REGARDING the letter 'You are short changing me on letters': In response to the letter from Barry Gardiner,MP for Brent North (July 31), questioning the volume of exchange of letters following the published retraction (July 24), because of the failure of my request to have my letter withdrawn and inadvertently published (Has anyone seen my MP?, July 17), I carried out a request from his office to secure an apology with confirmation in writing to the House of Commons.
Whatever the level of correspondence over the years, this office usually promptly sends a letter of acknowledgement and promises to look into the matter before providing a written answer to the issue raised.
Currently I have suggested making the winter fuel allowance taxable (59 per cent of pensioners do not pay income tax) to allow an increase for the most needy, and increasing the basic state pension by removing the tax relief on pension contributions of £10bn a year received by the 3.8m higher rate tax payers,which they receive in addition to the basic income tax relief received by contributors into pension schemes. G R W DAY
Rugby Avenue Wembley
