Letters In Brief

Sir: I've read enough spy stories to know that you never, never keep a list of a large number of your "secret" agents in one place. The fact that such a list was published on the Internet means either that the unfortunate persons named are in reality very low level or that the ability to collate this information is indicative of treason near the very top. In either case, it seems the official version is, as usual, some distance from the truth.

L SALEM

London W5

Sir: So Greg Dyke says that Chris Smith "slightly" misled Parliament over their discussions about the director-general's vacancy at the BBC (letter, 13 May). Amidst all this confusion it is important not to lose sight of the fact that substantial donations to the party of government give rise to issues of public policy which would render any candidate, of whatever ability, unacceptable as the next director general.

PETER AINSWORTH MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

House of Commons, London SW1

Sir: Jonathan Shaw's Right of Reply (Review, 13 May) is misleading. In the present House of Commons, MPs in 313 seats out of 659 do not represent a majority of those who voted in their constituency, let alone "represent a majority of constituents". Moreover, the Government gained a large majority of seats with only 43.2 per cent of the vote. Scottish voters, however, are now fairly represented: all political views are reflected by an appropriate number of MSPs, with less than 5 per cent variation.

PAUL TYLER MP

Liberal Democrat Chief Whip

House of Commons,

London SW1