Sex education
Sir: We are instructed' by the Family Planning Association who have consulted us in connection with a letter from Mrs P. D. Riches which appeared in your issue of August 3, 1974, and in particular in connection with the fourth paragraph thereof. The statements contained in this paragraph, that area representatives of the Population CountDown Campaign are "hawking around suitcases of condoms," that our client Association's Population CountDown Campaign "will be at school gates to tell school children where to get contraceptive advice," and that our client Association is engaged in 'attempts to pressurise and incite sexual activity among the young, even children" and "manoeuvre to connive, collude and condone the breaking of the law and the 'age of consent' "are wholly untrue, We have advised our client Association that the paragraph is gravely defamatory of them and that they are likely to succeed in obtaining. substantial damages should they commence legal proceedings against your periodical and against Mrs Riches. Our clients are prepared to settle the matter on the following terms: 1, An apology and correction to be published in your periodical on an agreed date not later than September 15 such apology and correction to be substantially in terms submitted by us and to be subscribed to both by the Editor of the Spectator and Mrs Riches, 2. Payment of a suitable sum by way of donation to our client Association's funds.
3. Payment of our client Association's legal costs on an indemnity basis. In default of your agreement in principle within seven days of to-day's date to the terms set out above we are instructed to issue proceedings and we should be glad to have the name and address of solicitors instructed to accept service. Meanwhile, our client Association's full rights are reserved.
Rubinstein, Nash 8c Co 5 & 6 Raymond Buildings, Grays Inn, London, WC I.
Previous page
