To be annoyed the Tory 30 hour free childcare doesn't apply in Scotland!

[RagingJellyBean]

It's just annoying, to be honest.

I don't like the Tories, but if we have to have them the least they could do is throw us a bone up here.

30 hours free childcare when my DD turned 3 would be absolutely fantastic. I could actually afford to live a normal life again, why isn't in Scotland? 15 hours is great, don't get me wrong, but 30 hours would be PERFECT.

HOW ANNOYING!?!?!?!

[PrimalLass]

Labour MSPs also voted against abolishing fees in Scotland.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7268101.stm

[redannie118]

I live in northumberland just moments from the scottish border. Taxes from my minimum wage job go towards sending rich scottish children who live moments away from me to uni while back in the real world I will never be able to fund my own children into further education.Bitter???hell yes !!!!!

[ChickenLaVidaLoca]

All this cake and eat it, you voted SNP, you wanted devo max etc seems rather harsh on OP. She hasn't actually said whether she supports any of those things or not! Yes it would obviously be inconsistent to have eg voted yes last September and then be complaining that Westminster can't legislate on devolved matters, but how do we know OP has done that? She might not even support devolution! Some Scots don't, 600,000 of them voted against it in 97. They're not a monolithic bloc. I wouldn't be particularly impressed if I complained about something the Tories are doing and was met with 'you wanted it', seeing as how I didn't I just happen to live in a country with a lot of people who did. OP might be the same.

[PrimalLass]

I live in northumberland just moments from the scottish border.

Just move over the border then

[PrimalLass]

Like a PP said, Scots will only be happy when the English are wearing potatoes sacks and living in shacks. They think the world owes them a favour.

Utter bollocks.

[Groovee]

The 600 hours instead of 425 only came in last August. Complain to the first minister.

[rachelmonday1]

Something tells me things could get even worse north of the border, if Sturgeon gets her way. Then we'll see how much the Scots really enjoy independence. But that's a whole new debate!

[TalkinPeace]

The amount of taxpayer money available per head in Scotland dwarfs that in rural England.

Just thank your stars you did not vote for independence - you'd be right screwed then with oil at under $80 a barrel.

[PrimalLass]

www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2014/aug/07/london-gets-24-times-as-much-infrastructure-north-east-england

[Andrewofgg]

Once upon a time someone thought of something called "devolution". . .

[PeaStalks]

Free child care is a drop in the ocean compared to paying £9k a year to go to uni. Also those of us with uni age DC did not get free child care when they were little.

[TalkinPeace]

primallass
That link is for infrastructure
I'm meaning for school and hospital and social care budgets.
The budget per head for secondary school children is three times as much in some areas as others - before pupil premium.

[bangalanga]

"No. But a whole load of MPS from England, Wales and NI voted for it too."

It concerned them.

"Yes, it was awful and they should never have voted it in. But it was a Labour Party thing, not a 'Scottish MP' thing."

Yes, they went and participated in a vote, and voted against the interests of the people the vote was about.

Which would be debatable, except that they voted in the opposite direction for their own constituents, acknowledging the fact.

Morally speaking it was a despicable thing to do, they have stolen young people's futures. More fool the system for allowing their unpleasant behaviour, sure, but in terms of personal integrity I wouldn't let any of the fuckers that did that have my spare key if they lived next door.

[PrimalLass]

I do know it is for infrastructure as I posted it. Still shows a huge disparity within England.

[PrimalLass]

Which would be debatable, except that they voted in the opposite direction for their own constituents, acknowledging the fact.

Do you have a link for that please? Did Westminster MPs vote on tuition fees in Scotland?

[TeacupDrama]

scottish NHS dentistry works differently I know I'm a scottish dentist, it works like it did in rest of UK did until about 10 years ago every item has a fee if you are not exempt you pay 80% of this upto a max of £384 per course of treatment. ( there are no bands) so no NHS treatment will be £500 the English band system relies on cross subsidy ie 1 patient that needs one tiny fill is paying band 2 ( it would be cheaper in scotland) another patient that needs 5 fillings would also pay band 2 ( it would cost more in scotland) so patients that need 1 filling subsidise those that need 5 while in scotland those that need the most treatment pay the most upto £384, you are not allowed to split treatment to avoid this maximum

some things are free to patient check ups denture repairs and bridge re-cements, prescriptions are free and eye tests, if you are exempt you will get basic lens and a choice of frames free too

health has been devolved for years as has education, scottish education like the legal system has been different since the union in 18th century, hence there has been different rules especially regarding wills, ( ie you can't disinherit your children or your spouse) house buying contracts etc#

with benefits like hours of childcare versus uni fees versus prescriptions dentistry it's swings and roundabouts you can't pick and choose

[PrimalLass]

The budget per head for secondary school children is three times as much in some areas as others - before pupil premium.

And why is that? Who allocated the funds per LA?

Off out in 5 mins, so haven't just disappeared. Will read later.

[ninaaa]

You win some, you lose some.

Clearly the best solution is to live in England whilst children are young, to take advantage of free childcare, and children get free eye tests, prescriptions and dentist appts in England. Then when they turn 18, hop across the border to take advantage of the free university fees and keep the free NHS services.

[lem73]

I'd be genuinely interested to know what party the Op voted for in the general election. It seems logical if you support a party's policy you vote for it. Of course Tory policies on education won't be implemented in Scotland but if Scottish voters express their opinion, Scottish parties have to listen. However there are some people in Scotland who are so stubborn/ narrow minded about the Tory party they would never vote for them no matter what.
Btw a lot of pps here seem to assume everyone in Scotland support the SNP. I'm a Scot living down South but I don't know a single person amongst family and friends who have voted SNP. They are all really unhappy. The SNP got a vastly disproportionate number of seats at the General Election. Even I am leaning towards a form of PR as there are millions of Scottish voters whose voices are being ignored.

[ChickenLaVidaLoca]

I think you have to have been residing in Scotland for a certain number of years before becoming Scottish for fees purposes. It's that way in England if you want to qualify as non overseas anyway.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

I think Westminster needs to give Holyrood full fiscal autonomy. That's what the SNP want, and it would put an end to all the arguing about whether or not the Scotland Act fulfils the promise made by Westminster, just before the referendum.

Then Scotland will be responsible for raising and allocating its funds.

It might work - there are dire predictions from some commentators, but others say it would be fine - I don't know - I don't have enough of the facts or the skills as an economist to make a worthwhile prediction.

But I am sure of one thing - if they don't get full fiscal autonomy, this will be used as a reason for the SNP to put another referendum in their manifesto for next year's Holyrood elections.

I might be way off base here, but my thoughts are, if full fiscal autonomy works, that's great, and it may be enough to make Scotland happy to stay in the Union (which is my preference). If it doesn't work, it is a whole lot less final than breaking up the Union, and Scotland could go back to Westminster to see if changes can be made.

Either way, the Scottish people have been given control over their own destiny, and I think that is what is most important for many Scots.

[indyandlara]

The addition of 2 1/2 extra hours has caused huge problems in Scottish Primaries. I have absolutely no desire to see 30 hrs of free child care. What do you think should be cut to fund this? Health? Other areas of education? Elderly care? As others say you can't have everything.( unless we all pay an awful lot more in tax. Council Tax freeze anyone?).

[indyandlara]

But of course, as ever, it's delightful to see yet another thread which gives people the opportunity to call all Scots whingers/ moaners/ spongers/ delete as you wish. Must have been at least 10 hours since I saw one of those...