Reconnecting Scotland the impact of devolution on public engagement

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Re-connecting Scotland - the impact of devolution
on public engagement
Rachel Ormston John Curtice 24 April 2009
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A new sort of democracy?

• A government physically and politically closer to
  the people
• A parliament which is accessible, open,
  responsive
• Scotland will step closer to, rather than away
  from, its neighbours

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3 May 2007 a sign of failure?

• First SNP win (and first Labour loss)
• First change of government since devolution
• First time different parties in power in London
  and Edinburgh

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Has devolution failed to deliver

• More effective public policy?
• Better engagement?
• Greater satisfaction with the position of
  Scotland in the UK?

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Data

• Scottish Social Attitudes survey 1999 2007
• Established and run by ScotCen
• Sister survey to BSA
• c.1500 CAPI interviews a year
• Random probability sample, adults 18
• Questions funded by ESRC Scottish Government

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More effective public policy
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• From what you have seen and heard so far, do you
  think that having a Scottish Parliament is
• Increasing the standard of education / standards
  in the health service in Scotland
• Reducing standards,
• Or is it making no difference?

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Education in Scotland
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Education in Scotland
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Education in Scotland
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The Health Service in Scotland
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Engagement with government
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• From what you have seen and heard so far, do you
  think that having a Scottish Parliament is giving
  ordinary people ...
• ... more say in how Scotland is governed,
• less say,
• or, is it making no difference?

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Does having an SP give ordinary people more say?
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In general how good would you say the Scottish
Executive is at listening to people's views
before it takes decisions ...very good, quite
good, not very good, or, not at all good?
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Good at listening?
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Good at listening?
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Scotlands position in the UK
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From what you have seen and heard so far, do you
think that having a Scottish Parliament is giving
Scotland ... ... a stronger voice in the United
Kingdom, a weaker voice in the United
Kingdom, or, is it making no difference?
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Voice in the UK
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Voice in the UK
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Constitutional preference
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Conclusions

• Devolution has not re-connected Scotland
• But not all negative
• Scottish institutions more favourably regarded
  than UK
• No benefit rather than making things worse
• And substantial minorities do see improvements

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Conclusions

• And 2007 election does not appear to reflect
  growing disenchantment
• Dangers of overestimating potential of
  constitutional change to re-connect the public?

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• Curtice, McCrone, McEwen, Marsh, Ormston (2009
  forthcoming) Revolution or Evolution? The 2007
  Scottish Elections, Edinburgh University Press

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