By quoting me selectively and out of context, Marc Hanson may have given the impression that I supported his view that the Be Collaborative Contract would not be widely adopted (Letters, 3 October, page 35).
At the launch of the Be Contract on 12 September, I did indeed use the words he quotes, but in order to emphasise the point that any contract can only either support or undermine a collaborative approach, not create it. The Be Contract has at its foundation the precept that the parties are committed to collaboration, hence, uniquely, it comprehensively and consistently supports this approach.

In my view, the guidance notes which go with the contract are the most important part of the package, as I stressed, since they explain the principles. Yet Marc and Tony Bingham, with typical lawyers' tunnel vision, fail to even mention them.

As to whether the Be Contract will be ignored in favour of "traditional" contracts, even by parties practising collaboration, time will tell. One can, of course, travel by horse and cart, but most of us find our journeys are facilitated by more up-to-date modes of transport.

Postscript

Peter Thompson, Slough Estates, via email.