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| NINETY-FIVE per cent of the public had heard about
the Beveridge Report. |
| Great interest in the Report was discovered and, strikingly enough,
this interest was most marked amongst the poorer people. |
| General approval was found for the main features of the schemes
as set out in the Report. The extent of the approval varied from a
bare majority saying that weekly benefits of 40s. per week for a married
couple was about the right amount, to an overwhelming endorsement
of the proposal to include everyone in a comprehensive scheme of medical
services. The majority thought that the Government should take over
the smaller life assurances. |
| The greatest volume of criticism was directed towards the proposal
to start Old Age Pensions at 14s. per week. The majority of the public
thought that the amount should be made at least 20s. a week immediately,
or at least that the rate of increase to the maximum of 24s. should
be speeded up. |
| There was overwhelming agreement that the Beveridge plan should
be put into effect. There was, however, a much smaller proportion
believing that in fact it would be put into effect. |
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