CIVIL engineers are undoubtedly key members of the construction team.

This is recognised in their average salaries, which are somewhat higher than many other professions operating in the sector.

Readers will therefore hopefully forgive my slightly unsympathetic response to Robin Brown's letter (The Herald, December 4).

We are in the midst, after all, of deep economic crisis with budgets being cut across our country in essential services such as healthcare, education, and housing.

Peter Drummond,

36 Portland Road,

Kilmarnock.