SNP Promises Free University Education

treliac

noh wrote: »

They already do. The criteria being resident in Scotland for at least the last 3 years.
This article
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jan/13/european-student-numbers-soar-scotland
explains the European thing.

Wow, now that really does amount to discrimination. How do we English always manage to come off worst in these scenarios?! From your article....

Because university education is free for residents of Scotland, under EU law students from all other EU member states are entitled to the same free places. Students in some countries such as France face annual fees and other costs running to thousands of euros a year.

But under a quirk of European law and the UK's system of devolved government, English students are not able to attend for free because they are regarded as citizens of the same member state as Scotland – the UK.

Russell said the current situation was untenable. "Scottish universities have always been cosmopolitan institutions – that is part of their attraction – but we cannot allow them to become a cheap option for students who have to pay to go to university in their home countries," he said.

Loughton_Monkey

noh wrote: »

They already do. The criteria being resident in Scotland for at least the last 3 years.
This article
http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/jan/13/european-student-numbers-soar-scotland
explains the European thing.

They already do what?

I think there's a big misconception here with what I said.

Yes, we all know that Scotland offers 'free' universities for Europeans. [Let's not be pedantic by saying that because the Scottish are Europeans, then by definition he is offering free education to Scottish people. Let's interpret it as 'only' Scottish.]

But what we have here, I think, is an attempt to make it free for 'Scottish' people. Isn't that what your OP said?

treliac wrote: »

Alex Salmond promises to keep university education free for Scottish students, during his speech at the SNP conference.

And so I come back to my position and say "Balderdash....."

Living for three years in Scotland does not make you "Scottish". I would ask you to define what definition of 'Scottish' will be used, and ask you to confirm that you believe he can make such stipulations on Nationality without getting into trouble with Race Relations, ECHR, European Court of Justice, and probably the Scottish constitution for all I know.

The nearest thing he might be able to do is cobble together some qualification based upon residence, but again, that does not make you Scottish and also that would have tremendous issues concerning proof, definition, etc. Any Scottish person wanting to do a year's Overseas Aid work will feel a bit miffed to come back and find he can't get in for free! Are there not many Scottish soldiers? Posted overseas with wife and family for 4 years on the trot. They arrive home just in time for young Hamish to settle into Aberdeen to study House Price Economics and Hamish will have to pay!

Let him in for free you say....? Overseas residence OK in the forces? Well Fred Blogs and family spent 3 months in Lossimouth before being posted to Malta for 4 years.... can young Tommy go to Heriot Watt to study English Literature?

Think again Mr Salmond!

LilacPixie

Graham_Devon wrote: »

They are dropping prescription charges from £3 to £0 too.

Water is also far far cheaper. It's in with council tax, which is also cheaper on average, so I'm told.

Not sure if there are things that are more expensive.

Yopu are correct water/sewerage is in with the council tax.. I'm doing my filing at the moment so here is the 'totals' for a 3 bed semi in Dundee, 2 adults and 3 kids live here. Water - £161.92, Sewerage £187.92. I have no idea how this would compare to a similar size household in England though..

To answer the OP, I don't think its possible to have 'free' education, no perscription charges, free hospital parking (not at my local hospital) and a raft of other things eck the fish has announced or promised. He isn't rumplestiltskin spinning straw to gold so I suspect empty election promises.

Red_Doe

There`s a very very simple solution for those English who dislike the way the Scots government runs things in Scotland. Give us Independance.
I keep hearing comments, on any topic to do with Scotland, from the English, saying the inevitable "We subsidise your lot" which is, frankly, rubbish. However, if you really feel that way, why not petition your English government to finally cut us free? Then we can sink or swim on our own, and you guys can get on with finding some other country to whinge about?

http://www.alba.org.uk/scotching/biglie.html

Kilty_2

Red_Doe wrote: »

Give us Independance.

Red_Doe

Kilty wrote: »

Yeah, I know But it does get irritating to hear yet more pot shots at the Scots because the English mistakenly believe they subsidise the country. If that`s the case, surely the simplest solution IS independance.

Prudent

I live in Scotland and recognise that it is grossly unfair that Scotland should have a host of free benefits that are not enjoyed by English residents. One of the most unfair aspects of the tution fees is that students from the European union can also study for free in Scotland whereas English students have to pay full fees.

A few months ago I was chatting to a student from Cyprus. By coincidence, my parents used to live in Cyprus just a street away from her house. She lived in a four bed villa with pool in an affluent area and both parents had very good jobs. She explained she was studying in Scotland because it was cheaper to fly home three or four times a year a than pay fees elsewhere and it meant she didn't need to get a summer job.

The SNP does not have a good track record of keeping its promises on education. It failed to keep them on class sizes and several other issues and now (quite untruthfully) was claiming it had devlivered in a party political broadcast last week. I am a teacher and know quite a few of my colleagues will be refusing to vote for them again after many failed promises to us.

There is a downside in that job opportunties are not great in some parts of Scotland just now. My daughter is just completing a college course and is very frustrated that all the agency vacancies are for the south of England.

tomterm8

Red_Doe wrote: »

There`s a very very simple solution for those English who dislike the way the Scots government runs things in Scotland. Give us Independance.
I keep hearing comments, on any topic to do with Scotland, from the English, saying the inevitable "We subsidise your lot" which is, frankly, rubbish. However, if you really feel that way, why not petition your English government to finally cut us free? Then we can sink or swim on our own, and you guys can get on with finding some other country to whinge about?

http://www.alba.org.uk/scotching/biglie.html

The Scottish government has had the power to issue a referendum on leaving the UK for the last decade. It hasn't used it. Even when the SNP are in power, they are scared to issue a referendum.

Because Scottish people don't want independence.

And now you have to beg the English to force Scotland into independence...

Wow, what a sense of national pride Scottish nationalists have... begging English people to force Scotland to have independence, because the Scots don't want it.

IveSeenTheLight

Graham_Devon wrote: »

Water is also far far cheaper. It's in with council tax, which is also cheaper on average, so I'm told.

I don'e believe it is.

Don;t have time to dig out the facts for you, but I'll do it later

IveSeenTheLight

tomterm8 wrote: »

The Scottish government has had the power to issue a referendum on leaving the UK for the last decade. It hasn't used it. Even when the SNP are in power, they are scared to issue a referendum.

Because Scottish people don't want independence.

And now you have to beg the English to force Scotland into independence...

Wow, what a sense of national pride Scottish nationalists have... begging English people to force Scotland to have independence, because the Scots don't want it.

I'm a Scot and I would prefer independence