I write regarding the appeal made by Andrew Smith, MP for Oxford East, during a debate in Westminister, on December 17.

He called for the provision of financial credit facilities as help for the BMW Mini Plant, in Oxford.

It is possible, after reading a report in the Oxford Mail, of the problem of declining sales of Minis, to assume Andrew Smith had knowledge of an oncoming difficulty?

It would be of interest to be informed of the reason Mr Smith failed to take the opportunity to inform his constituents, through the medium of the Oxford Mail, of the need for the request made to Parliament.

JOHN BULLIVANT, Leiden Road, Headington, Oxford,