Attitudes to Public Service Provision
- MORI interviewed a representative quota sample of 2,088 British adults, aged 18+ at 210 sampling points across Great Britain
- Fieldwork was conducted in-home on 5th June 2001
- Results are based on all respondents unless otherwise stated
- Data are weighted to the known population profile
- Where results do not add up to 100, this may be due to multiple responses or computer rounding
- Poll conducted by MORI on behalf of UNISON
The next few questions relate to public services. By public services, I mean the range of services provided by central or local government - for example, the NHS hospitals, schools and colleges and refuse collection.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements?
Q1 In principle, public services should be run by the government or local authorities, rather than by private companies.
| 2000 | 2001 | |
| % | % | |
| Strongly agree | 27 | 45 |
| Tend to agree | 39 | 33 |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 14 | 10 |
| Tend to disagree | 14 | 6 |
| Strongly disagree | 3 | 3 |
| Don't know | 4 | 3 |
Q2 People who provide public services should be employed by the government or local authorities, rather than by private companies.
| 2000 | 2001 | |
| % | % | |
| Strongly agree | 22 | 40 |
| Tend to agree | 39 | 36 |
| Neither agree nor disagree | 17 | 11 |
| Tend to disagree | 14 | 7 |
| Strongly disagree | 3 | 2 |
| Don't know | 5 | 4 |
Q3 Do you think that schools should be managed by private companies or local education authorities?
| % | |
| Private companies | 5 |
| Local education authorities | 86 |
| Don't know | 8 |
Q4 Do you think that new specially built surgical units i.e. hospitals for non-urgent operations should be managed by private companies or the NHS?
| % | |
| Private companies | 14 |
| NHS | 78 |
| Don't know | 8 |
Q5-7 To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements...?
| Strongly agree | Tend to agree | Neither agree nor dis-agree | Tend to disagree | Strongly disagree | Don't know | |
| % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| Staff working for private contractors providing public services should get the same pay and conditions as staff who are directly employed in the public sector | 50 | 34 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 3 |
| The Labour government is placing too much emphasis on using private companies to provide public services | 21 | 32 | 16 | 17 | 4 | 9 |
| If Labour win the Election, it will have the public's backing to use private companies to provide public services | 4 | 23 | 19 | 29 | 15 | 10 |
