HOW predictable Mr Derbyshire is. I would like to remind him that the Conservative Party ceased to be led by Margaret Thatcher some thirteen years ago, we are now led by Michael Howard.

And yes, I do read all of his letters.

But seriously, I would suggest that he obtains a copy of our Party's policy document "A fair deal for everyone on pensions". He will find official party policy clearly set out there - no naivety.

If I may be permitted, I would remind him that it was Baldwin's Conservative Government which, in 1925, first introduced the contributory state pension available to women and men aged over 65, the result of fruitful co-operation between Winston Churchill, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Neville Chamberlain, the Minister for Health.

I would also remind him that it was by the National Insurance Act of 1974 that the 'earnings link' was first established.

The link was not as hard and fast as is often claimed. The Secretary of State remained free to 'estimate the general level of earnings and prices in such a manner as he thinks fit' and was obliged simply to 'have regard either to earnings or prices according to which he considers more advantageous to beneficiaries'.

Finally, it is true the earnings link was abolished by a previous Conservative government, but this was in an era of very high inflation and steeply rising prices. The fact is that we succeeded in reducing the proportion of pensioners subject to means tests from 57 per cent in 1979 to 40pc in 1997. The average net income of all pensioners also grew by 64pc in real terms between 1979 and 1996/7, while average earnings in the whole economy grew by only 36pc. (Pensioners' Income Series, DWP 2003)

The fact that pensions have not been rising in line with wages has made the poverty of pensioners all the more visible.

Labour's response to this has been to extend the demeaning and ineffective practice of means testing as a way of providing money to pensioners on low incomes.

Jolyon Coombs

Carslake Avenue

Bolton