CONTRARY to Matthew Laverack’s contention (Letters, December 5), I am not prejudiced against private business; indeed I spent my whole working life in the private sector.

I recognise it as the only satisfactory system for handling the market in consumer goods once basic needs are met. Is his criticism of civil servants based on personal experience in the public sector?

There is a cross-sector market on senior executive skills, with the going rate set by private-sector employers, who are not required to take public opinion on emoluments into account.

It is only the performance and the salaries of executives paid with “our” money – ie from taxation – that are widely aired and commented on.

Unlike those in private business, the measure of the success of public-sector executives is how well they have achieved the social purpose set them by national and local government.

That is the primary result we expect them to achieve and be paid for.

If they perform badly they should be called to account; but many of the mishaps we hear about are the result of political failure in setting and drafting clear objectives and allocating the necessary funding.

Maurice Vassie, Forge Lane, Deighton, York.

• Editor’s note: This correspondence is now at an end.