Sir - Thank you for your courtesy and consideration in publishing our June letter about the problem of local government funding of the lowest band of care in old people's homes.

I gather you also published our chaplain's letter of support the following week.

We sent copies of the letter to county MPs and relevant county councillors as well as a few officers. To date we have had very helpful replies from Andrew Smith and Boris Johnson and acknowledgement of receipt from Evan Harris and from the Treasury; also from Kath Caldwell, an officer I mistakenly addressed as a councillor who passed the letter on. None of the county councillors, with the exception of Larry Sanders, who is being very helpful, has seen fit to send a reply of any kind. What does this say about our place in the "pecking order"? We also elect them.

Jeanne Lindley (Mrs) + 13 other residents, St John's Home, Oxford