SECRET
HOME INTELLIGENCE DIVISION
APPENDIX
A British Institute of Public Opinion result on the public attitude to the Beveridge Report
FOR INTERNAL CIRCULATION ONLY
.
The following result of a survey made at the end of February, 1943, is of special interest, in that it entirely confirms the qualitative findings recorded in the Home Intelligence Weekly Reports.
Q: “On the Beveridge Report, are you satisfied or dissatisfed with the Government's attitude, as explained by the Government Ministers in Parliament?”
Satisfied
Dissatisfied
Don't know
%
%
%
Total:
29
47
24
Men
33
52
15
Women
25
41
34
Social groups
Upper:
52
33
15
Middle:
34
45
21
Lower:
25
49
26
NOTES
:
1. The only significant difference in the age group breakdown was that people under 30 had a lower percentage satisfied (22%), and a higher percentage of “don't knows” (29%) than the rest.
2. A large proportion of those saying they were satisfied gave spontaneously as their reason that they “trusted the Government.” So part of the percentage “satisfied” were presumably unaware of the actual nature of the Government's proposals. This
may
apply to part of the “dissatisfied” group also, but we have no evidence on this point.
CONCLUSIONS
1. The only group in which the majority are satisfied with the Government's proposals is the upper social group.
2. In all other groups, a majority of those with opinions are dissatisfied; among men, this becomes a total majority.
3. The most striking feature is the unusually high percentage of “don't knows.” As usual, this is highest among women and the lower social groups.
4. We may conclude that there is room for instruction about the nature of the Government's proposals, if it is desired to have a public well informed on the subject.
