Letter: The jobless have the solutions

I READ with interest your front-page lead ('Jobs crisis scares Tories', 17 January). While I am encouraged that this country's leaders finally recognise there is a crisis, I am not convinced they have the necessary understanding to arrive at radical solutions.

The real problem is that for every government scheme (good or bad), there is a tranche of rules and regulations which present insurmountable problems for those of us attempting to escape unemployment through our own skills and endeavours.

Instead of looking inwards for solutions, John Major should enlist the help of the people who really understand the pitfalls and obstacles presented by current DSS regulations and schemes - the unemployed themselves.

R A Abbott

Spalford, Nottinghamshire