Sir, I have only lately received your issue of 24 November 2017.  On page 3 it had two excellent articles side by side.  One described how young Iraqi Muslims have helped to restore the Chaldean Catholic Church in Talkif, a few miles north of Mosul.  Their action is most welcome, following the damage was done by ISIS/Daesh, and a large displacement of population. I trust that such cooperation will help many Christians to return to their traditional homes in towns and villages of the nearby Nineveh Plain, in Iraq.

The second article showed the charity Human Appeal collecting and distributing thousands of warm coats to people sleeping rough in Manchester, London, Glasgow and Birmingham.  It is a national disgrace that the number of homeless people has risen so sharply in the last two years. At the same time, many families with children are in unsatisfactory temporary bed and breakfast accommodation, while other destitute people rely on food banks.

All the major faiths should cooperate to relieve urgent human needs, at home and abroad.  Better still, they should join together to achieve social justice in our relatively rich society.  This will require sustained pressure on MPs and Ministers.

Yours,
Hylton
House of Lords