Letter: Good use for mine expertise

I WAS surprised to see an article criticising my ideas for mine clearance ("MP says arms firm should receive Diana fund cash", 11 January), not least because I have not been contacted to give my side of the story.

Royal Ordnance Plc, based in my constituency, has never produced anti- personnel landmines. The team in Chorley are experts not only in mine clearance but also in the clearance of other explosive ordnance and I am keen that this ex- pertise should be passed on.

I am not calling for money from the Diana fund to be given to British Aerospace or for BAe to be given contracts with donated money to clear the mines. All I want is for the expertise we have in Chorley to be passed on in a school to train people in techniques to clear mines, which we know was one of the late princess's principal concerns.

Lindsay Hoyle MP

House of Commons

London SW1