SIR - I would like to respond to the letter by David Nice on Mr Shapps sleep out. Since the Labour Government took power the number of people sleeping rough in Britain has been reduced by two thirds; this is not a statistic which is in dispute. While w

SIR - I would like to respond to the letter by David Nice on Mr Shapps'

sleep out.

Since the Labour Government took power the number of people sleeping rough in Britain has been reduced by two thirds; this is not a statistic which is in dispute.

While we would all like to see rough sleeping reduced further, it is inaccurate to suggest that no help has been provided. We would do well to remember that the biggest increase in rough sleeping occurred under the Conservative Thatcher government.

Mr Shapps' time would have been better spent with the teenagers on the streets of WGC, finding out how to reduce petty crime by providing them with somewhere to go and something to do.

Bill Hodgson

Valley Road

WGC.