I HOPE Elliot Morley is happy spending millions of pounds to increase the wild bird population ("Rise in Yorkshire bird populations", February 28).

The Government does not want to pay farmers to ensure there is enough food as "it can always be imported" but it is prepared to pay a small fortune for each extra bird and buy land to flood thereby removing it from agriculture for ever.

I believe wildlife can be increased and the land grow food in harmony. Food surpluses are good as the amount grown is unpredictable and everyone of us must eat every day.

Why cannot any surplus be used to feed those in the world who cannot get enough to live on? By the way, Elliot Morley is a keen bird watcher so is probably biased and dare I say "feathering his own nest".

FR Henley,

Green Farm,

Southfield Lane,

Seaton Ross, York.

Updated: 11:54 Wednesday, March 03, 2004