SIR - While our revered leader Mr Blair, during his time in office, has had some good, and even spectacular ideas, he has also had some not too bright ones.

The idea of trusts, and even the National Institute of Clinical Excellence, in the health service leaves many doubts. The thought of large quantities of people with large salaries and expenses setting targets for health services of which they know nothing cannot be right.

The health service's target is keeping the population fit and healthy. The trusts' target is money and costs - nothing else.

The vast cost of keeping all these trust people thinking how other people should save money beggars belief.

Hospitals and doctors surgeries are not stupid, they know what has to be done and are doing it to the best of their ability.

Give them all the money wasted on trusts and they will do better.

This could also apply to education.

W E Oates, Station Road, Queensbury