Why didn’t the government act sooner on collapsing schools?

Your stories about RAAC concrete in schools make for chilling reading. Why has it taken until now for the government to act on this danger? They were told the problem was urgent back in 2018, but the industry was aware of problems back as early as the 1980s, and I believe that a Midlands polytechnic material sciences lab was actually testing this material for suspected durability problems, due to its porosity, water permeability and thus risk of reinforcement corrosion, as far back as 1975. This begs another question: why were schools built with RAAC still being opened in this century?

This is symptomatic of another disease – the government allowing schools to be thrown up quickly and cheaply using rubbish materials instead of insisting on quality construction. Before RAAC there was CLASP, which allowed very fast building but contained massive quantities of asbestos, so many of those schools have already had to be demolished.

Meanwhile, many solid pre-Second World War and even Victorian school buildings happily soldier on, often now converted to homes or community centres after education fashions changed. When will our government ever learn?

Ian McNicholas Ebbw Vale, Wales

More than 100 schools will have to shut with immediate effect because aerated concrete was used in their construction and they are unsafe. I wonder if those 100 unsafe schools include the places where the rich send their children like Eton College, Winchester or Harrow?

Sasha Simic London

From the damaged reputations of our empire-stuffed museums to sewage-filled waterways and (excuse the pun) Michael Gove’s watering down of environmental rules to appease builders; from air-traffic anarchy to Rishi Sunak appointing a defence secretary who simply isn’t up to the job; and from refugee barges with legionella to increasing deaths on NHS waiting lists – all I can say is: it’s a shame.

From the ridiculous trumpeting of laughable trade deals with tiny countries on the other side of the world to the self-harm and carnage wrought by Brexit, it’s all a damn shame. After too many years of Tory focus on what benefits the wealthy minority, this still wealthy country looking like a cobbled-together mess is embarrassing. A country-humiliating shame.

Amanda Baker Edinburgh

How did our judicial system devolve into such a circus? Encouraging victims of crime to bid up sentencing with statements made in court; judges waiting on psychological and medical reports; due consideration given to previous convictions, with the likely result being a sentence imposed – the maximum allowed under the law.

The application of whole-life terms may satisfy those demanding retribution, and may allow politicians some short-term gains in public approval, but it takes no account of the management of such offenders for potentially several generations to come. The process of reformation is denied them, seen as pointless with likely attendant mental health and behavioural issues to contend with. Surely, no matter how heinous the crime, our judiciary should not be in the business of stifling hope from the human psyche? No wonder those convicted want no part in this charade.

Frankly, forcing people to attend their sentencing under these conditions may add to the spectacle but does nothing for the quality of justice dispensed as criminals take advantage of their last opportunity to play to the gallery without fear of further penalty. Frankly, only half-baked politicians of all persuasions could possibly believe this was a good idea. The sensible response is to allow the rabid press its howls of disapproval at such craven behaviour and then swiftly move on!

David Smith Somerset