Sir: Dr Jenny Duckworth (letter, 4 January) should understand that the UK water industry does not see its proposals as giving carte blanche to health authorities to go ahead with fluoridation as they see fit.

A key element in our call for a change in the law is full public consultation on any future schemes for the artificial fluoridation of water supplies. For too long the public has had to listen to the fluoridation debate between two powerful lobbies without taking an active part in it. We want that to change. So all we are doing is putting forward proposals which will allow the industry to fluoridate if that is what customers want. If they don't want it, then we won't do it.

PAMELA TAYLOR

Water UK

London SW1