ON behalf of the National Pensioners' Convention, the Malvern & District Branches of Age Concern and the Civil Service Pensioners' Alliance jointly raised nearly 300 signatures on a petition to Her Majesty the Queen, calling for a substantial increase in the State Retirement Pension.

If the Basic State Retirement Pension, now £67.50 per week, had not had its link with average earnings broken in 1980, it would now be worth £97.45!

The petition called for future pension increases to be linked to the average wage index or the retail price index, whichever is the greater, ensuring that all pensioners should receive an appropriate share of the nation's wealth.

PETER LLOYD, Secretary, Malvern & District Civil Service Pensioners' Alliance, Malvern.