Nine in Ten Scots households take more than they give

[hornetrider]

In terms of taxes and benefits. Christ alive.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/scotland/sc...

[Eric Mc]

A rather sweeping statement I would suggest and not quite what the article is saying.

[StottyZr]

My brother minor'd in economics at Uni. After his first semester he was delighted to tell me one piece of information he had picked up.

The biggest economic woe on Great Britain was Scotland. I never knew if there was any truth to it, I guess there is.

[hornetrider]

Eric Mc said:

A rather sweeping statement I would suggest and not quite what the article is saying.

said:

official figures showing that only 283,080 households north of the border – 12 per cent of the total – pay more in tax than they receive in public services.

Is that not what I said?

[Eric Mc]

No it's not.

You are making the a massive sweeping assumption that those who work in the public sector "give" nothing for their wages.

Tell that to the police, fireman, doctors, nurses, etc etc etc.

[thinfourth2]

Mmmm

I'd like to see the figures for northern england

[hornetrider]

No I haven't.

[BoRED S2upid]

Im sure the figure would be a lot different if you take out al the Civil Servants.

Who pays for her wage anyhow? if shes a Minister then isn't it the tax payer?

[neil_w]

Sounds bad but what are the figures for other parts of Britain?

Further down the article says:
"According to the most recent figures, Scotland contributed 9.6 per cent of Britain’s tax take and accounted for 9.3 per cent of public spending."

So Scotland contributes more in tax than it receives in spending (proportionally).

[Eric Mc]

So, what is the definition of "taking" more than "giving".

If the entire population of Scotland was on the dole - or living off benefits - then you would have a point. But that isn't the case.

This lady seems to be playing straight into Salmond's hands. The Conservatives have more or less given up on Scotland and seem to be in a hurry to let it become independent.

[y2blade]

thinfourth2 said:

Mmmm

I'd like to see the figures for northern england

+1

It'll be worse than our lot that's for sure.

[The Don of Croy]

Albeit a good 10 years ago, I read that the economies of Scotland, Wales and NI were all 75% minimum state derived, and 80% in Tyne & Wear!!

Could be wrong.

I'm always encouraged when I hear a faithful union spokesperson say that state employees pay taxes too, so the more we have employed the better off the state will be...

[crazy about cars]

neil_w said:

Sounds bad but what are the figures for other parts of Britain?

Further down the article says:
"According to the most recent figures, Scotland contributed 9.6 per cent of Britain’s tax take and accounted for 9.3 per cent of public spending."

So Scotland contributes more in tax than it receives in spending.

Exactly! Poorly written article ...

[Hugo a Gogo]

53% throughout the UK

I might suggest somewhere like London has all the big payers (perhaps even some from Scotland), and the remote wilds of the highlands have far less big earners

[3point14159key]

i think it includes those who are employed in the public sector but receive no benefits...

[Eric Mc]

It does - which therefore the OP looks on as "takers" rather than "givers".

[hornetrider]

Are you shooting the messenger Eric? I'm merely reporting the article.

[Tartan Pixie]

article said:

Scotland contributed 9.6 per cent of Britain’s tax take and accounted for 9.3 per cent of public spending.

Spending less than they're taxing eh? Sounds like Britain would be better off if it was run from Holyrood.

[deadslow]

9/10 people who live outside London are probably net takers. Could you lot please attacking another part of the uk for a bit with these petty and ill-informed statistical stories? Dull in extremis.

[Phil1]

Where does it say public sector workers are included in the "takers" figures? I can only see references to people consuming more cost in services than they pay in tax. Would love to see the real figures...