Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2011: Core Module - Attitudes to Government, the Economy and Public Services in Scotland - Research Findings

Main Findings

• Attitudes towards the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament were significantly more positive in 2011 compared with 2010 across a wide range of measures. For example:
  • 71% in 2011, compared with 61% in 2010, trusted the Scottish Government 'just about always' or 'most of the time' to act in Scotland's best interests
  • 60% in 2011, compared with 42% in 2010, felt that having a Scottish Parliament gives ordinary people more say in how Scotland is governed
• Perceptions of the UK Government remained more negative than those of the Scottish Government. For example, just 18% trusted the UK Government to act in Scotland's best interests.
• Growing the economy remained the most commonly chosen priority for the Scottish Government (chosen by 36%, in comparison with 17% who chose the next most popular option, 'cut crime').
• Views of the economy were a little more positive in 2011 compared with 2010, though the balance of opinion remained negative (57% felt the economy had got weaker in the last 12 months). More (67%, compared with 54% in 2010) felt the standard of living had fallen in the last year.
• Mean satisfaction with people's own standard of living changed little between 2007 and 2011 (7.79 in 2007; 7.75 in 2011).
• The most common view of standards in the health service, education and public transport in Scotland was that they had stayed the same in the previous year.
• 56% were 'very' or 'quite satisfied' with the way the NHS runs nowadays.
• More people felt that government rather than private companies would provide more cost effective (56%) and better quality (60%) services for older people who need regular help. This picture was reversed in relation to charities or not-for-profit providers - 56% felt charities would provide a more cost effective service than government, and 54% that they would provide better quality services.
• While 51% of people said that the government should always pay for personal care for older people, 46% thought who pays should depend on how much money a person has at their disposal.