[Margaret Pilkington]

Well, it shouldn't be alright with you.
Are you in the habit of paying for something and not getting it? ...Shrugging your shoulders and saying 'well, that's Ok - it doesn't matter'.

It is a contribution that you cannot choose not to pay.
And the fact that(during my working life) I made provisions for my autumn years, could remove the liability of the government to pay me the pension that they promised me, doesn't sit well with me.
Those of us who are of pensionable age, are currently being blamed for the black hole in the welfare state. Yet we are the people who worked, and made goods that gave Britain the money to give away to other countries.....to give to those who come here and take money from the welfare pot(then send it back to their home country, where it benefits that economy - and buys more there).
They tell us that we should not have a bus pass......and it isn't free...I pay for it with my taxes.
They tell us we shouldn't have the winter heating allowance....but they can send billions of pounds in aid to other countries, but we can sit here in the winter and freeze because the price of power has rocketed(saving for my autumn years was meant to provide me with some little treats - but goes on eating and heating)

I am far from being wealthy......my pension is less than half of the average wage in this country and much less than many people who do not work, get in benefits.
I still pay tax.

No...we in this country are too generous to others who neither need or want our help(thinking of India - yes they have poor, but our aid does nothing to help those people).
Other countries with despotic leaders, take our money and use it for purposes other than it was intended for...it certainly does not go to helping the poor - or building an infrastructure that would benefit them.

The money should be used in this country. Helping sort out our own ailing economy, building roads...or even repairing those that we already have.
Building power stations........paying off the debt of those hospitals which were built using PFI and are now crippled by this debt.
I could go on and on...but what good would it do when our elected representatives listen to no-one? (least of all the electorate)

But it is Ok with you, because it doesn't actually touch you. Well right now it may not do...but it might ....... one day!