DESPITE Gordon Casely's excusing himself as a heraldic anorak (Letters, December 5) for noticing cartoonist Steven Camley's use of the English quarterings on the royal swaddle, UK passport holders can hardly have failed to notice the same English version has been in use on UK passports for the best part of 100 years, while statements by members of the Westminster Government are habitually made from lecterns bearing the same English version of the royal arms.

It would, of course, be a nice tribute to the four nations which make up the UK to have one of the English quarterings replaced by one representing Wales, thus providing a single version of the royal arms suitable for use on all occasions within the UK. However, my friends in the Home Counties say this is out of the question as the second of the English quarterings represents the English conquest of Wales. Equally, of course, they state there is no need for an English Parliament as the existing one at Westminster is the English Parliament.

Despite the passage of more than 300 years, "respect for tradition" does not appear to have changed in the deep south.

Alexander Valentine,

9 Armadale Crescent, Balbeggie, Perth.