The letter about university fees is silly (Scots losing out on uni places, Letters, August 21). Scotland has reciprocal arrangements with nations across Europe providing university places on that basis. There is of course no “free” university tuition. It is either paid for directly by those enjoying it or by the taxpayer on their behalf. Alone in Europe the educational authority in the rest of the UK is charging students huge fees for tuition. In Scotland the taxpayer in effect pays these fees for our students. Is Mr Marshall suggesting that the Scottish taxpayer should see a significant percentage of the stretched Scottish education budget spent subsidising students from down south? Do Scottish students get free tuition in English universities? Should Scottish students see their valuable university places going to subsidise students from elsewhere while they have no reciprocal arrangement?
This problem is entirely the making of the education authorities in the rest of the UK and their ridiculous tuition fees. The only sensible solution in this circumstance would be for the educational authority in the rest of the UK to pay the appropriate fee for their students in places in Scotland to the Scottish Government.
Dave McEwan Hill
Sandbank
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