68 Cedar Road, London NW2 MPs and royal cash Sir:
The Government could hardly have chosen a less propitious time than the present for anouncing the recommended pay increases for themselves. Following so closely upon the news that Royalty should be awarded huge additions to their purses as well, it will be no small wonder that our old age pensioners who already hold a deep resentment that nothing further will be forthcoming from the Treasury to help them, must feel a sense of utter disgust. The criticism is not that MPs are not entitled to an advance in their salaries, but that the worst off of all —pensioners —have been left out in the cold this Christmas. It is a crying shame that these thousands of old folk should have to exist in such a state of acute poverty, albeit in an affluent society (?). Mr Richard Crossman in a report in the Times stated, to quote: "The Heath government is making the same mistake Labour made in 1964, when they put up MPs' salaries first and pensioners afterwards." Only a couple of days later Mr Heath, with his customary self assurance, blandly said on television that while Labour was in office, he had an opportunity to learn their mistakes. This seems to be one he did not learn. Useless pointing to the El increase pensioners had last month, as this took eight months to become effective and the value lost in the intervening price rise spiral. The Spectator pointed out last September, in an excellent article, that the present system compounds deceit, injustice, and inflation. It was indeed good reading. Whilst the White Paper looks at pensions in the long-term context, nothing takes care of existing pensioners. Had the Government taken heed at that time, perhaps something might have been done to alleviate the distress, be it just a mite extra for the Christmas week. But no. — So what does the quality of life mean for these old people? Absolutely nothing. Precious little warmth and food, just waiting for the time to pass when they will no longer have to bear it. However, the fact must remain that surely something could have been done to mitigate this suffering. As it is, the incidence of deaths from hypothermia will rise again this winter.
Perhaps the more fortunate Members reflected on these things during the Yuletide celebrations in the warmth of their Christmas retreats, and considered for a moment those unfortunate souls without the heart to sing carols.
H. H. Dennis 31 Oldstead Road, Bromley
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