Friday's Letters: Means testing of winter fuel cash will be unfair

Whereas those who had not only paid in their fair share, but had also made additional provision for their retirement, would not qualify. Doesn't it occur to such voters that there is an element of unfairness here?

Almost certainly, if means testing was introduced to the winter fuel allowance, it would use the same criteria as those that apply to pension credit, a benefit hated by many pensioners because it assumes that they are "wealthy" when in fact they are far from it. At present, in order for a couple to qualify for pension credit, their joint income would need to be less than 270 per week – the cut-off point.

Out of sheer curiosity I decided to fill in the pension credit calculator on the Government's website. I put in our joint income as 270 per week, that we had no savings and received no other benefits. Based on this information, my pension credit came out at 0.05p per week. I was surprised to see that there was nowhere on the form to show any council tax paid, nor how much fuel bills were, both huge drains on many pensioners' disposable incomes.

By comparison, the minimum wage as from October 2010 is to be 5.93 per hour. For a 40 hour week this works out at 237.20 and this is for a single person. So our pensioner couple who just miss out on pension credit are worth a mere 32.80 more than what the state considers the bare minimum for a single working person to live on – not very generous.

So, what could or should be done? First, don't even think about means testing the winter fuel allowance. It would hit pensioners who could hardly be considered wealthy. I know that it would be considered humiliating by some, but why shouldn't the allowance be in the form of a voucher, to be paid directly to the energy provider?

Stories are told of the allowance being used to buy Christmas presents for grandchildren. At least a voucher system would ensure that the allowance was used as intended.

And why in heaven's name should those pensioners living in hot climates have a winter fuel allowance? It just doesn't make any sense. Surely payment of the allowance should be based on need, not entitlement.

From: David T Craggs, Tunstall, East Yorkshire.

Time called on parking problem

From: KB Webster, Burniston Gardens, Burniston, Scarborough.

WITH reference to your article "Engineer challenges car park operator over fine" (Yorkshire Post, August 21), in view of your stance on this matter, perhaps my experiences of simply collecting the daily newspapers may be of interest.

In your article, it says that Dr Grabsch was invited to appeal. This, I have done, but it was turned down. The money demanded has been paid

under protest.

The charge was "without displaying a valid disabled person's badge in the prescribed manner" which implies misuse. This is way out of order as that is a very serious offence. I was parked in the only disabled space of 18 in-line spaces, and my badge is valid.

The party sticking his charge on my windscreen was asked what the

problem was. He said it was because I was not displaying a time disc (so it is difficult to see where the blue badge comes in) but neither were any of the other 17 cars parked in the area.

Of the dozens of people I have since questioned at the park, not one knew they had to show zone time tickets. They, like myself, thought it was private land. Not one shop knew of it, nor had they any zone tickets to hand out to any visitors shopping in the area.

Long may it continue

From: Janet Berry, Hambleton.

WHAT an entertaining evening was enjoyed recently at Castle Howard's Last Night of the Proms.

The English National Orchestra was led by the irrepressible Jae Alexander who not only conducted but danced and sang along with his guests, much to their surprise.

Janet Mooney was the soprano and the tenor was an equally amusing Scottish gentleman. It was a delightfully varied programme delivered in a lighthearted way but what my friends and I especially enjoyed was that all the pieces were known to us.

We started with The Thieving Magpie and then we had the awe-inspiring flight of a lone Spitfire flown again by the pilot Charlie Brown. This aircraft flew to The Great Escape theme and the much-loved Dam Busters March. So moving and poignant. No matter how many times you watch the Spitfire fly it brings a lump into your throat. Then followed much loved pieces of music such as Nimrod, Return to Sorrento, Star Wars, Mars and Jupiter, William Tell and Cancan and many more favourites. About half way through the evening a full rainbow appeared and then a full moon rose over the House. Magical!

The climax, as usual, was Jerusalem and Land of Hope and Glory accompanied by stunning fireworks. I have been many times to this evening but the content and for sheer enjoyment I think this was the best, but then I always think that. Long may it continue.

Over-zealous security staff

From: Mrs A Padden, West Garth, Roecliffe, York.

FURTHER to recent comments regarding supermarkets, my brother, an 86-year-old veteran of the Pacific War, must have felt that he was under fire again when making his exit from Asda in Harrogate recently.

Leaving the store, along with a crowd of other shoppers, he was

accosted by two large security men when an alarm sounded.

In the foyer, in full view of all those entering and leaving, he was made to lay out his modest purchases for inspection.

The security men eventually admitted that they had "got the wrong person" and left.

My brother agrees that the security staff have a job to do but could it be done with a little more discretion?

He is a widower and lives alone and he was humiliated by this event, missed his usual bus and arrived home in a state of agitation and upset.

Maths paper questions prove exams are now easier

From: Billy Walton, Dairy Lane, Darley, Harrogate.

ONCE again, there has been an increase in the successful results of this year's GCSE examinations and congratulations to all who have achieved good results. No doubt there will be the usual accusations of dumbing down the exams and the usual denials of this from the

politicians.

However, I recently acquired a copy of last year's mathematics C (graduated assessment) examination paper and was appalled at the simplicity of the questions. Not only was the level of mathematics of a standard which I was doing in my top year at junior school and the algebra of a standard which I was doing in my first year at grammar school, but also the formulae for working out later questions were given on this first page and instructions to use a calculator in section B of the paper were also issued.

This clearly shows that the politicians have been lying when they told us that there had been "no dumbing down" and does great harm to the value of any qualifications obtained through this grossly simplified examinations system. It is no wonder that young shop assistants need a calculator to add up the total price of a few items if this is a reflection of the quality of the education they receive.

From: Margaret Freeman, Temple Row Close, Leeds.

MICHAEL Gove has announced an inquiry into examination standards. This should, surely, include a review of the practice of examination boards

involving teachers in the setting of examinations and mark schemes for examinations that they then go on to prepare their own students for.

On the face of it, what has become a common practice, has the potential

to produce an unfair playing field for those students whose teachers are not so involved.

Inching towards common sense

From: Neil Herron, campaign director, Metric Martyrs Defence Fund, Witney Way, Boldon, Tyne and Wear.

I WOULD like to congratulate David and Samantha Cameron on the birth of their daughter who weighed in at a healthy 6lb 1oz. It is nice to see that they have followed in the footsteps of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown who both announced the birth weights of their children in imperial measures.

The difference with the Labour Prime Ministers and Mr Cameron was that their Government was actively prosecuting market traders and

shopkeepers for using such imperial measures.

When the late Steve Thoburn's son Jay was born in 2002, he announced the birth weight as 3,790 grammes.

Let us hope that Mr Cameron and the Coalition do the decent thing and announce that it will be the intention of this Government to move

towards a pardon for the five Metric Martyr traders convicted under the metrication regulations, and posthumous recognition for Mr Thoburn and let justice prevail allowing us to finally inch towards a victory for common sense.

The chairman lives on

From: Alan Chapman, Beck Lane, Bingley.

I WISH to kindly correct an error, which appeared within the obituary of Winston Booth (Yorkshire Post, August 21).

It was stated correctly that he was the last and youngest chairman of the former Baildon Urban District Council, however it went on to say: "He lived to be its last surviving chairman". This is erroneous as I had lunch with Arnold and Joyce Lightowler in Harrogate on Monday. Arnold Lightowler was the penultimate Conservative chairman of Baildon UDC from 1972-73.

He and I were Conservative councillors on the original intake of the newly formed Bradford Metro Council at the inaugural elections held in May 1973 and we each represented our respective towns. Arnold became Deputy Leader of Bradford Council and served as the Lord Mayor in 1980-81, before retiring from public life in 1984.

Grey day

From: Tim Mickleburgh, Littlefield Lane, Grimsby,

WELL said William Snowden ("In praise of grey squirrels", Yorkshire Post, August 23). Here in Grimsby, we have not had any red squirrels for ages, and it is always pleasant to see a grey amid the urban townscape.

After all, dating as they do from the Victorian age, they were present before the town really started to grow – it is man who is the

interloper.