WIDE RANGING SURVEY LOOKS AT SATISFACTION WITH PUBLIC SERVICES IN WALES

Over the next six months thousands of people in Wales are to take part in a major survey on issues ranging from housing to use of the Internet. The Welsh Assembly says the study will be an opportunity for the public to record their satisfaction – or lack of it – with all the services they receive.

Until September a random sample of 12,000 households will receive letters inviting them to face-to-face interviews in a project called ‘Living in Wales’. They will be questioned on a number of topics, including public services, housing, Internet use, environmental issues and equality and volunteering.

The study is designed to judge the impact and effectiveness of current policies and to provide an evidence base for any changes. The first results from a similar survey conducted during 2006 are expected to become available in the middle of this year. The 2007 survey will help the Assembly gather information on the types of households in Wales and their likely future housing needs and service requirements. It will also bring together citizens’ views and experiences of public services, such as dental practices, libraries, trains and ambulance services as well as painting a picture of how people help one another in the community. The survey, commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government, will be conducted by trained researchers from Ipsos MORI and GfK NOP.