Survey suggests 'no significant change' on independence question

The author of an annual survey into people's attitudes on a range of issues has concluded that there is no significant shift over the independence question.

The British Social Attitudes, which interviewed 3,000 people UK-wide with more than 1,000 of those coming from Scotland, suggested that in 2011 32% of Scots were for independence and 68% are against.

In 2005, the survey suggested 35% were for independence and in 2010 it recorded that support stood at 23%.

The co-author of the survey, Prof John Curtice, of Strathclyde University, told BBC Scotland: "This survey suggests that over the long run, there is no trend in one direction or the other. Support has tended to oscillate between around a quarter and a third in this survey. The most recent reading of 32% is to the higher end of the range."