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The assisted dying legislation would offer security and clarity to terminally ill patients

Plus: the business cost of power cuts; women in prison; reasons to go veggie; unnecessary rules on cyclists; and leaf blower wars

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SIR – There have been many misleading comments about the legalisation of assisted dying, suggesting that it is the start of a slippery slope, and that it is open to abuse (“Assisted dying legislation ‘a step towards non-voluntary euthanasia’”, report, November 17). 
The truth is that the proposed legislation is very strict, and would only allow assisted dying for terminally ill patients who are estimated to have fewer than six months to live, and who have demonstrated to two independent doctors that they wish to avoid the final stages of their illness. 
It is in fact the current situation, where any assisted death has to be carried out in secret, that allows for abuse and undue pressure. Legalisation brings with it openness and safeguards, so it benefits those who want to live on as well as those who want to die a few months early.
Richard MountfordHildenborough, Kent
SIR – Much concern has been expressed about the effect of the proposed assisted dying Bill on the vulnerable and elderly in this country. 
Of course their interests must be protected, but we must not lose sight of the estimated 17 people a day who suffer intolerable and horrendous deaths when no pain relief can help them, or the estimated 300 terminally ill people each year who are driven to take their own lives, sometimes in tragic circumstances for themselves and their families. 
When we have witnessed the extreme suffering of a loved one at the end of life, it becomes evident that the law must change to give us all choice.
Joan WillinghamChandlers Ford, Hampshire
SIR – I am a retired oncologist. I have seen the benefits conferred by the greater understanding of how to manage symptoms associated with the terminal phase of diseases. Coupled to this has been the huge benefits of the hospice system and its outreach into the community. Nonetheless, despite the available support, many patients reach a point in their illness when they have a positive desire to see the final phase foreshortened. 
If the assisted dying Bill becomes law, we must not fall into the trap of a lengthy over-complication of the process. There is a legitimate concern about protection of the vulnerable. It must be recognised that although this risk can and should be reduced to a minimum, it is impossible in any medical process to entirely avoid an unwanted outcome. If we are to assist distressed people suffering at the end of their lives we have to accept that. We should include legislation to avoid the “creep” in the threshold for offering this help that has been witnessed elsewhere.
Roger BuchananChandler’s Ford, Hampshire
SIR – As a consultant physician, practising medicine for over 20 years, I have huge concerns about the proposed assisted dying Bill. 
It cuts against everything a doctor stands for and poses a huge threat to the most vulnerable members of society – those whom the medical profession seeks to protect. 
In countries where assisted dying has been legislated for, we have already seen the erosion of safeguards and the disastrous consequences that have followed. Every human life is precious and of immeasurable worth.
Dr AJ LansdownCardiff 
SIR – We have just had a power cut at work and as a result have been reminded that power cuts are a business cost.
The most likely cause of the outage was loadshedding, which is when the National Grid switches off supply to areas to bring demand into line with supply. The combination of low temperatures maximising demand and very low wind speeds becalming turbines makes this sort of thing inevitable.
For most businesses, when the electricity goes off everything stops. A laptop may still have battery power, but it probably won’t have access to the internet or the company’s server. A tradesman may still be able to use a cordless power tool, but only if he has sufficient natural light.
Workers will need to be paid for that time even though they couldn’t do their jobs. Also, when power comes back on everything has to be restarted. For example, we had to call our tech support to get our computers running again.
As power cuts will inevitably become more common, businesses will have to spend time and money on contingencies to deal with them. Every power cut is a reminder of the self-inflicted madness of the rush to net zero. 
Otto InglisCrossgates, Fife
SIR – This week two undersea internet cables were severed, in what some Western leaders claim was an act of sabotage.
This demonstrates how we, and countries like ours, can be brought quickly to our knees by interruption of our undersea communications and energy supplies.
The current Defence Review must address this burgeoning threat to our security.
Air Commodore Michael AllisstoneChichester, West Sussex 
SIR – Lord Timpson, the prisons minister, is right to research alternatives to custodial sentences for women who have dependent children (report, November 17).
The outcomes for any child with a parent in prison are potentially bleak, but they are worsened for those whose mothers are sent to prison, particularly when the incarcerated mother was their primary carer. Research shows that in 95 per cent of such cases, these children are forced to leave their family home either to live with other relatives or be placed under the care of local authorities.
Children may end up living many miles away from their homes and have the further disruption of needing to move schools. As there are comparatively few women’s prisons, the distances involved may result in regular visits being a challenge.
Stuart HarringtonBurnham-on-Sea, Somerset 
SIR – Theft from churches (Letters, November 17) is not a new phenomenon. 
When the Florence Nightingale Hospital for Gentlewomen closed in London, my mother, one of the volunteers, transported the chapel regalia to the Church of Saint Margaret of Antioch in Wellow. As part of this there was a “Scutari” cross. 
A few years later, it was “liberated” by someone who plainly felt they were a better custodian of the cross than the church where Florence Nightingale actually worshipped and is buried.
Andrew WauchopeLondon SE11 
SIR – Owning an electric car is not for the faint-hearted. 
Sixteen months ago I purchased a plug-in hybrid. I could have bought it outright but in the end I put the money in a three-year Isa and used a Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) to get the car. 
I am so glad I did. The depreciation is appalling. The trade-in value is already equal to the final payment figure. Goodness knows what its value will be in 20 months’ time, although I am not worried as I shall be handing the car back and shall let the finance company take any further losses.
I shall then buy a petrol car.
Dr Michael PeggEsher, Surrey
 
SIR – It is a shame that Barry Gray (Letters, November 17) decided to eschew his National Trust membership due to a lack of meat in the Cornish pasties on offer in the café. 
I gave up my lifelong habit of eating meat a few weeks ago following the Daily Telegraph’s disclosure of animal husbandry failures at a Marks & Spencer farm. I simply could no longer condone the suffering of another living thing to satisfy my need for meat. 
Since then I have found vegetarian and vegan offerings very satisfying and the accompanying drop in my cholesterol levels a welcome side effect. Perhaps Mr Gray would consider trying the vegan comestible with one eye on the wider picture.
Gary ReadBlaenllechau, Glamorgan
SIR – I have partaken in many a sausage roll at several establishments and I happily take whatever is available, vegan or otherwise. I can honestly say that if I were blindfolded and told to choose which item contained meat, I could not do it.
Vegan cuisine has come a long way in recent years.
Ellie JonesBournemouth, Dorset 
SIR – For me, pipe smoking has never left (Letters, November 17). Playing double bass in jazz groups for 50 years, I found that cigarette smoke gets in your eyes. A pipe solved this. Alas, it has long been banned.
I now get my tobacco online, as the major supermarkets no longer stock it. I do get the odd comment when people see me with a pipe – usually that their grandfather smoked one.
Robin BeynonLondon SW14 
SIR – I have been amazed at the letters on the reasons readers no longer wish to post Christmas cards. They will send an email instead. As far as I am concerned, I cannot put any of these on my mantelpiece.
Rosemary Corbin (Letters, November 17) states she is not prepared to spend £77.50 in stamps. I would point out that this is only about £6.45 a month. I would also like to remind all of your contributors that Christmas comes but once a year and there are definitely no pockets in shrouds.
Margaret ScattergoodSolihull
 
SIR – Peter Toghill (Letters, November 17) refers to gardeners using a leaf blower to move fallen leaves from their garden and drive them on to the road.
For 30 years, a neighbour over the road and two doors down did just this. The next morning, these leaves would be on our drive ready to be swept up, bagged and recycled.
Such a simple solution to our neighbour’s gardening challenge. We have since moved house.
Ian WalthamPoole, Dorset
SIR – I suggest that Mr Toghill does what I do. I use my leaf blower to blow my fallen leaves into a pile then transport them by wheelbarrow to a place in our garden for hibernating hedgehogs.
Rod WilkinsDinckley, Lancashire
 
SIR – Simon Heffer says that it’s time to “get tough on the scourge of rogue cyclists” (Comment, November 17). As a campaigner, and someone who cycles around London virtually every day, I’ve seen people cycling in all sorts of ways in our city. I’m also in Richmond Park nearly every day. Cyclists aren’t angels, but they’re no less law abiding than anyone else in this country.
Mr Heffer’s essential argument seems to be one that has been rejected by government after government, in the UK and abroad: that somehow, if we made everyone on a bicycle have a specific licence and register their vehicle, then the world would be a safer place. Yet drivers, with their licences, tests, MOTs, and insurance, don’t seem to be persuaded of this, killing more people in a day than cyclists kill in a year.
The law should absolutely be enforced, and used to prevent road violence, but the changes Mr Heffer proposes would make no difference to safety on our roads and pavements, and instead would reduce the number of people cycling, to the detriment of all.
Tim LennonRichmond Cycling Campaign and Richmond Park CyclistsLondon SW14
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