Not to do with poor law

Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, Member of Parliament and Joint Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Pensions and Insurance spoke on the subject of pensions at the invitation of the Senior Citizens' Club of the Friern Barnet and Whetston Townswomen's Guild. She said that there was a mistaken idea about national assistance. There was no connection between it and the old time poor laws. It was financed in exactly the same way as the National Health scheme from general taxation though the scales were slightly different. Nobody hesitated to receive benefit from the National Health Service so why should they, when they were in need, hesitate in asking for national assistance. There was no loss of privacy, enquiries were always completely confidential. No one today need be denied the essentials of life and a card to her at the House of Commons of a deserving case would have her attention.