THE response by Dave Watts to my letter, concerning the punitive raid on occupational and private pensions, was noticeable for its avoidance of the question posed.

My question was quite simple. In view of the fall in the value of pension fund forecasts, due to the collapse of share prices, would Dave Watts be asking the chancellor Gordon Brown to give back the £25 billion tax raid he has taken so far from occupational and private funds? Would he also urge the chancellor to abolish this annual punitive tax raid?

Instead we are treated to a tirade about the shortcomings of the previous administration. Emotive language about pensioners freezing to death does nothing to address the seriousness of the problem.

Dave fails to realise that the very people the Labour Government is taking this money from are the people who are trying to save up for their retirement.

They are hoping not to have to rely on state handouts. They want to be able to determine their own way of life.

We are constantly being told that the state will have difficulty in supporting the pensioner in future years, and yet the very people who are saving are having those savings eroded by this tax raid, and they are the ones who will be most affected. If we are to encourage people to prepare for retirement, this stealth tax raid is the wrong way to go about it.

I didn't write my letter to become involved in a slanging match about the respective merits of different governments. I wrote it to point out a way that Mr Watts, as our representative, could help tpensioners.

It would be unfair of me to remind him of the shambles left by the previous Labour Government in 1979, following the now infamous 'Winter of Discontent'. Please Dave, have a word with Chancellor Brown, after all you have a large enough majority. Don't leave this problem for later Governments to sort out.

Councillor Wally Ashcroft, Kiln Lane, Dentons Green.