11 JANUARY 1963, Page 14

WHAT ADVICE?

SIR,—Mr. Nicholas Davenport always gives such sound advice to the Chancellor. Last week he advised Mr. Maudling to tell businessmen that 'they should work on the assumption that the Brussels negotiations will either fail or be suspended for the time being.' What is the good of that if Mr. Henry Fairlie, hardly ten pages away, tells us that 'negotiations will be successfully concluded within the next three months.' I only hope the rumours 'from the highest level' that have been whispered in Mr. Fairlie's ear were also confided to the Chancellor, even if not to Nicholas Davenport.