29 September 2006
Voters in Scotland and Wales have positive attitudes towards devolution but lack knowledge of the devolved powers, the Electoral Commission has found.
In two separate studies, the commission looked at attitudes towards the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly in advance of next year's elections for both bodies.
According to a report on the Scottish survey, Scotland: poll position, Scots see their Parliament as trusted and accessible. However, only 27% of Scots think that the Holyrood Parliament has more influence on the way Scotland is run than Westminster.
Two out of three of those surveyed think that the Parliament should have more powers.
The commission said that there was a clear lack of understanding of the role and remit of the Holyrood Parliament and an assumption that it had fewer powers than it does.
In its report Wales: poll position, the commission said public support for devolution in Wales had increased, with strong support for an extension of devolution.
However, it added that there was work to be done to raise knowledge of the responsibilities and initiatives of the Assembly. Nearly half (49%) could not name any of the Assembly's responsibilities.
Glyn Mathias, electoral commissioner for Wales, said: 'The research demonstrates that, while many people are well disposed to the National Assembly, there remains a need to convey its powers, remit and responsibilities more effectively.'
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