Ipsos MORI Scottish Public Opinion Monitor August 2010 Contacts: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Ipsos MORI Scottish Public Opinion Monitor

August 2010 Contacts: Mark.Diffley@ipsos.com 0131 240 3269

EOI = -19% April EOI = +21% 21% 22% 55% 2%

Economic Optimism Index

27% 24% 46%

UK economy Scottish economy

Base: All asked about UK economy (508); all asked about Scottish economy (505). Data collected among Scottish adults 18+, 16-19 August 2010

• Q. Do you think that the general economic condition will improve, stay the same
• r get worse over the next 12 months?

Source: Ipsos MORI

Improve Stay the same Get worse Don’t know (2%) Improve Stay the same Get worse Don’t know EOI = -34% April EOI = +11%

Economic Optimism Index – Trends

• 35
• 25
• 15
• 5

5 15 25 35 45 Aug-09 Nov-09 Feb-10 Apr-10 Aug-10

UK economy Scotland's economy

% EOI

• 19%
• 34%
• Q. Do you think that the general economic condition will improve, stay the same
• r get worse over the next 12 months? (% better minus % worse)

Base: All asked about UK economy (508); all asked about Scotland’s economy (505). Data collected among 1,013 Scottish adults 18+, 16-19 August 2010

47% 56% 45% 37%

View s on public services and public spending 1

Base: 1,013 Scottish adults 18+, 16-19 August2010

There is a real need to cut spending on public services in

• rder to pay off the nation

national debt we currently have

Agree Disagree

• Q. Please tell me how strongly you agree or disagree with each of these

arguments about services and public spending?

Source: Ipsos MORI

Making public services more efficient can save enough money to pay off the national debt we currently have, without damaging public services

4% 13% 1% 82%

The government’s priority should be to protect services for people who most need help, even if that means that other people are hit harder by tax rises and cuts to services The only way for the government to reduce the deficit is to cut spending on all services, even if that includes services that are mainly used by people who most need help

• Q. Which of these comes closest to your opinion about how the government

goes about reducing debts?

View s on public services and public spending 2

Don’t know

Base: All adults 18+ (1,013), 16th August – 19th August 2010

Neither

2% 14% 1% 83%

It is important to cut spending quickly even if it means immediate job losses, because it will be better for the economy in the long run It is better to cut spending more slowly, to reduce the impact on public services and the economy

• Q. And which of these comes closest to your opinion about how the government

goes about reducing debts?

View s on public services and public spending 3

Don’t know

Base: All adults 18+ (1,013), 16th August – 19th August 2010

Neither