Bullying allegations

SIR – You discuss the allegations of bullying against Dominic Raab (Leading Article, February 3).

In my career as a public servant I faced bullying allegations twice – and was twice cleared after extremely stressful investigations.

In both cases, I was simply trying to get staff to do the job that taxpayers were paying them to do.

John Neal

South Normanton, Derbyshire increase in the cost of the so-called renovation of the Peers’ Entrance to the House of Lords (report, February 3).

This was originally scheduled to cost about £2 million and has now jumped to £7 million in only 12 months. That’s a lot for a front door.

In my experience, many peers are sceptical of the need to have a new door at all. But if it is to be foisted upon them, despite their objections, they would at least like to have a full explanation as to why it is necessary. Yet attempts by Lord Forsyth, the chairman of the Association of Conservative Peers, to obtain information about the “new door” and why the costs have risen by such sky-scraping amounts have been brushed aside with stonewalling answers.

It is understood that Parliament is devoting considerable amounts of money to security-related capital expenditure. Security is always sensitive but it is not satisfactory that there is no meaningful financial information being provided about this.

At the moment there is great pressure on public spending, so it is vital that Parliament should be transparent, as well as setting an example of careful management of taxpayers’ money.

Lord Lamont of Lerwick (Con) London SW1