Trust in Scottish Government four times higher than in UK

More than 60 per cent of Scots trust the Scottish Government to act in the country’s best interests compared with a record low of 15 per cent for the UK Government, a new public attitudes survey has found.

A public attitude survey in Scotland has found people have more faith in the Scottish than UK Government

The latest Scottish Social Attitudes Survey, which has been running for 20 years, also found that 73 per cent of Scots thought the Scottish Government should have more “influence” over Scotland than the UK Government.

The Scottish Parliament was also supported in the survey, with 61 per cent of people saying it gave Scotland a stronger voice in the UK, and 94 per cent believing it important to vote in Holyrood elections.

Conducted in 2019/20 before lockdown, the survey found satisfaction with the way the NHS in Scotland was run was at a record high since the survey began, sitting at 65 per cent.

Those who agreed the economy had grown weaker over the past 12 months have put the blame on UK Government policies – 54 per cent – rather than Scottish Government policies at just 19 per cent.

The survey, which is conducted face-to-face, uses a random sample of all those aged 16 and over living anywhere in Scotland and began in August last year, ending in March.

Scottish Government constitution secretary Michael Russell said the survey showed that Scots were “politically engaged” and trusted his government “to listen to their views and act in their best interests”.

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