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Scotland's councils are being wrongly blamed for problems with the country's free personal care policy, local government leaders have claimed.

Evidence to the Scottish parliament health committee's review of free personal care has shown that half the councils are operating waiting lists for care while some are charging for food preparation services (Confused councils are turning policy into a 'laughing stock', say charities, 6 April).

Some parliament members and campaigners say both practices are illegal and should be stopped.

But Alan McKeown, social care policy manager at the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, said the problem lay with the Scottish executive's failure to clarify guidance.