WITH reference to the article "Green revamp to cost £28.3 million" (The Press, January 17), about the Government offices at Kings Pool.

I found the grinning face of the Minister, Hilary Benn, most offensive in the present economic climate, and the amount of money spent extortionate to the extreme.

Considering the imminent closure of the valued community project, namely Huntington Day Centre, only a short distance away, through lack of funding, it does go to show this Government's priorities as being hypocritical to say the least.

After all, we are only the hapless rate and taxpayers, and Members of Parliament wish to play Russian roulette with our money and even our well-being.

My only hope is that more money will not be required to bail them out when the adjacent River Foss overflows its banks and requires flood defences.

Kenneth Bowker, Vesper Walk, Huntington, York.

l The green revamp of the DEFRA buildings for £28.3 million is a glimpse of where taxpayers' money will be going in the future.

It is aiming to reduce a carbon footprint equal to nine UK houses (of what type?).

This building is only 14 years old; when it was built global warming/climate change fears had not been unleashed on an unsuspecting general public.

Since then the green building frenzy has gathered momentum, and is quickly going to eat up the finances of every person in the country, as every new building project announced by each authority will be eco-friendly.

The costs will be enormous, many to be funded by Government and council departments and therefore be at our expense in the form of various taxes or rent. When the projects are built by a private company there will still be costs which will trickle down to the buyer.

The gentleman from the PCS union is quite correct to say there will be a great deal of effect by carbon emissions during the transporting supplies, workers and building.

This country is making quite a generous sacrifice in attempting to reduce the alleged effect on climate change, when there is no guarantee this contribution, compared with much larger countries such as India, Indonesia, and the US, will make any noticeable difference, even if the scientists have got their theory right.

J Beisly, Osprey Close, York.