When it was launched, free personal care was about more than the fair treatment of the elderly in Scotland.

It was about showing that devolution could make a difference. It gave people something they could not get in England, and it provided politicians with a source of pride.

Deconstructing the core principle, that every needy pensioner can receive certain care services for free regardless of wealth, has therefore been almost unthinkable, despite lots of noise about affordability as costs have soared.

Today, however, questions about its universal nature are being entertained by the least likely parties.

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To read more, see the full article. (Herald Scotland. 11 June 2010)