Statistics

Have your say on Scottish Government social survey data!

March 4, 2026 by Office of the Chief Statistician No Comments | Category Uncategorized

The Scottish Surveys Core Questions (SSCQ) bring together a set of identical questions asked across three major national surveys: the Scottish Household Survey, the Scottish Health Survey and the Scottish Crime & Justice Survey. By pooling responses from these surveys, the SSCQ provides a large and reliable annual sample of around 20,000 adults. This combined dataset supports detailed analysis of Scotland’s population, including insights on health, equality characteristics, crime perceptions and views on public services. It also enables more robust analysis for smaller population groups and for local areas across Scotland.

Although the SSCQ has the potential to be a valuable resource for analysts, policy makers, researchers and many others, evidence suggests that it is currently underused. Recent analytics show that far fewer people access the SSCQ than the individual surveys it draws on. Feedback from colleagues also highlights that its purpose is not always well understood, and that some users are unsure where to find the data or how to interpret it.

We are therefore undertaking a review to better understand who uses the SSCQ, how it is used and what improvements would make it more accessible and relevant. This review forms part of our wider work to strengthen the clarity, impact and usefulness of population statistics across the Scottish Government.

We need your views

To help shape this work, we have created a short survey that aims to capture the perspectives of a wide range of users. We are keen to hear from:

• People who use SSCQ data regularly
• People who use it occasionally or have used it in the past
• People who have never used the SSCQ but do use other Scottish Government population surveys
• Anyone who may want to use survey data in the future

Your feedback will help us understand levels of awareness, reasons for use or non-use, barriers to access, and what changes would make the SSCQ more useful. The survey takes no longer than 10 minutes to complete and is open until 20 March 2026.

Why your input matters

The findings from this survey will guide the next steps of the SSCQ review, including:

• Identifying who the SSCQ is currently reaching and who it could better serve
• Understanding what users value and where improvements are needed
• Exploring opportunities for clearer communication, better guidance and more accessible formats
• Supporting the development of recommendations for future SSCQ design and dissemination

No immediate changes will be made to the SSCQ. This review is focused on gathering evidence to inform future decisions and ensure the publication is fit for purpose.

Please share widely

We would be grateful if you could share the survey with colleagues or networks who may also use social survey data or have an interest in population statistics. The broader the range of respondents, the more complete our understanding will be.

If you have any questions about the survey or the wider review, you can contact the Survey Strategy and Coordination Team at sscq@gov.scot.

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