I WAS amazed to read Mr E Templeman s letter (October 19), in which he described the mixed reaction of MEPs to his request for help.He suggested that, because Jeffrey Titford MEP had not replied to him inside about 10 days, his e-mail had been ignored,

I WAS amazed to read Mr E Templeman's letter (October 19), in which he described the "mixed" reaction of MEPs to his request for help.

He suggested that, because Jeffrey Titford MEP had not replied to him inside about 10 days, his e-mail had been ignored, which is absurd. I deal with Mr Titford's correspondence, and I forwarded it to our staff in the European Parliament within a couple of days of its receipt. As it happens, the person it went to was away for few days.

My intention was to write to Mr Templeman as soon as I had something substantive to say: now I find that we have been castigated for not replying within a fortnight. Mr Templeman should try writing to an MP: most would probably not reply within two months, never mind two weeks.

Furthermore, the matter was related to practices in Malta, which are not "governed by the European Parliament" as he suggests, but we were nevertheless, as a gesture of good will, hoping to be able help him via a Maltese MEP.

Finally, I would add that Mr Titford receives a large postbag and we sometimes have to prioritise matters. The query from Mr Templeman was certainly not what I would call life-and-death compared with some of the letters we receive from people with really serious problems.

STUART GULLEFORD

Political Adviser to Jeffrey Titford MEP