Scots would give more powers to Holyrood

The findings of the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey were seized on by the SNP, with senior MSP Christina McKelvie claiming that the results paved the way for Scotland to become an “independent country with access to the record tax revenues being generated by Scotland’s North Sea oil and gas”.

The survey also showed that 61 per cent of those surveyed trusted the Scottish Government to act in Scotland’s best interests, while the number who believed the UK government could be trusted was just 22 per cent.

Writing in the document, the report’s authors said: “The impact of the recession continued to be reflected in public views of the economy.

“Although slightly fewer people thought the economy had got weaker in the 12 months prior to the 2010 survey than said the same in 2009, perceptions of both Scotland’s recent economic performance and the general standard of living remained much more negative compared with the years up to 2007.

“The economy also remained the public’s top priority for Scottish Government action for the second year in a row.

“However, yet again the Scottish Government picked up relatively little blame for the perceived poor performance of Scotland’s economy – people who felt it had got weaker were more likely to attribute this to UK government policies.”

Ms McKelvie said: “These findings are not just an endorsement of the Scottish Government, but are a real encouragement that people in Scotland want to take charge of their own destiny – and only the SNP matches those aspirations.

“The Westminster parties have been left behind, with people looking for far more than the meek provisions of the Tory Scotland Bill. The vast majority want Parliament to have the full economic clout needed to fight recessionand build a fair society – which is why the Scotland Bill needs to be improved and strengthened.”