Quote, unquote
Sir: In the leading article of 16 April reference was made to a comment alleged- ly made by me regarding the recent social security changes. You cited the following quotation from a Daily Telegraph item:
The Social Fund could increase the poverty
of up to 60 per cent of claimants, said Mrs
Shirley Goodwin, General Secretary of the Health Visitors' Association.
The quote was an inaccurate lift from a press release which the Health Visitors' Association sent out while I was on holi- day. The first sentence of that release actually says:
Health Visitors are being warned not to co-operate with the new social security sys- tem, starting in April, which could increase the poverty of up to 60 per cent of claimants. You will appreciate, I am sure, the difference between the Daily Telegraph quote and the actual one, particularly since the latter is based upon figures published by the Nottingham Benefits Research Unit to which your article also refers.
I regret that no one in my office was able to point out the inaccuracy of the Daily Telegraph quotation in my absence. Shirley Goodwin
General Secretary, Health Visitors' Association, 50 Southwark Street, London SE1
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