Regarding the future of Devonport dockyard. I served in the Royal Navy from 1975 to 1997. I had postings in Portsmouth, Torpoint and Devonport. Throughout that time the bias inside the Navy was always to Portsmouth. One reason is that Portsmouth is closer to London. The amount of ships transferred to Portsmouth from Devonport always outweighed any thing coming the way of Devonport. This has continued over the last ten years. Coupled with the fact that the Portsmouth has always built on their Naval heritage, something Plymouth has always been slow to do, would it not be better to admit that one day there will be no significant Naval presence in the dockyard and plan for the future accordingly. Painful, yes, but more realistic. There is a vast amount of waterfront land on the Tamar. Better Plymouth plan ahead rather than wither on the vine.

ID cards? Definately! Although, I don't like the term ID cards. What I think is very important in crime prevention is being able to prove ones own identity easily and quickly. If this means ID cards, or iris scanning or whatever, is has to be a good thing. Its far too easy for people to slam ID cards but most of these people are not providing anything constructive. Mathematicians, and scientists should be discussing the issue and proving and demonstrating how a system can be secure. How the technology would work should be made public. There is no security in obscurity. So let people see how it is going to work and see if they can see any holes in the system.

thank you for your message Sandra. I am very aware of the issue of high water rates in the South West and I am particularly concerned about the effect they have on low-income families and the elderly. I think it is very unfair that a small number of consumers should have to pay for environmental obligations that benefit the entire country. This is something that I am working work very hard to get the Government to address. I hold regular meetings with the water regulator, water companies and government ministers – including Gordon Brown – and I have twice held adjournment debates on the subject in the House of Commons. As part of the All Party Parliamentary Water Group I have recently been on a panel taking evidence from experts on the future of the entire UK Water Industry and we hope to publish our report in the next month or so – if you contact my office they will be happy to send you a copy. Rest assured I will continue to work tirelessly on this matter.

We have one of the highest water rates in the country if not the highest. What are doing to address this in Parliament. £750 this year, it is highway robbery. Why are you letting SWW get away with it.

I never liked ID card or passports until I arrive to the UK. I am Spanish. I cannot understand the fears againts the national ID cards. I cannot understand it on the society of the videosurveillance -long life to the CCTV - in the country of the realisation of Orwell imaginary world, in the new est-germany that reborn here in UK with the help of our IT power. ID card are not to protect you against bad people but just to help you to administrate your day by day life. But in the land of practicity a telephone bill is more trustable to certificate that you exist...

Thankyou for your comment Jon. I think you raise some interesting points. The debate on ID cards is often framed in negative terms - about stopping criminals - but equally it can be seen to be about protecting the public by assisting police and emergency services to do their job. Similarly, the medical information you refer to is also a good point. Of course, members of the armed forces wear dog tags with thier blood type and religious denomination and often people who suffer from allergies or hold religious beliefs surrounding the issue of treatment wear bracelets or carry cards to that effect. The recent high profile loss of data reinforces in my mind the need for more secure ways of proving - and protecting - identity. New forms of technology such as biometric data and retina scanning may provide the answer. Again, thank you for your comment.

To comment onthe ID card scheme, i tend to carry my eyes and fingers around with me anyway, why put their information on a piece of card that can be very easily stolen

The subject of cannabis runs much deeper that a few students getting stoned, Medical Cannabis is a cheap and highly effective alternative to modern medicines,This will save the NHS money, and the fibres from the plant (hemp) can be used for cheap, high quality rapid growing papers and textiles with well over a thousand uses,The oil from its seeds were even used to power Henry Fords first car!! Cannabis is a serious Climate change issue, as well as a personal freedom issue. Could there be any chance of an audience with yourself so we may Formally discuss the subject further under more appropriate conditions.

Hi Linda,I've been living overseas for most of my life,and everywhere I've been has some form of I.D.As far as I can see,from my experience,I.D's will do nothing to fight crime,terrorism or anything else the "pro"people claim.However,they ARE very usefull wnen law abiding folk(the criminals will never be phased by them)when they carry the correct type of information such as your personal ID photo,allergies,blood type and so forth and as such would be of imeasurable value to police and the emergency services.as well as providing a form of "back up"to other forms of ID requirements

You should now have received my reply to your original query. I am sorry for the delay, but I wanted to have time to review information relevant to cannabis and health personally before responding. Your strength of feeling on this subject is evident – and I can appreciate your frustration. However, I am not willing to sign up to any campaign until there is published, peer reviewed evidence from properly conducted research. Although there are some interesting studies being carried out in this field (including some in which researchers in Plymouth are playing a role), and as much as I would welcome any breakthrough in the treatment of chronic illness like MS, I am not prepared to pre-empt the results of on going research into the benefits of any drug, including cannabis. I appreciate that this will not be the answer you and others hope for, but you can certainly count on me to take a continuing interest in how the science is developing.

I wish that Linda would ask her constituents feedback regarding the issue of cannabis prohibition. I've been trying to speak to someone in government (including her) for a while now, and they arent interested in addressing the problem. Please Linda, phone me on 01752 301469. Ask the Herald for the previous articles about me and my cause. Please visit http://humedi.org.uk to educate yourself on cannabis prohibition - but more importantly - PLEASE OPEN A DIALOGUE WITH US! Thank you, - Stuart Wyatt - 77 St Mary St, Plymouth