Amongst the comprehensive coverage afforded the publication of the Dilnot report by the BBC this morning was the throwaway comment by Evan Davies on Today that in Scotland, the issue of social care costs for the elderly is sorted, as “the taxpayer pays”. Really? Which taxpayer, Evan? The suggestion made by Davies is that Scotland covers all of its costs in this area which is fundamentally untrue. I know the BBC drools at the every manifestation of the SNP but I would have thought Davies might try to at least get the basic economics right and the simple truth is that the ENGLISH taxpayer is underwriting Scottish social care costs for the elderly.
SCOTLAND THE BRAVE
Bookmark the permalink.
Another in the long line of “different” social charges Scotland has voted for, like tuition fees, prescription charges, and probably others, which the English pay and the Scots don’t, despite paying the same taxes.
Isn’t it time the Scottish MPs in Westminster were denied the vote on matters pertaining to England? Solve the pesky coalition issue, since they are all Labour.
There is no such thing as English taxes, you make the usual little Englander arrogant assumption that the UK is England. Get over your selves.
http://tiny.cc/5k7ak
Dear Guest,
Although legally true, you must agree that the taxation in the UK (apart from VAT which is a European tax that is ‘refunded’ less the Brussels contribution adjusted up by the Thatcher rebate although the rate is set within EU agreed bands), is distributed by a transfer syystem from the more productive to less economically viable regions. In the case of Scotland, the Barnett formula is applied.
The number of net income tax payers in Scotland is about 120,000. Scotland is supported by tax payers elsewhere.
In Germany, where I spend a lot of time, the richer länder transfer funds to the poorer länder in the federal system. Everyone openly talks of Bavarian and Baden-Württemberg taxes being transferred to Bremen,Berlin and Meck-Pom.
Why so sensitive.
The Bavarians always moan about their hard earned taxes paying for loony Hamburg programmes.
Its normal.
But they have a Schuldenbremse law which controls the profligacy of spending and it is enforced through the courts.
An element of the piper calling, at least, some of the tunes.
RGH,
Would you please give us a source for the claim that “the number of net income tax payers in Scotland is about 120,000”?
‘Would you please give us a source’
Does seem low, but you never know. Possibly a typo?
But I too may have heard it on the BBC, quoting Maariv.
Too earl..wrongs? Sorry.
But as we have a precedent of demanding sources, things may get more open all round, so kudos.
160,000?
http://freedomandwhisky.blogspot.com/2010/12/scottish-taxpayer-and-english-whine.html
A fine Monday evening Radio4 flopjob on why Scotland can afford tuition fees, free medical care for the elderly, transport subsidies, cheap corporation taxes and as many generously funded social welfare schemes as provided by as many public sector boobies as can be stuffed on the poassing gravy train!
Listened for half an hour-no answer whatsoever as far as I can see. Alex Salmond has a John Bull Printing Press and a magic porridge pot!
The BBC is the SNPs organ-or is that bagpipe-of choice?
Hope we can extradite the Radio4 jocks back north once we cut them off. Then and only then will we restore full links with the country that sent us Wark,Naughtie and Deacon Blue!