SIR: I'm not sure where Gordon Yate got his information ("It's a recipe for disaster) in Your views April 22.
According to The Economist publication "Pocket Britain in Figures", the birth rate has been dropping since the mid 1960s, due no doubt to the contraceptive pill. Immigration remained fairly stable during the 1980s, only increasing slightly in 1990 and 1991, and dropping again in 1992.
Most reports I've read are of the opinion that at the end of this century we will be suffering from a reduced workforce and an increased number of pensioners who will put a major strain on the health service and the state pension scheme.
I believe that the Tories are trying to address this problem by
encouraging people to take out private pensions and health insurance.
Lydia Porter@BTInternet.com
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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