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Page last updated at 12:50 GMT, Monday, 25 July 2005 13:50 UK

Viewpoints: The welfare state

To mark 60 years of the 1945 welfare settlement, the BBC News website invited an array of politicians and social and business experts to debate the future of the welfare state.

Here are their views.

"The welfare state of the 21st century will be... an enabler - a ladder out of poverty"

David Blunkett, Work and Pensions Secretary

"Extending choice will inevitably be vital for the future development of the welfare state"

Sir Malcolm Rifkind, shadow work and pensions secretary

"To accept its help and support means submitting to intrusive means-tests..."

David Laws, Lib Dem work and pensions spokesman

"Lasting change is often secured when the ship is steered in a new direction, not abandoned..."

Nick Pearce, director, Institute for Public Policy Research

"A growing minority of claimants have an attitude of take, take, take rather than give, give, give"

Frank Field, former welfare reform minister

"The way forward for education and health is to get the state out of the provision of these services"

Ruth Lea, director, Centre for Policy Studies

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Printable version

Focus on poverty in the UK after 60 years of the welfare state

Hard times
The century long battle to measure Britain's underclass

WELFARE STATE: THEN AND NOW

The 1945 'welfare state election'

Sixty years on: A hospital's story

In graphics: Timeline

Quiz: The welfare state

LIFE ON THE BREADLINE

First-time buyers at poverty risk

Young will be poorer than parents

Voices from the poverty frontline

UK poverty explained

A MODEL WELFARE STATE?

Britain's road to the welfare state

Is UK still a model for others?

MEETING THE POVERTY CHALLENGE

What would Attlee do?

Blunkett on welfare

Rifkind on expanding choice

HAVE YOUR SAY

Should benefits be simplified?

Related BBC sites

Viewpoints: The welfare state

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