1 Public & Parliamentary Attitudes to Welfare. Hugh Bochel & Andrew Defty One of the core functions of Parliament is arguably to represent the views of the people. While opinions differ as to the precise nature of this representation, one would expect to find a broad measure of comparability between public opinion, and the opinions of those representing the public in Parliament. One area which has been the subject of a considerable degree of Parliamentary and public consensus is the state provision of welfare services. Prior to the 1980s, while support for the welfare state was the subject of periodic intra-party debate, the principles of the universal welfare state were upheld by governments of either political hue. The creation of large Government agencies, most notably the NHS, to provide welfare services free at the point of demand, to meet a range of social needs, enjoyed widespread political and public support. This consensus was challenged in the 1980s when economic and demographic pressures coupled with the ideological commitment of the New Right to reduce the role of the state, led to cuts in welfare spending and an increased emphasis on private provision. Under New Labour a clear shift away from the goal of universal state welfare provision coupled with an increased emphasis on selectivity has led some to suggest the emergence of a new consensus on welfare provision in Britain. However, it is far from clear that these fundamental shifts in political opinion, have been reflected in public attitudes towards welfare. Surveys of British public opinion continue to indicate a consistently strong and enduring attachment to state welfare services, with the provision of mass public services in health and education enjoying particularly high levels support. This paper will seek to examine the extent to which shifts in political attitudes towards the welfare state are reflected in public opinion, particularly since the election of New Labour in 1997. Using data derived from a series of interviews with MPs from both sides of the House, and information on public attitudes to welfare collated from the British Social Attitudes survey, this paper will seek to identify and explain areas of disagreement and consensus in public and Parliamentary attitudes to welfare. It will focus in particular on questions regarding commitment to state welfare provision, priorities in welfare spending, and attitudes towards funding for welfare services. Professor Hugh Bochel, Dr Andrew Defty, Department of Policy Studies, Faculty of Health, Life & Social Sciences, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool, Lincoln. LN6 7TS. Tel:01522 886089 E-mail: adefty@lincoln.ac.uk Copyright©PSA 2005