My grateful thanks to everyone at the Evening Press involved with the publicity given to my winter fuel payments campaign since Andrew Hitchon's report headed: Group Fuels Row On Winter Benefit (February 2, 1998).

In that story I was reported as saying: "There is a distinct possibility that PARITY will initiate an urgent test case challenging the legality of the Government's winter fuel payments, which are considered as breaching the European Union Social Security Directive 79/7 of 1978."

PARITY's campaigning for equality and justice for men and women goes on:

u Firstly, to obtain travel concessions for men aged 60 to 65 (given to women but not to men) in the forthcoming Transport Bill, expected to be revealed in the Queen's Speech on November 17;

u Most importantly, to stop women's state pension age being increased to 65, as proposed in the former Government's 1995 Pension Act;

u To obtain an equal state pension age of 60 for all.

John Taylor,

York and District Organiser and National Executive Committee Member PARITY,

2 Dean Road,

Norton on Derwent,

Malton, YO17 9BX.

PS: Evening Press readers who want to help PARITY obtain equality and justice for men and women can obtain further details from me at the above address. A stamped addressed envelope would be appreciated.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.