23 SEPTEMBER 2000, Page 30

Generation drain

From Mr Chris Smith Sir: Re 'Too busy to have babies'. Yes, but do they ever add . . but thank God our mothers and fathers weren't'? Eleanor Mills's friends are clearly intelligent, able, clever, witty and well off — but who do they think will be taking their place in 20 to 30 years' time? Haven't they heard of genes or genetics? Or were they away on the day they did that at school?

Chris Smith

Dorchester, Dorset