Andy Hall wrote:

I paid for private primary and secondary education out of income at
highest marginal rate because state education has become woefully
inadequate. I received nothing back from the local authority for
that.

Nor should you.

There should be something at least as a tax break or as a contribution
from the local authority for education. I'm perfectly happy to pay
into the pot for those who wish to use the state system, but I do
think that the state should at least recompense the equivalent amount
spent in the state system to educate a child to those wishing to
choose an alternative.

Just because you choose to not take up the offer of free state
education does not mean that the costs of state provision can be
totally ignored or just "transferred". A state provided
classroom/teacher lying idle or half full because a number of
similarly misguided parents sent their little Jane's and Johnny's to a
private school still carries costs. In the extreme this could lead to
closure of the state school and bussing of pupils considerable
distances to alternatives. Closure of a school can have a huge impact
on life in a small village (and elsewhere)

Healthcare is even worse. The same bad principles apply, the state
service is a mess and should have been shut down years ago. All of
the above taxes apply, plus additional ones if an employer provides
health insurance as a benefit.

If you are stupid or greedy or selfish enough to consider private
healthcare then your choice must be for everything and that includes
accident and emergency services. No piggy backing AT ALL on the state
system. If you sustain an injury and there is evidence that you are
in a private healthcare scheme then there should be measures put in
place so you have to wait until the private ambulance turns up. If
you die in the meantime then tough, you made an "informed choice" and
the brochure looked good.

A private room with Sky TV, gourmet food and a nymphomaniac nurse?
............ or proper state healthcare for all with the best
facilities and best treatment regardless of the ability of the
individual to pay?

Private education stinks and so does private healthcare. The sooner
they were *totally* eliminated from British society the better.


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