Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The general aim of the research was to create a database of candidates for the Scottish Parliament/Welsh Assembly comprising details of their social and political characteristics, experience and attitudes. The specific objectives were, firstly, to analyse the parties' procedures for recruiting and selecting candidates under the new electoral system. Secondly, to describe the actual operation of candidate selection and the internal strains it caused in the parties. Thirdly, to describe the characteristics and attitudes of candidates, making comparisons across parties and between the two different types of candidate. Finally, to compare candidates for these new institutions with UK Parliament and local government candidates and with electors.
Main Topics:

The dataset contains two files. One contains the responses to a postal survey of candidates in the Scottish Parliament election, the other the responses of candidates in the Welsh Assembly election. Only the four main parties in each country are included.
The questionnaires focused on the candidates' views on the selection procedures employed by the parties (which were controversial in some cases); opinions about constitutional change and the new Parliament/Assembly; general political attitudes and perceptions of the roles of constituency and list members in the new institutions. In addition the dataset includes information on the social characteristics of respondents.
Standard Measures
Likert scales of social and political values were used.