Deloitte / Government Delivery Index

The latest Deloitte / Ipsos Government Delivery Index provides little Christmas cheer for the Government at the end of 2005. Although voters have becoming slightly more optimistic about the economy, they are still negative overall about the long term prospects for the economy and public services, and expectations of the NHS are now at their lowest level since 2002.

Two in five (41%) think that the Government's policies will improve the state of Britain's economy in the long-term, while 44% disagree (the proportion who are critical is down from 50% in September). Fewer -- one in three (35%) -- think the Government's policies will be good for public services, back to the levels seen a year ago before the brief post-election honeymoon.

Most worryingly for the Government, expectations for the NHS are now at their lowest level ever recorded by the Delivery Index since it started in March 2002. A quarter (25%) think that the NHS will get better over the next few years, compared with 41% who think it will get worse, up four points since September. Supporters of all political parties are becoming more concerned -- Labour supporters as well as Conservatives and Lib Dems.

The trend in attitudes towards the environment is also in a long-term decline. Over two in five (44%) think that the quality of the environment will get worse over the next few years, up from 36% three years ago.

However, the picture is slightly more positive when looking at the other major public services, where attitudes have stabilised. Voters are steadily positive about education, which 36% expect to get better, compared with 25% who think it will get worse. Views on public transport and policing are evenly split. Twenty-nine per cent expect public transport to get better (up three points since September), while the exact same proportion think it will get worse. Considering policing, 26% think it will get better, while 25% think it will get worse.

Topline Results

• Ipsos interviewed 985 British adults 18+
• Fieldwork conducted by telephone between 25-27 November 2005
• Data weighted to the national population profile
• An '*' indicates a finding of less than 0.5%, but greater than zero
• Where percentages do not add up to exactly 100% this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of "don't knows" or to multiple answers

On balance do you agree or disagree that...

Q1 In the long term, this government's policies will improve the state of Britain's economy?

Q2 In the long term, this government's policies will improve the state of Britain's public services?

Q3-7 Thinking about... over the next few years do you expect it to ... ?