Letters, contributions and comments sent in to the Advertiser this week.

Review the education bill

Afzal Sayed Munna (QTLS), doctoral researcher, education, Liberal Democrat council candidate, writes:

Once again the chancellor, Philip Hammond, has unveiled the budget, which is a frustration for education.

I understand the chancellor wants to build a digital UK and also wants to ensure a scientific generation by putting £40million for maths teachers. The chancellor is also patronising young children to take maths in their A-level by offering £600 premium for schools. There is a plan for establishing a brand new national centre for computing and also triple the numbers of science teachers, which is no doubt a great milestone.

The chancellor is also backing the prime minister’s plan of establishing new grammar schools as well. However, the chancellor forgot to measure the consequence where 91 per cent of schools will still face a real-terms cut according to National Union of Teachers. The NUT also reported that it was £2.8 billion cut since 2015, which means £54k average, cut in primary schools and £205.6k average cut to secondary schools.

I believe the chancellor needs to review the education bill and stop the school cuts to help build a strong educated future generation.

Pets need support

Nicola Martin, PDSA, senior vet, writes:

This Christmas, please spare a thought for the thousands of much-loved pets requiring life-saving vet treatment. While most pets will enjoy spending extra time at home with their families, not all are so lucky.

Every December, pet wellbeing charity PDSA cares for 50,000 pets in need. Without our dedicated vet teams, many of these pets would have nowhere else to go. For 100 years, we’ve been helping provide critical care and emergency surgery for pets that urgently need us when tragedy strikes. Demand for our vital services never stops.

Every pet is a star in our eyes, and we want to give them all a fighting chance.

Animal lovers can help our #SaveAStar campaign at pdsa.org.uk/star or by texting STAR to 70020 to give a one-off donation of £5 (you’ll also be charged one standard rate message*).

From all of the pets you’ll help to save this Christmas,

thank you.

*Over 16s only. Must have bill payer’s permission. Full terms at pdsa.org.uk/star.