A discussion between
THE RT. Hon.
Douglas HOUGHTON. m.p.
PRoFESSOR PETER TOWNSEND of the University of Essex and BARNEY HAYHOE of the Conservative Research Department
In the chair.
DR. ALAN LITTLE of the London School of Economics and the G.L.C. Educational Research Unit
Should social benefits such as family allowances, welfare payments, state pensions, council houses, and prescriptions be given to everybody as of right on a universal basis, the money being raised by increased general taxation? Or should subsidies and benefits be concentrated on the very poor, even if this demands the use of means tests? How should we pay for the social services and who should benefit from them?
Produced by Christie Davies