Before World War II a rather developed system of welfare and medical insurance existed in the country.
Tax cuts would be a far sharper incentive to create jobs than the current system of welfare for big companies.
Natalie Bennett, outgoing leader of the Green party, making the case for a sustainable system of welfare, said that "clearly the neoliberal project has failed.
But how, politically, is that supposed to happen in the face of the current high rates of unemployment and without an adequate system of welfare support?
He claims there is now innovative work underway in Glasgow, Wales, Newham and Liverpool to produce a more localised system of welfare delivery.
Michael Gove says he aims to transform education in England; Andrew Lansley has embarked on the largest reorganisation of the health service since the NHS's founding in 1948; Iain Duncan Smith wants a full upheaval of the entire system of welfare and benefits.
Sadly, Malcolm's illness and his shockingly early death aged only 65 have prevented him from playing a fuller role in developing his vision for a new system of welfare.
They include an array of changes aimed at eliminating waste and inefficiency in a cradle-to-grave system of welfare benefits for families, the unemployed, the sick and the disabled that has been one of modern Britain's proudest hallmarks, as well as one of its greatest financial burdens.
However, if compulsion is the only way to ensure that enough money is invested in pensions and social insurance, it may be worth a try.It seems unlikely, however, that Mr Field's scheme would solve another problem affecting the present system of welfare: the harm to incentives caused by means-tested benefits.
We have left within the draft budget an amount of about £70m to enhance any GB system of welfare reform for the people of Northern Ireland.
