Scots want parliament for English

And Scottish independence does not have majority support north of the border.

A poll out today found that 56% of Scots, 69% of people in Wales, and 73% of the English want the Union between those countries in the UK to continue unchanged.

It also found differences between the English, Scots and Welsh over whether they would gain or lose financially if the Union were to end.

Around 24% in England thought they would lose, 25% thought they would gain, and 44% said it would make no difference.

But 37% of Scots thought they would lose out, and 31% thought they would benefit.

In Wales, 49% thought they would lose out while only 14% thought they would gain.

The findings of the BBC poll, conducted by ORB, are to feature in a Newsnight debate tonight from Edinburgh- 300 years to the day since the Scots Parliament signed up to the Act of Union.

The poll found 61% of the English, 51% of Scots, and 48% of the Welsh thought an English parliament should be established.

But when the pollsters asked if the Union should continue or end, the latter option - which encompassed independence for Scotland and Wales - was favoured by only 16% of the English, 32% of the Scots and 19% of people in Wales.

Most people believed that the Union would last for several years more but half thought it had less than a century to go.

The poll, for BBC2 Newsnight, BBC Scotland, and BBC Wales, was carried out this month.

Tonight's debate comes as the anniversary of Union is being marked by the launch of a £2 coin at the Scotland Office in London.

Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander and the leader of the House Jack Straw will attend the event and underline the "continued importance" of the Union.

Mr Alexander was to say: "Scotland is benefiting from the economic stability of the UK."

SNP leader Alex Salmond claimed the poll finding on independence reflected the way the question was put but said a "new partnership" was needed between Scotland and England.