Table 3.
Support for schemes by different sources (number of times a source was quoted)
| Source type | Unfavourable | Mixed or neutral | Favourable | All |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Government* | 0 | 9 | 50 | 59 |
| Public health† | 2 | 3 | 40 | 45 |
| Services allied‡ | 3 | 6 | 28 | 37 |
| Charities§ | 14 | 7 | 18 | 39 |
| Academics | 1 | 9 | 17 | 27 |
| Doctors | 6 | 1 | 15 | 22 |
| Participants | 0 | 1 | 12 | 13 |
| Business | 0 | 0 | 11 | 11 |
| Other lay person | 4 | 4 | 6 | 14 |
| Opposition politicians | 18 | 6 | 2 | 26 |
| Lobbyists¶ | 15 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| ‘Critics’** | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Think tank†† | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 |
| Celebrity | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total | 75 (23%) | 50 (15%) | 199 (61%) | 324 (100%) |
*Includes politicians and civil servants.
†Public health experts and NHS managers.
‡For example, the Royal College of Midwives.
§For example, the National Childbirth Trust.
¶For example, the Taxpayers Alliance.
**Unnamed people referred to as ‘critics of the scheme’.
††For example, the New Economics Foundation.