Letter: 'Spoilsports' just carry out policy

I NOTE from your front-page report (20 December) that 'the taxman' is to 'be a lottery spoilsport' by imposing a levy on the proposed National Lottery. (Boo] Hiss] Nasty old Taxman])

Apart from the fact that over half of the Inland Revenue's employees are women, may I remind you that civil servants merely carry out the policies of our politicians.

Perhaps we will all be much happier when the Government's so-called 'market testing' plans go ahead, and the nation's taxation system is privatised and placed in the hands of, say, a high street bank. Then, not only will you be paying tax, you will also be paying a contribution towards said company's profits.

Never mind. At least with all of this confidential information in the hands of the private sector, we'll all know exactly how much the Queen earns.

Chris Goulding

Inland Revenue Staff Federation

Gateshead