I AM grateful to James Slack for publicising the Liberal Democrat Alternative Budget in his column (Evening News, March 1).

However, I am surprised that he relies on a letter found on a photocopier by a Labour MP for his information.

Matthew Taylor MP, our Shadow Chancellor, announced the Liberal Democrat proposals to make the tax system both fairer and simpler on February 25.

Had Mr Foster not been so pleased with himself for finding a hint of this announcement, he might have noticed that Mr Taylor was in fact pointing out that the Labour Government had let electors down by causing average council tax bills to rise by more than £400 since it came to power.

The Liberal Democrat proposals are for a cut in every council tax bill by £100 in preparation for the introduction of a much fairer local tax based on income.

This would be funded by increasing tax on individual incomes over £100,000 per year by an extra 10p in the pound. This would provide sufficient

funding both to cut the council tax bills and to scrap Labour's unfair tuition and top-up fees for students.

In addition, the Government is misspending, miscalculating and mismanaging taxpayers' money. We would change priorities to reflect the needs of citizens, not Whitehall bureaucracy.

We would direct funding to provide better services, including better public transport, increase the state pension and provide free personal care for the elderly.

We would guarantee long-term funding for the NHS by turning National Insurance into a permanent NHS contribution. In short, the Liberal Democrats aim to spend more wisely, and tax more fairly.

MARGARET ROWLEY,

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman, Mid-Worcestershire.

n I AM grateful to James Slack for publicising the Liberal Democrat Alternative Budget in his column (Evening News, March 1).

However, I am surprised that he relies on a letter found on a photocopier by a Labour MP for his information.

Matthew Taylor MP, our Shadow Chancellor, announced the Liberal Democrat proposals to make the tax system both fairer and simpler on February 25.

Had Mr Foster not been so pleased with himself for finding a hint of this announcement, he might have noticed that Mr Taylor was in fact pointing out that the Labour Government had let electors down by causing average council tax bills to rise by more than £400 since it came to power.

The Liberal Democrat proposals are for a cut in every council tax bill by £100 in preparation for the introduction of a much fairer local tax based on income.

This would be funded by increasing tax on individual incomes over £100,000 per year by an extra 10p in the pound. This would provide sufficient

funding both to cut the council tax bills and to scrap Labour's unfair tuition and top-up fees for students.

In addition, the Government is misspending, miscalculating and mismanaging taxpayers' money. We would change priorities to reflect the needs of citizens, not Whitehall bureaucracy.

We would direct funding to provide better services, including better public transport, increase the state pension and provide free personal care for the elderly.

We would guarantee long-term funding for the NHS by turning National Insurance into a permanent NHS contribution. In short, the Liberal Democrats aim to spend more wisely, and tax more fairly.

MARGARET ROWLEY,

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Spokesman, Mid-Worcestershire.