Whether this is the result of a national sense of decency or a pragmatic assessment that requiring them to pay more in taxes simply shifts the burden onto government by bringing them closer to more expensive forms of government support for the needy, we appear to be okay with these people getting a pass.

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Writing in the Observer newspaper, Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes cautioned against "kneejerk solutions" in the wake of the riots and spoke of the importance of striving for a "responsible society" that did not take away "public support for the needy".

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For this young men have volunteered to offer free education and also to support the Orphans, street children and the needy children across the entire country.

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Lord Low, who was born blind and received DLA, believed the new system would take away "vital support" from the "most needy", and added that a review and trial did not mean the legislation had to be "paused".

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For 2007, the latest data available, Japan spent 1.3% of its gross domestic product to support needy families, compared with 1.2% for the U.S., 3.7% for France and 2.7% for Germany.

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The government has an obligation, of course, to support needy seniors.

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Lib Dem Deputy Leader Simon Hughes, who has vowed to protect the party's core values, issued a statement in support of Mr Clegg after the Budget statement, saying it would protect the "needy and vulnerable".

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