Who Knows Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 (edited) The pension issue relates to private sector sector schemes that cover more than one country which are not balanced because the expected commitments of the fund are greater than the value of the fund which is not good for these pension scheme members irrespective of the 18 September Referendum. The shortfall are due to a number of issues such as Gordon Brown raid as Chancellor on private sector pensions which in 2006 was estimated to have cost funds £100 billion according to independent research. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1531448/Browns-raid-on-pensions-costs-Britain-100-billion.html Poor regulation and control over companies is another reason these funds are in deficit. However the EU was reviewing the cross border pension issue and may in future change it's mind. http://www.towerswatson.com/en/Press/2014/03/Key-barriers-to-EU-wide-pension-provision-to-come-down However current changes to pension regulation is reducing people's pension pots and leading to GPs retiring from the health service as it not economical for them to continue working http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/pensions/10694855/Race-to-save-pensions-from-tax-raid.htmlhttp://www.barchester.com/news/gps-retiring-early-due-higher-workloads-and-pension-changes Further as you may be aware the UK government is currently expanding the role out of a scheme to ensure everyone is auto enrolled in to a works place pension. Initially one of the benefits of being in such a scheme was reduction to both the employer and employee was reduced National Insurance contributions. However this benefit will stop soon. According to the Government's own figure in 2016-17 this tax change from removing the benefit will generate £11 billion from employers and employees. http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmselect/cmtreasy/1063/106307.htm Probably somewhere between £2 to 4 million of this total coming from Shetland. The value of the UK government unfunded pension liabilities are currently over £5 trillion which dwarfs the official national deficit as calculated by Government debt. http://www.debtbombshell.com http://www.if.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Can-the-UK-Afford-to-Pay-Pensions.pdf The finances of the UK are not sound and future tax are thought to be inevitable. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/budget/9946138/Budget-2013-tax-rises-likely-after-2015-warns-IFS.html Edited April 7, 2014 by Who Knows Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 "The finances of the UK are not sound and future tax are thought to be inevitable." Somebody, somewhere must be getting very rich(?) because the whole world is in a financial mess and, under Salmond's proposals, Scotland's would not be any better with future tax increases being a 'must'. Sorry but, I do not want to pay for his (or anyone else's) 'vision' of the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian.smith Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 "The finances of the UK are not sound and future tax are thought to be inevitable." Somebody, somewhere must be getting very rich(?) because the whole world is in a financial mess and, under Salmond's proposals, Scotland's would not be any better with future tax increases being a 'must'. Sorry but, I do not want to pay for his (or anyone else's) 'vision' of the future.By your own reasoning doesn't matter what we do our tax bills will go up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 By your own reasoning doesn't matter what we do our tax bills will go up Yep, we're screwed whichever way things go.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fionajohn Posted April 8, 2014 Report Share Posted April 8, 2014 can anyone produce a document relating to the pawning of Shetland to Scotland and who were the signatory to the aforementioned document the proof of the agreement may have a clue as to the length of time the agreement would be in force or a redemption clause contained therein old documents can be found with research if one knows how and where to look Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 Slightly off-topic but, loosely related http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26949794 Looks like Catalonia is, once again, trying to put all it's Basques into 1 Exit.... Scorrie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuckleJoannie Posted April 9, 2014 Report Share Posted April 9, 2014 can anyone produce a document relating to the pawning of Shetland to Scotland and who were the signatory to the aforementioned document the proof of the agreement may have a clue as to the length of time the agreement would be in force or a redemption clause contained therein old documents can be found with research if one knows how and where to look The Shetland antiqaurian Gilbert Goudie produced this article on the pawning http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archiveDS/archiveDownload?t=arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_021/21_236_251.pdf Near the end of the article is this quote from 1667 at the Treaty Of Breda. " That the suspension of the restitution of the foresaid islands should be without prejudice to the most serene and mighty King of Denmark and Norway, whose claims to recover them should not suffer thereby, but should continue entire, unenfringed and open, until a more fitting opportunity should arise." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Who Knows Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 National Scottish Sunday say Yes to Scottish Independence and is first paper to openly declare its opinion to the readership. Front page of Sunday Herald can be seen in link below. https://mobile.twitter.com/newsundayherald/status/462690750019694592/photo/1 The rest still officially neutral but content shows favouritism for one side is honesty in editorial policy welcome even if you do not agree with the view? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wheelsup Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 When. ..Scotland gets independence, if We decide to continue unilaterally using sterling, then it would be obvious that the government might wish to keep currency inside the country. Would this lead to restrictions on how much cash you could take over the border? I guess your credit card would still be valid if its from an English bank?Should we be starting to stockpile notes now, especially Bank of England notes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian.smith Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 When. ..Scotland gets independence, if We decide to continue unilaterally using sterling, then it would be obvious that the government might wish to keep currency inside the country. Would this lead to restrictions on how much cash you could take over the border? I guess your credit card would still be valid if its from an English bank?Should we be starting to stockpile notes now, especially Bank of England notes? If there is to be a problem I would be looking at a different currency if and only if there is a yes vote I think the rest of the UK might find their self in a bit of a mess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuckleJoannie Posted June 3, 2014 Report Share Posted June 3, 2014 The BBC has being doing some reports on how a Scotland/England border might work. They've been to the UK's only land border, between Northern and Southern Ireland, to see how things work there. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-27657388 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian.smith Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 The BBC has being doing some reports on how a Scotland/England border might work. They've been to the UK's only land border, between Northern and Southern Ireland, to see how things work there. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-27657388I have experianced that Joannie I lived with friends just outside Letterkenny one worked in Derry one worked in Donegal they had no problems they shopped in Tesco in Derry paid in Euro's you were asked at the checkout what currency you wanted to use didn't seem to be a problem for them other than the tax return for the Derry worker declaring his income as tax paid in the UK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuckleJoannie Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Some of the anti-independence campaigners give the impression that the border will need to be a Berlin Wall type construction with machine gun towers to deter people crossing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian.smith Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 Some of the anti-independence campaigners give the impression that the border will need to be a Berlin Wall type construction with machine gun towers to deter people crossing it.Thats no a bad idea but whats really funny and something thats not been thought of is all these boys that come up and work offshore and the gas plant etc would have to pay scottish tax so it won't just be the people living here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Who Knows Posted August 3, 2014 Report Share Posted August 3, 2014 The UK energy market is an issue of particular concern here in Shetland and has been full of claims and counter claims and myths from both sides. The link below is to an independent assessment in the ecologist of the state of play. http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2434503/government_hostility_to_renewables_and_scottish_independence_may_put_the_lights_out.html In short the UK has serious energy supply situation on the horizon as does Germany, France, Ireland and Belgium so Scotland will still be needed to keep the lights on. What it means for energy generation on island though is a completely different argument on how to best generate renewable energy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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