LETTERS Hunt sabotaged
Sir: Catching up, on my return from holi- day, on the back issues of The Spectator, I read with interest Simon Heffer's article on David Hunt (Politics, 14 August). I can tes- tify to the truth of Simon's comment that `Mr Hunt wins the respect of his junior ministers by being an effective and success- ful delegator'. I cannot, however, agree with the comments about David Hunt the man.
Described, on my appointment in December 1990, as the most right-wing minister ever appointed to the Welsh Office, 'the arch-Thatcherite sent to spy on David Hunt and the wet Welsh Office', I was expected to face difficulties working with David Hunt. There was none. There were some differences of view and of policy (not unknown even between ministers on the same wing of the party), but it would have been hard to find a more amiable, courteous, conciliatory and encouraging Secretary of State. My primary responsibilities, under the oversight of the Secretary of State, were the health service, local government, planning and housing. We established the first NHS Trust. We brought forward plans to abolish the Welsh counties created in 1974 and replace them with unitary authorities based largely on the historic counties and bor- oughs. We published Housing in Wales which set out a radical agenda based firmly on the premise that housing is 'first and foremost a matter for the private sector' and that local authorities should cease to be providers of housing. Without David Hunt's active support none of these policies would have seen the light of day.
Andrew de la Rue (Letters,28 August) claims that David Hunt voted for the Bill to abolish hunting. He did not, he voted against the McNamara Bill.
Nicholas Bennett
7 Haredon Close, London SE23
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