1 JULY 1995, Page 26

Sir: I was heartened by Mr Lawson's strong denunciation of

prenatal testing for Down's syndrome directed towards eliminating Down's babies before birth. As the parent of a Down's child, and having met other children with varying disabilities, the enor- mous injustice of prenatal testing for dis- ability and its consequences has been brought home to me. My Maria has not turned out to be the severely damaged child I might have been led to expect had I known of her condition earlier; even if she had been badly affected, who or what gives me the right to snuff out her life in its early stages? She is still our child and her life is sacred no matter what the degree of her disability.

Maly Brennan

3 Durlock Ave, Ramsgate, Kent