Lifelong affairs 2

As the proposer of the Parliamentary early day motion in support of the Campaigning Alliance for Lifelong Learning (CALL), I was surprised by your account of the organisation's Westminster lobby with John Denham, the Universities Secretary ("Denham booed over adult education budget cuts", 5 March). It reflected neither the specifics of what I said nor the tone and attitude of the CALL supporters.

I emphatically did not say that "many more MPs" above the 100-plus who have signed the motion "may have declined to sign because they were worried about keeping their jobs in the Government". I and several others who spoke emphasised the points of agreement between CALL's campaign and the Government's objectives for adult learning.

The debate is around the need to give proper weight and flexibility to such learning. It is not a case of either skills or lifelong learning - we need both.

Gordon Marsden, MP, House of Commons.