WHILE I share Emma Dawnay’s aspiration for thriving local economies, her justifications are sadly misplaced and redolent of the discussions from the 1970s and 1980s when our labour-intensive, uncompetitive heavy industries lost out to more automated and low-cost Asian competitors. 
Our cause would not be helped either by trying to tinker with economies in lesser developed countries or in economies in transition. The purchasing power of the salaries of the supposedly low-paid workers does in fact guarantee that they and their families enjoy relative wealth.
Oddly enough, standards are not necessarily lower. Organisations such as the International Organisation for Standardisation, (ISO), the International Laboratory Accreditation Co-operation (ILAC) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) are seeing standards developed in co-operation with and implemented by a wide range of developing nations and much international trade is achieved by virtue of these standards through technology transfer and capacity building activities.
Yes, we need less regulation but what we do need is the encouragement for high added-value products, developed and manufactured by highly-skilled workers. This requires encouragement for the educational sector as well as proper recognition for technical skills. We are not in a position to support our economy off the back of low-skilled jobs with the threat of robots taking on more manufacturing and service jobs in the next two generations.
NIGEL CARTER
Great Western Close
Devizes