Sir - I read the letter of Maurice Holt (Letters, November 2) with concern and agreement. Mr Holt mentions and decries targets. He is right to do so where health and justice suffer. Does anyone know whether Thames Valley Police operates a target system? And if so in what areas of policing? It would be of considerable concern if there were to be prizes for the highest number of arrests.

Targets which are, however, very important for us older members are for the open regular publication of the numbers and then related deaths both between hospitals in Oxfordshire and between individual wards arising from superbugs. These figures should not be the subject of interminable unsuccessful forays under the Freedom of Information Act.

Ben Beaumont, Oxford