People in Scotland give on average �7.40 to charity each week

The figures, from the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, are being highlighted to coincide with the start of a voluntary sector fair in Glasgow.

Public confidence in charities fell after the scandals surrounding Breast Cancer Research Scotland and Moonbeams.

But the new research found that people in Scotland are giving a greater proportion of their income.

A typical Scottish household will give �7.40 per week and 43% of all adults in Scotland do charity work, giving nine million hours every month.

These figures were compiled before the tsunami disaster and the unprecedented response from throughout the UK.

More people donating more time and money to good causes can only be good for Scotland Martin Sime SCVO

Charity giving remains strong, despite bad publicity in 2003 when it was revealed that only a fraction of the money raised for the Breast Cancer Research Scotland and Moonbeams organisations actually went towards good causes.

On Monday, a voluntary sector fair, called The Gathering 2005, will take place at the SECC in Glasgow.

It will run through to Wednesday and organisers are hoping to attract more than 4,500 people.

Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) believes there is evidence of the increasing success that voluntary organisations are having in winning public sector funding for service delivery.

It says the average size of public sector contracts has risen by 16% in the last year.

'Vote of confidence'

Martin Sime, chief executive of the SCVO, said: "This is good news for the voluntary sector and the people they serve.

"More people donating more time and money to good causes can only be good for Scotland.

"More government support is yet another vote of confidence.

"We have long argued that voluntary organisations are a dynamic force for good in Scotland and these survey findings demonstrate that the sector is having a growing impact across every area of public life.