Letter: 'Golden age' of the friendly societies was a time of hideous suffering

Sir: Did Lord Joseph deliberately omit Winston Churchill's responsibility for National Insurance? Does he accept that state-run NI can demand as little as 3 per cent for administrative costs? Compare commercial insurance, typically 20 per cent, and 50 per cent has been seen. Does not a man or woman arriving at pension age have the right to know that their pension will be paid securely and, more importantly, protected against inflation?

Yours faithfully,

J. ARMSTRONG

Datchet, Berkshire

2 Feburary