The very different policies in Scotland and England over personal care for the elderly - where it is nominally "free" in Scotland but heavily means-tested in England - in fact reflect public preferences in the two countries, the survey found, writes Nicholas Timmins.

A total of 57 per cent of Scots believe that personal care - non-medical care such as washing, dressing, shopping, cooking and cleaning - should be available regardless of how much money an individual has.