TRUST in the SNP government fell sharply last year as a majority of Scots felt there had been a deterioration in the economy, new official statistics show.

The Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2016 showed 65 per cent of Scots trusted the Edinburgh government to work in Scotland’s best interests, compared to 73 per cent in 2015.

Trust in ministers to make fair decisions also declined, from 49 to 40 per cent.

However trust in the UK government was markedly lower, with just 25 per cent of people believing it worked in Scotland’s best interests (up from 23 in 2015), while only 18 per cent of Scots trusted it to make fair decisions, unchanged from the previous year.

Trust in the Scottish Government also peaked in 2015, and has been lower in the past.

The falls coincided with people saying the Scottish Government had more influence over the country than the UK government for the first time since devolution began in 1999.

At the start of devolution, 66 per cent of people said London had the most influence and only 13 per cent said Edinburgh did.

In 2016, the figures were 41 and 42 per cent respectively.

Three quarters of people said the Scottish Government should have the most influence, compared to 14 per cent who favoured the UK Government.

A record 71 per cent said Holyrood gave Scotland a stronger voice in the UK.

The Survey also showed voter priorities, with 28 per cent wanting the Scottish Government to make growing the economy its top concern, followed by improving education (21 per cent), improving housing (16), improving health (15), reducing inequality (10) and cutting crime (4).

More than half (54 per cent) thought the economy weakened in 2016, the highest level since 2012, and a sharp increase on the 34 per cent in 2015.

Of the 54 per cent, around a third blamed the UK government for the economy weakening, 18 per cent blamed Scottish Government policies, and 37 per cent blamed other reasons.

Satisfaction with the NHS around 60 per cent, broadly unchanged since 2013 and 2015.

Tory Annie Wells said the study showed people realised a successful economy underpinned other public services.

She said: “By obsessing about another independence referendum instead of boosting growth and public finances, the SNP is making a mistake. People are increasingly of that view, and the SNP ought to listen to the concerning results which have emerged from this study.”

Labour's Jackie Baillie said: “To proceed with plans for another referendum would be dangerous economic vandalism. It’s clear that people in Scotland now understand it is the Scottish Government that has most influence over the way that Scotland is run. It is the SNP’s job to grow the economy, fix the crisis in the NHS and invest in our future.”

LibDem Mike Rumbles said the SNP needed a “laser like focus” on improving services.

He said: “The SNP’s independence obsession has resulted in fewer people trusting them to make fair decisions and act in Scotland’s best interest. Improving health, education and the economy should be the priority not another bid to break up the country.”

A Government spokesman said: “The proportion of people who trust the Scottish Government to work in their best interest and make fair decisions is at its fourth highest level since 1999. “We will continue to build on that trust as we take forward our Programme for Government.”