what do you expect for free?

Thrugelmir

ninky wrote: »

i'm sure there are others. for example, when did we start paying for water?

You are forgetting sewage is part of the charge as well.

Around the 1850's.

JWF

ninky wrote: »

i'm sure there are others. for example, when did we start paying for water?

You wouldn't have to pay for water if you were willing to collect it, store it and treat it yourself - but then that would hardly be free either!

Generali

blueboy43 wrote: »

pretty sure that prescriptions were 'free' for only 4 years or so after NHS was created.

My mistake. You are, as usual, absolutely correct:

http://www.scottishsocialistparty.org/scrap/scrap03.html

The prescription charge was introduced in 1952, scrapped in the mid-60s and reintroduced a few years later apparently.

Generali

JWF wrote: »

You wouldn't have to pay for water if you were willing to collect it, store it and treat it yourself - but then that would hardly be free either!

So have we found anything that's free yet apart from the hard won smile of a child?

ILW

I am sick of free bus passes for kids, I hardly ever use buses, but the one time I did over the last couple of years, it was like a zoo. My OH used to daily and it finally got her to buy a car.

N1AK

ninky wrote: »

i dont' think anyone has suggested those who don't work should get free bmws. however, maybe free prescriptions would be a good idea and we could save a bit by spending less on cruise missiles?

It was intended, and presented, as an entirely hyperbolic example. You did after all, start this debate by putting clean air on a list of 'things we expect for free' alongside far lesser needs.

Free prescriptions AREN't free. I'm already paying for 90% of the rest of the population to get them without paying, on top of paying for my own if I need one. Given that it isn't OAPs, children or unemployed who would pay the extra tax required to make all prescriptions 'free at the point of use' I'd still be paying for my own, but out of my pay packet rather than my wallet.

The issue of military spending is one that can be debated. However, what we should spend on the military doesn't affect what 'should' be spent on universal benefits and targeted benefits.

bendix

Only people paying high taxes (say, over £25,000 per annum) should be entitled to clean air, beautiful surroundings etc.

Everyone else should be forced to live on a barge in the North Sea, for example.

Or, failing that, Wales.

ninky_2

bendix wrote: »

Only people paying high taxes (say, over £25,000 per annum) should be entitled to clean air, beautiful surroundings etc.

Everyone else should be forced to live on a barge in the North Sea, for example.

Or, failing that, Wales.

well that would get rid of the queen so i can see the benefit.

Generali

ninky wrote: »

well that would get rid of the queen so i can see the benefit.

How would that get rid of the Queen?

bendix

ninky wrote: »

well that would get rid of the queen so i can see the benefit.

Careful ninky .. your ignorance is showing. No, it's not ignorance really, is it . . . it's blind slogan-oriented belief.

The Queen is one of the highest taxpayers in the country. Since 1992 she has been paying income tax on her private earnings which, of course, are considerable.

In addition, the Crown pays the government around £200m a year on excess revenue raised from Crown-owned property, and has been doing so for nearly 300 years. In return, they get a fraction of that back as civil list payments.

Not a bad deal all in all, do you think?