I am pleased to support Ashley Husband Powton’s campaign to have charitable status removed from private schools. The issue seems to me to be a clear one. The chief benefit of charitable status is that these businesses do not have to pay tax. What in effect this means is that the private education of the children of wealthy individuals is subsidised by taxpayers. Stated another way, parents who cannot afford to pay for private education for their children nevertheless contribute towards the costs of education of the wealthier parents who can afford private education. This is clearly unfair. Such a situation could only be justified if there was compelling evidence of a clear and significant benefit to society as a whole in perpetuating this system. If anything the evidence seems to point in the opposite direction. In considering this matter, the numbers of bursaries, or the amounts of taxation involved, or the educational benefits or dis-benefits, do not seem to me to be the primary arguments. There is a self-evident principle of natural justice and fairness at the heart of the issue. If natural justice and fairness are to be guiding principles of our society then it follows that charitable status of such schools should be removed. scottish.parliament.uk/GettingInvolved/Petitions/charitablestatus
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 13:44:16 +0000
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