PENSION AGE HEALTH RISK

#At last a report confirming what I’ve said in response to the Government raising the retirement age. Manual workers, such as electrical and material handlers, are twice as likely to get rheumatoid arthritis, while bricklayers, scaffolders, roofers and others are three times more likely.

Perhaps if MPs, who sit in Parliament and receive subsidised food and drink and have a fantastic pension to look forward to, tried doing any of the above jobs, they would think twice about increasing the pension age. D Dunbar, Sherburn Village, Co Durham

#Now that British Gas are greedily upping their electricity prices, wouldn’t it be a good idea if all the trade unions got together and started their own power company?

It could be a non-profit making company because there wouldn’t be any shareholders. The ‘Big Six’ would have to drop their prices or they might be forced out of business – hopefully, the latter. This would be almost the same as renationalising the industry. George Sargeson, Hull

#It is time for a referendum on the monarchy. I look at our society now with poor people on benefits and being labelled scroungers, the disabled having benefits cut, while the Queen gets a pay rise. It’s grotesque and unjustifiable – I’m genuinely ashamed of the Royal Family. Steven McNamara, Middlesbrough