From Mr S. J. Grabecki, MRPharmS
SIR,-I read with disbelief the letter from Mr P. J. Taylor (PJ, May 27, p810) but was even more taken aback when I saw Chris Morris's views on large families (PJ, June 10, p883).
The view that "if you can't afford children then just lean on the welfare state" beggars belief. Child support in this country is paltry and the implication that people have large families to get extra benefits simply does not recognise the enormous commitment parents have to make to their off-spring. Nobody in their right mind would have a child to get an extra few pounds in state handouts.
Regarding the question "How many seven-children families do you know where either of the parents is in paid work?", the answer is all of them - and in good jobs paying enormous sums in tax to the Exchequer rather than taking from it. Frankly, I believe the question is an insult and not worthy of a professional mind.
In the UK, and much of Europe, the problem is that people are not having enough children and with demographic changes there will soon be no-one left of working age to support a growing retired population. Maybe next week we can have letters supporting euthanasia to cut costs? (I am only joking!)
Stan Grabecki
St Albans, Hertfordshire