Scottish Social Attitudes | 25 years of devolution in Scotland

The latest Scottish Social Attitudes (SSA) survey, published by The Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen), reveals that public trust in the Scottish Government has fallen to its lowest level since the advent of devolution. ScotCen has conducted an annual high-quality survey charting social and political attitudes since its beginning in 1999, with the aim of providing impartial, in-depth evidence on the climate of public opinion north of the border.
Whilst these figures represent marginal improvements from 2023, they continue to remain significantly less positive than the pre-pandemic situation
Paul Bradshaw, Director of the Scottish Centre for Social Research, said: "The Scottish Social Attitudes survey provides a unique and incredibly valuable time series for monitoring trends and understanding public attitudes, to help support and develop effective policies and identify government priorities. These latest results show a clear decline in trust in the Scottish Government, alongside continued concern about public services and the economy. While Scots remain strongly attached to their Scottish identity, our data suggest that confidence in political institutions is under pressure, a finding that will be important for policymakers and the public alike."
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