Off Topic Political Debate

It will not happen although I would like to see more private involvement in the NHS, a bit like socialist France's system. Maybe it is time to also charge for GP appointments.

 

The main and irreversible principal of the NHS was and must remain free at source to everybody. It becomes much more manageable again (financially) when we are able to budget properly without a porous border which can result in those who have never contributed or been accounted for in planning (health migrants) abusing the system. It needs to be made more efficient but it also needs the population to do its part and take some responsibility for individual health. I'm as guilty if not more so than many not looking after diet and exercise, not paying attention to stress etc. If we make people more responsible and happier the benefits will feed through to a less stressed NHS.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...r-to-get-special-deal-from-hmrc-says-watchdog

 

People do get different treatment for sure. My wife had to get papers signed at the town hall, to say that she was still her and alive. It stipulated that unless she returned the completed forms by a date her pension payments would be stopped. Seeing as the papers sat in at out tray at the DWP for three weeks before despatch, it cuts down on the time for her to get the required signature and stamps. As a side note the letter to her was sent from Holland. Has the Royal Mail become too expensive to use?

 

It is appalling. However the super rich have super accountants and advisors. I wish we could get at them properly. Apart from us looking on in horror and moaning though what practical things can be done. It is no good just complaining unless we have something to suggest.

 

The words 'appear to' have no place in that headline...

 

You can stop it by creating laws against it. Unfortunately consecutive governments would rather pander to them than actually do something about it. Must be a weird coincidence... (and what you would call a 'conspiracy theory')

 

I'm not sure that Government Departments use it anymore. From memory, all the unwanted guff I receive from them arrives via something called Whistl.

 

The tax take on the better off has been surprisingly and considerably increased under the recent Tory leadership. What has yet to be seriously challenged is the ability for multi nationals to move liability between nations. I am all for very competitive corporation tax rates BUT income earned in say, the UK, should be liable for tax in the UK.
We have had this discussion before, I remember saying before that I have never come across any 'creative accounting' in a mid sized company although we used one of the big four accountants.

 

I am not sure it is as easy as you suggest. Framing laws to target specific groups is not easy. In order for normal business practice to continue the rules have to apply to all and be straightforward. Can you suggest what laws against it you would create that can be implemented by HMRC. It is more complicated than just saying "tax excessive income or wealth"

 

When it comes to companies it would be possible to look at global revenue and profit and then to tax companies on the profit derived by taking the percentage of UK revenue as a percentage of worldwide revenue. This would mean companies like Amazon and Starbucks cannot get away with transferring profit by intra-company charges across borders. If they earn revenue in the UK they pay the right percentage of profits in the UK.

 

UKIP leader Paul Nuttall has plunged his party into controversy by claiming waterboarding would be "a price worth paying". Trump tonight took a step back from the practice. Which of them is right?

 

I'd say Trump's step back was verbal only - I get the strong impression that he wouldn't think twice about lying to the nation.

I don't know too much about Nutall - other than the fact that he's aptly named imo...

 

Agree.

 

It is quite funny how when we have had discussed on here people paying their taxes this report from the National Audit Office comes out.

http://www.bbc.com/news/business-38555938

 

"Our 13 new regional centres are an essential part of our work to modernise HMRC and provide an even better service for our customers," an HMRC spokesperson said.

Surely that was said tongue-in-cheek?

 

We have that in Jersey already - the surgery I attend it's £41 per appointment and if you order a repeat prescription, it's a charge of £2 per month but then there is no payment for the medication at the pharmacy.

 

Is that the normal state GP or or an alternative private choice, seems a bit dear?

I think there is a business in Hemel supplying GP services but I think it is really expensive.

 

It's not private, but I think that individual surgeries can set their own charges within certain limits as those who are on Social Security will have their appointments paid for by them. You also have to pay more if you have a blood test within the appointment. The surgery I go to is one of the larger on the island with 10 GPs plus there is also a physiotherapist and a couple of other medical people that work from there a couple of days a week.

 

I used to really appreciate the ease, efficiency and abundance of private companies in France which were intertwined within the French health system. Blood tests, x-rays etc were all available locally.

If anything like this was proposed for the UK there would be uproar, it is not currently possible to have a proper conversation about the NHS. It will always be a political football.