Public Services Poll

• MORI interviewed 1,007 British adults aged 18+
• Interviews were conducted by telephone on 11-13 January 2001
• Results are based on all respondents unless otherwise stated
• Data are weighted to the known population profile
• An * indicates a finding of less than 0.5%, but greater than zero
• Poll conducted by MORI on behalf of The Sunday Telegraph

QV1 How would you vote if there were a General Election tomorrow?[If undecided or refused at Q1]QV2 Which party are you most inclined to support?

Conservative	31%
Labour	52%
Liberal Democrats	11%
Scottish/Welsh Nationalist	2%
Green Party	1%
Democratic/UKIP/Referendum Party	0%
Other	2%
Would not vote	10%
Undecided	11
Refused	3%

Voting Intention over the last 12 months & Long Term Trends

Q1-3 Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with?

a) The NHS

Satisfied	46%
Dissatisfied	44%
No opinion	10%
Net satisfied 177	+2%

b) Standards in education

Satisfied	38%
Dissatisfied	38%
No opinion	24%
Net satisfied 177	0%

c) The way your area is policed

Satisfied	43%
Dissatisfied	50%
No opinion	7%
Net satisfied 177	-7%

Before it was elected, the Labour Party made 5 key promises. For each one, please tell me whether you think the Labour Government has or has not kept the promise?

Q4 Cut class sizes to 30 or under for 5,6,7 year olds

Has kept promise	32%
Has not kept promise	34%
Don't know	34%

Q5 Introduce fast-track punishment for persistent young offenders

Has kept promise	17%
Has not kept promise	62%
Don't know	21%

Q6 Cut NHS waiting lists

Has kept promise	30%
Has not kept promise	59%
Don't know	11%

Q7 Get 250,000 under-25 year olds off benefit and into work

Has kept promise	34%
Has not kept promise	38%
Don't know	28%

Q8 Not increase income tax, cut VAT on heating to 5 per cent and keep inflation and interest rates as low as possible

Has kept promise	51%
Has not kept promise	39%
Don't know	11%

How important would you say it is to you that the Government has or has not kept its promise to ...

Q9 Cut class sizes to 30 or under for 5,6,7 year olds

Very important	59%
Fairly important	25%
Not very important	8%
Not at all important	4%
Don't know	4%

Q10 Introduce fast-track punishment for persistent young offenders

Very important	66%
Fairly important	24%
Not very important	5%
Not at all important	2%
Don't know	3%

Q11 Cut NHS waiting lists

Very important	81%
Fairly important	15%
Not very important	2%
Not at all important	1%
Don't know	1%

Q12 Get 250,000 under-25 year olds off benefit and into work

Very important	70%
Fairly important	24%
Not very important	3%
Not at all important	1%
Don't know	2%

Q13 Not increase income tax, cut VAT on heating to 5 per cent and keep inflation and interest rates as low as possible

Very important	62%
Fairly important	29%
Not very important	5%
Not at all important	2%
Don't know	2%

Q14 Thinking about the NHS and from what you know or have heard, since Labour was elected in May 1997 do you think the following have got better or worse or have they stayed the same?

a) standards of treatment for patients in the NHS

Better	24%
Worse	20%
Stayed the same	49%
Don't know	7%

b) standards of hygiene in NHS hospitals

Better	11%
Worse	44%
Stayed the same	30%
Don't know	15%

c) the length of time patients have to wait before receiving treatment

Better	19%
Worse	37%
Stayed the same	35%
Don't know	9%

d) the service provided by GPs or family doctors

Better	29%
Worse	18%
Stayed the same	49%
Don't know	4%

Q15 How likely or unlikely do you think it is that ...

a) within four years, you will be able to choose the hospital appointment of your choice?

Very likely	3%
Fairly likely	14%
Fairly unlikely	24%
Not very unlikely	55%
Don't know	4%

b) Within your lifetime, healthcare will no longer be available to everybody free on the NHS?

Very likely	27%
Fairly likely	33%
Fairly unlikely	16%
Not very unlikely	17%
Don't know	7%

Q16 Thinking about education in schools and from what you know or have heard, since Labour was elected in May 1997 do you think the following have got better or worse or have they stayed the same?

a) the standard of education that children receive

Better	33%
Worse	17%
Stayed the same	39%
Don't know	11%

b) investment in schools and teachers

Better	32%
Worse	27%
Stayed the same	27%
Don't know	14%

c) recruitment of new teachers

Better	17%
Worse	40%
Stayed the same	25%
Don't know	18%

Q17 Thinking about crime and law and order and from what you know or have heard, since Labour was elected in May 1997 do you think the following have got better or worse or have they stayed the same?

a) the overall level of crime in your area

Better	17%
Worse	36%
Stayed the same	44%
Don't know	3%

b) standards of policing generally

Better	16%
Worse	33%
Stayed the same	46%
Don't know	5%

c) the number of police on the beat

Better	9%
Worse	49%
Stayed the same	36%
Don't know	6%

Q18 Since it was elected in May 1997, do you think that Labour has done a good job or a bad job at handling taxation and public expenditure?

Good job	45%
Bad job	40%
Don't know	15%

Q19 Thinking about all forms of taxation, since Labour was elected in May 1997 have taxes gone up, gone down or stayed the same?

a) for most people

Gone up	48%
Gone down	11%
Stayed the same	41%

b) for you personally

Gone up	41%
Gone down	13%
Stayed the same	46%

Q20 Still thinking about all forms of taxation, do you think that the current level of tax is too high, too low or at about the right amount?

Too high	52%
Too low	7%
About the right amount	36%
None/don't know	5%

If the Conservatives were to win the next General Election ...

Q21 do you think that public services would improve, get worse or stay the same?

Improve	16%
Get worse	32%
Stay the same	45%
None/don't know	7%

Q22 do you think that the overall level of taxation would be higher, lower or about the same amount?

Higher	35%
Lower	15%
About the same	43%
None/don't know	7%