Scottish Public Spending Poll
Scots acknowledge the need for spending cuts but want the cuts to happen slowly to protect services according to an Ipsos survey for BBC Scotland.
An Ipsos poll out today shows three quarters of Scots agree with the need for cuts in public spending but want those cuts to happen slowly in order to reduce the impact on public services and the economy. The survey, conducted by telephone among 1,000 adults across Scotland, was commissioned by BBC Scotland to coincide with a series of programmes being aired in the lead up to the publication of the spending review.
It illustrates the acceptance of the need to cut public spending but highlights that Scots are more likely than people across the UK as a whole to want those cuts to happen slowly (81% compared to 75%). Despite the acceptance of spending cuts, a small majority of Scots (55%) think that the Scottish Government should use it tax-raising powers, the so-called `Tartan Tax', to minimise the spending cuts needed. A third of Scots (32%) disagree with this proposition.
The Scottish public is divided about who to blame for the forthcoming cuts in public spending. Around 2 in 5 (42%) blame the previous UK Labour administration, while a similar proportion (39%) thinks that the current UK Conservative/Liberal Democrat Coalition Government shoulders the greatest responsibility. Around one in eight (13%) think the current SNP Scottish Government is most to blame.
Mark Diffley, Research Director at Ipsos Scotland said:
"Although Scots agree with people in other parts of the UK that cuts are inevitable, they are united in wanting these to happen at a pace which does not threaten key public services overnight. Despite not using the Tartan Tax in the 11 years since devolution, there seems to be a measure of support for the Scottish Government considering this more closely in order to mitigate some of the effects of the cuts in public spending."
Technical Note
- Results are based on a survey of 1,000 respondents conducted by telephone between 17th and 22nd September 2010.
- Data are weighted by age, sex and working status using census data, and tenure using SHS 2007-2008 data.
- An asterisk (*) indicates a percentage of less than 0.5% but greater than 0.
- Where results do not sum to 100, this may be due to multiple responses or computer rounding.
- Where the base size is less than 30 the number (N) rather than the percentage of respondents is given.
- Results are based on all respondents (1,000) unless otherwise stated.
More insights about Public Sector
