I HAVE a nagging feeling that something is wrong with my counting.

We are told that our schools, hospitals and prisons buy their food through a central group to save money. This central group then buys from a trader who buys from the cheapest supplier, who may or may not be the producer.

I always believed that people are in business to make money and I count here several extra links in the chain. Would we not be able to save some money by shortening the chain and buying from local supplier? Or is that not what the local authority sourcing group is for?

Charlie Richmond

Wilton Street,

Glasgow