Letter: Scotland first

Alex Orr (Letters, 30 August) implies he would support a (Scotland in the) EU rule that a child born in Scotland, primary educated in Scotland, who then moved elsewhere with her family (eg as a result of a Scottish civil service or private company posting to Brussels or London) for most of her secondary education before returning to Scotland for her sixth year, should pay the full cost of her subsequent university education by reason of her not having lived three of her last five years in Scotland.

Preposterous, of course, and if that is a rule currently applicable to Scottish university entrance we should ditch it forthwith.

The political hard hats of all persuasion really must stop gnawing at this particular manky bone – the question to be addressed is how can we ensure that no child in Scotland is ever denied a university place in favour of a child from elsewhere?

The simple answer is to deny the universities the opportunity to recruit foreign students until every one of our own children with adequate (not necessarily the best) qualifications has her/his university place.

Over several generations this would produce the most highly educated work force in Europe, and inevitably attract the investment and jobs the country so craves.

David Fiddimore

Calton Road

Edinburgh