I AM struggling with Mike Foster's repeated claim of New Labour delivering a new hospital, unless of course PPFI (Public Private Finance Initiative) is, in his view, the same as PFI (Private Finance Initiative)

The new Worcestershire hospital is PFI provided by a consortium headed by Catalyst Healthcare (Worcester) Ltd, which will then lease it back to the NHS for some £16m per year for 30 years - for Catalyst, a purely lucrative business venture.

While totally agreeing with Joy Turner (You Say, January 1) disagreeing on the Government's policy to eventually sell all council houses, I have to ask Mike Foster whether, on this housing issue, this is also a New Labour Government delivering.

BRIAN HUNT,

Worcester.