I read with interest Michael Robinson's letter on competitive tendering (see [2005] Gazette, 21 April,14).


While I entirely support Mr Robinson's view that competitive tendering in legal aid work is daft, I take issue with his suggestion that competitive tendering does not appear in other publicly funded work.



For some time now we have had competitive tendering for hospital cleaning contracts and the railway system. One only has to look at those two examples to see what a success competitive tendering can be. Surely no one would suggest that the average hospital cleaner or train driver is not a professional.



What is a profession anyway? The person who cuts my hair calls me a client. The Legal Services Commission calls me a service provider and insists that I call my clients customers.



If I manage to remain in the law long enough, I might eventually have a barcode attached to me.



Blip, coffee, blip, chicken nuggets, blip, solicitor. 'We have a special offer on these - you get two for the price of one, but when you unwrap them there is no guarantee the advice will be the same.' Blip.



Geoff Pearson, Freeman-Pearson, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear