Taxing issues

Brian Allan (Letters, 29 September) claims that the wealthy should not be entitled to benefits such as free prescriptions and free bus passes. Apart from the fact that many of the very wealthy would never consider using a bus or stay in an NHS hospital ward, most governments use taxation to ensure that the wealthiest pay for these services rather than resorting to expensive and complicated means testing.

Labour failed to support a UK Budget vote on 26 March when a joint SNP/Plaid Cymru motion opposed the UK coalition’s plans to reduce the top rate of tax for the wealthiest from 50p to 45p.

The embarrassing Budget 
no-show followed vocal opposition and several pledges from shadow chancellor Ed Balls to vote against the tax cut for the wealthiest. 

Calum Stewart

Montague Street

Edinburgh

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IT IS a relief that our politicians are finally accepting that the existing extent of free universal benefits cannot be sustained in the medium and long term.

These benefits have to be paid from somewhere, and it is manifestly unfair that the low-paid in our society are having to shoulder such a high level of taxation to pay for them.

National Insurance is particularly unfair since it is paid by working people, who are the very people who generate our wealth and should be encouraged.

The Scottish Government has to be applauded for maintaining the freeze on council tax, however all parties should now be re-examining the issue of free university tuition, free personal care, free bus passes for the over-60s etc, as a matter of urgency to see if they can be better targeted.

W Mathers

Craigmount Gardens
Edinburgh