Scotland's Independence And The Barnett Formula

[lindapalmara]

I remember a few years ago watching a documentary about how much more money goes from the Treasury to Scotland per capita than England and that this was called The Barnett formula. Mr Barnett was interviewed and explained that this was only supposed to bea short term thing, decided by the Labour Party to help them win the 1979 General Election and shouldn't have lasted this long. It has enabled the Scots to offer things not available in England like free prescriptions, personal care for the elderly, tuition fees etc. I discovered that the maker of this documentary was Richard Littlejohn,columnist in my paper. It makes interesting reading.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/columnist-322/Richard-Littlejohn.html

Can I suggest that we have an intelligent debate and not descend into abuse as on previous posts.

[Quizmonster]

Daily Mail...Richard Littlejohn...intelligent debate? Oh dear!

[jeffa]

I was wondering how long it would be before someone pointed that out!

[Peter Pedant]

// Can I suggest that we have an intelligent debate and not descend into abuse as on previous posts.//

and QM kicks off with answer no 1 - with an intelligent comment !

The barnett formula is the only known monument to a treasury wonk called Sir Joel Barnett who was one of Harold Wilson bright young men.
see here:

[Peter Pedant]

sorry it kicked off....

see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Barnett,_Baron_Barnett

yeah yeah I know weird comment: I am going to get 200 'answers' like
yeah yeah, meh ? what ? and Wha.....? and "lost me Peter again"

I tried Linda I tried.

[Quizmonster]

PP, does your exclamation mark suggest that "an intelligent comment" is a rarity from me?

[Peter Pedant]

sorry back to Barnett...

and yes it means the lucky lucky scots get £1000 per head
for free prescriptions, free universities free dentures....

and so the debate is not political at all,
but can we get on better on our own ?

Alex Salmond leads the charge with a mystical: 'yes yes ! much better with me but like all sellers of snake oil I wont tell you how, until you give me the top job ! '

[lindapalmara]

Thanks for the Wiki link Peter, and the intelligent contribution! At least I h

Thanks for the Wiki link and intelligent contribution Peter!

[lindapalmara]

Sorry I'm not sure what happened there, blooming IPad.

[sevenOP]

If true, this is the simplest explanation that I have come across:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1580787/How-the-Barnett-formula-works.html

"According to Treasury figures, Scotland’s identifiable public spending per head was £10,152 in 2012-13. That amounted to 116 per cent of the UK average compared with 97 per cent for England, 110 per cent for Wales and 124 per cent for Northern Ireland."
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/373e592a-196c-11e4-8730-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3CqM2ZasP
I have not heard much outcry on this, especially the figure for Northern Ireland.

Intriguing that Thatcher and Cameron (especially in these 'austere' times ) allowed it to persist.

[Peter Pedant]

although £1000 per head is a lot if it is not being spent on you
total cost £ 6 bn for Scotland

but for the average wager earner this is 4% of annual wage.

Not very many people up there - spread over a large area

[lindapalmara]

Thanks for that info sevenOP and PP. I also can't understand why Thatcher carried on with what was supposed to be a Labour sweetener to win the election, which they then lost.

[Peter Pedant]

actually I thought it was to balance the economic forces that seem to suck everyone down to the south east...