Voters chose priorities for the May election

The top three issues identified by voters were putting more police on the beat, better pay for nurses and extra help for rural and fishing communities.

The least popular policy was the introduction of top-up fees for university students.

The study, conducted by NFO System Three, asked people what they would like to see politicians doing rather than how they planned to vote.

Labour leader Jack McConnell said the survey was "absolutely right".

Your priorities 1. More police on the streets 2. Pay nurses more 3. More money for farming and fishing communities 4. Ensure all state schools and hospitals are built and run publicly, not privately 5. Let some 14-year-olds stop studying academic subjects and study a trade in school 6. Take tougher action against nuisance neighbours 7. Cut class sizes in primary and secondary schools 8. Phase out nuclear power stations and replace with wind and wave power 9. Change electoral system for councils to reflect better the number of seats compared to the number of votes 10. Give private firms more money to start businesses 11. Give free school meals to all schoolchildren 12. Reduce taxes on business 13. Cut number of MSPs in parliament 14. Spend more on health promotion rather than hospital treatment 15. Hold a referendum on independence for Scotland 16. Spend more on helping heroin addicts come off drugs 17. Encourage more people to live in Scotland to stop population falling 18. Phase out public funding of Catholic schools 19. Charge drivers for bringing vehicles into city centres 20. Substantially increase spending on the arts 21. Allow universities to charge students higher fees

"People's priorities in Scotland are to tackle crime, to improve education, to improve our health service and to support local communities," said Mr McConnell.

And in an attack on the Scottish National Party (SNP), he warned that Scotland had to build on the achievements of its parliament and not go down the road of independence.

But SNP leader John Swinney said a commitment to hold a referendum on independence was "non-negotiable" in any coalition negotiations his party might find itself involved in in May.

And he said the poll's other findings chimed with his party's emphasis in the campaign on public services.

"I was delighted to see in the poll the fact that a referendum on independence will be priority - the top priority - of 22% of the electorate, a formidable choice," said Mr Swinney.

Liberal Democrat Ross Finnie viewed the poll as evidence that the electorate was in tune with what he called the party's "fresh thinking".

"In 1999 it was the Scottish Liberal Democrats who brought rural Scotland to the heart of government by insisting on a rural affairs minister in the cabinet, and we will continue to make the difference for rural Scotland," said Mr Finnie.

"Having also made the difference for education over the last four years, from nursery places to scrapping tuition fees, we will continue to make the difference with radical and popular policies such as extending vocational education for 14-16 year olds."

The Green Party used the results as an opportunity to attack the Tories on the issue of congestion charges.

It claimed that Tory "scaremongering" was partly to blame for the unpopularity of the issue.

Scotland goes to the polls on 1 May

Spokesman Stan Blackley said: "The Tories have failed to come up with any alternatives for cutting congestion or raising money for transport improvements.

"Instead their leader David McLetchie has dressed up as a lollipop man and a highwayman, only making him look ridiculous."

However, the Conservatives welcomed the identification of law and order and rural issues as priorities.

Mr McLetchie said: "People want more police officers on our streets to deal with the rise in violent crime and also low-level disorder - graffiti, vandalism - that plagues far too many communities in Scotland.

"I am delighted that was recognised. It is what people tell me as I go all around Scotland campaigning."

Academic input

The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) welcomed what it saw as popular support for its policies.

"It is very heartening to see a lot of support for free school meals, also to see the ending of privatisation of public services in Scotland high up on the poll," said SSP spokesman Hugh Kerr.

The list of 21 priorities was drawn up by BBC Scotland with expert academic input.