SIR - It has been announced that ministers are planning to implant microchips under the skin of thousand of offenders as part of an expansion of the electronic tagging scheme to keep criminals out of prison.

Having a tag, either on an individual's ankle or in their body will not prevent them from perpetrating another crime. It will only tell the authorities where the next crime is committed!

These are the same tags used around the world to keep track of dogs, cats and cattle. We will be told these chips are only to be used for nasty criminals. I fear this could be another thin end of the big brother wedge.

First they came for the paedophiles - I did not speak out as I deplore those people.

They then came for people who refused to sign up for an ID card - I did not care, I had an ID card.

They came for people who could not afford to pay their pay-as-they-go road tax - I did not speak out, I always pay my taxes.

Then they came for me, and there was nobody left to speak out for me!

Jason Smith, UK Independence Party Bradford Chairman, Woodlands Avenue, Queensbury