Letter: Why help India if it can afford a space programme?

Letter: Just as I was starting to enjoy Christmas I received my bill from E.ON, my gas and electricity supplier.

It has jumped more than 23 per cent from £90 per month to £122 per month. Medical conditions make it necessary in my household to maintain a standard of heating a little higher than normal. The question of higher costs, I ask, is why?

Perhaps someone in authority can explain why British Gas made a profit last year of £595 million and E.ON stated the UK was its star performer last year and allowed it to make £3.7 billion profit. My wife's NI pension income, after working for the mandatory 44 years and paying full contributions, is swallowed up by heating costs.

We are most fortunate to learn that despite our homegrown financial problems we are still able to extend our financial arm of friendship to other financially distressed countries.

Let's help China put a man on the moon; no worries, only costs £40 million.

The Ugandan president needs £35 million to buy a new Lear Jet? No problem.

Dear old India, £825 million for future business development. Sounds good, they can then charge us for services. They have bought our motor vehicle and steel industries. We gave them the money to do that.

Kraft bought Cadbury with money lent by UK banks, while they were not lending to UK businesses.

As we speak we are huddled around our burning candle observing the jet stream from a passing aircraft while debating whether to eat an onion bhaji or bacon sandwich to enable us to support foreign enterprise. Surely it must now be time for the UK to get real. We need help, now.

Ron Plenderleith

Leegomery