YOU have to hand it to this Government, and especially to Chris Huhne, the Energy Secretary.

Their ability to abdicate responsibility for their obsessive drive for wind farms is beyond belief.

Money-grabbing private enterprises and landowners who really don’t give a damn about local communities are clambering for position in this turbine race.

Last week, Huhne announced further massive subsidies for wind farms, all part of Chancellor George Osborne’s ambition to make this the “greenest” country in Europe.

Without these subsidies, which are added to our fuel bills, I am convinced that there would be no developer or landowner interest in wind farm technologies.

I don’t take issue with the need to decarbonise energy, but, for goodness’ sake, let’s do it cost-effectively. Wind farms are one of the most expensive ways of reducing our carbon emissions, and one of the least cost-effective ways of generating electricity.

Oh and by the way, anyone who interested the massive impact of wind farms on this small island of ours should note the absence of wind farms in and around the Southampton area. Is there a shortage of wind?

Of course not, but it happens to be very near to the Huhne’s constituency.

Graham Auton, Paddock Close, Copmanthorpe.