Sir, – I was dismayed to learn that an arm of the American government was suing Royal Bank of Scotland and other banks for their part in the subprime mortgage scandal.

This is ridiculous. The American government is better placed than anyone to find out who fleeced RBS of all that money and where it actually went.

David Cameron visited America last week. Did he take the opportunity to tackle the American administration about this?

The Americans are simply abdicating their responsibilities to regulate their own mortgage market. At the same time they try to shove responsibility onto a whole series of banks including RBS.

The banks were victims in the sub-prime mortgage scandal.

They were trying to make some money in the American mortgaged market and they were swindled.

The American administration need to know, and we need to know, who benefited from that scandal?

Once they know the answer to that question then the American administration will find out who they really need to sue.

Can the American government please deal with their responsibilities and try to trace the money before the trail goes cold?

Suing banks, including British ones, is just a needless distraction from the real issues.

The American government and President Obama should hang their heads in shame for failing to tackle the problem.

NIGEL BODDY Fife Road, Darlington