White Craw

As usual when an establishment figure comes out with this sort of stuff, we can be sure that Bob had all of his tuition fees paid for him, wouldn't know one end of a bus from the other, and if he were unfortunate enough in the future to need long term care, his pension income will comfortably cover the fees.

Most employees who have paid earnings-related NI since actual stamps were abolished in 1975 will not recognise this scenario.

2 years ago to the day!

Well, you could have a point here, but it is the Conservative conference next week and they might need some positive headlines. And many on this forum thought means testing of CB as presently proposed was politically inept, irrational,...... and would never happen!

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/09/child-benefit-cuts-750

From the west of Scotland http://www.ayrshirepost.net/2011/08/12/goodfellow-closes-102545-29211300/

You reckon? Certainly would happen for taxpayers, would be mitigated or excused for "those most in need".

Why don't we hear more of the Tax and Price index these days? http://byline.timetric.com/2011/03/23/tpi-the-lost-measure-of-inflation/ After all it was highly recommended by Mrs Thatcher when she introduced it in 1979.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-13916556

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/georgeosborne/8584227/George-Osborne-plots-7bn-pensions-raid-on-better-off.html

Only if all of these students are going to a university in Scotland. Scottish students at university in other UK countries have to pay (possibly by taking out a loan) tuition fees. And the Scottish system for assessing maintenance loans against parental income is much more severe (from the student/parent point of view) than that in England.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13824173

The sum mentioned "to build" will be just that and won't include the price of land.

The 100 mi/d commuter is already paying much much more through petrol taxes.

....we'd need a vast new bureaucracy to administer exemptions (read: to ensure only those actually contributing tax/NI had to pay this extra charge)

It certainly wasn't like that in the UK during the time of rent control (and still isn't as regards surviving regulated tenancies).

Yes, completely my misreading. "Effective date: 24th September 2009" in fact is the date the present rent became effective and will tell you how long it will be before an application can be made to review the rent. It's not the date the tenancy started.

I read 2009 as the starting date of the property's present leasehold term, I don't see any details about the regulated tenancy (apart from the fact that there is one).

£1.38.9 for diesel at Tesco Wishaw today. Almost back to pre-budget price!

Have you a link for these VAT demands? Thanks.

Surely you meant to Higher Grade?

I can't agree with this picture of 17th c. Scotland, it had been a unitary state for some time with a nationwide framework of local power and administration, for instance the Scottish Parliament with the "Three Estates", namely the bishops, nobles, and lairds with burgesses, (later nobles, lairds and burgesses). The last internal force denying the Scottish Kings nationwide power ended with the suppression, by King James IV, of the Lordship of the Isles in 1493. The covenanting wars were so closely linked with conflict and disturbance throughout Britain and Ireland (The "English" Civil War!) that the second half of the seventeenth century is better described as the War of the Three Kingdoms.

Yes, whether you think it's Scotland's oil or the Uk's oil. the proceeds have certainly been squandered.

Alex Salmond was, in the latter stages of the campaign, concentrating on a policy of greater powers for the Scottish Parliament as opposed to independence. Was a majority SNP government a surprise to themselves? 1. To let the present Westminster government complete its term and wait till after the next UK general election? 2, To devise an independence referendum which does not pose a straight yes/no question; eg multiple choices such as independence on certain conditions/further devolution?

Alex isn't the only one who knows: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article733821.ece