, 29 November) with a twinge of sadness.
Lesley Barnes
Greenford, Middlesex
• Re your article (Daily Mail sale ‘can’t be ruled out’, 2 December), I don’t suppose if we all clubbed together…
Sheila Hutchins
Tregony, Cornwall
• Ed Balls featured half a dozen times in Saturday’s Guardian. Strictly necessary?
Betty Clarke
Malvern, Worcestershire
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