From Mr Mark Weston.

Sir, A serious problem with disaster relief is getting aid to people on the ground without it being skimmed off by corrupt politicians or well-paid bureaucrats. With over £2bn already pledged by rich nations to the countries hit by the tsunamis, the risk of waste is particularly high. To circumvent this, why not give, say, £500 to each person in the affected areas, and allow human ingenuity to do the rest? It would make for a much more effective response.