Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt calls upon the jobless to take responsibility for their families and the number of children they have.

At last, a minister has spoken up for the silent majority of taxpayers who are fed up with scroungers who abuse the welfare system.

My father worked all his life for very poor pay.

For this reason my parents limited their children to only one.

My parents realised that to have more would have deprived them of providing a decent standard of life. They struggled to send me to grammar school after I passed the 11-plus and gave me a decent start in life.

My grandfather, who had ten children, worked in the London docks prior to the Second World War when times were very hard. He fed and clothed all his children and gave them love and support.

All grew up to have families of their own in stable relationships which were responsible and loving.

They did not depend on the state for anything.

Who then are these people who think they can depend on the State to provide everything and make no contribution to society apart from breeding more of the same?

They are lazy, selfish and irresponsible people who expect something for nothing. They have children to maximise their income from benefits and obtain social housing at the expense of those who really need help. Let us hope their days are numbered.

P J Reid
Halstow Way
Pitsea