Uni of Edinburgh is free?

I don't actually know the answer to this, but if any English tax money goes toward paying Scottish higher education then I'd have to find the practice objectionable.

For EU (excluding English) and Scottish students, yes...

Only for EU citizens excluding English. I really think that it takes the **** to be honest.

But I think the point is that both the Scottish and the English government are free to choose independently.

I don't actually know the answer to this, but if any English tax money goes toward paying Scottish higher education then I'd have to find the practice objectionable.

Welsh and Northern Irish too, as far as I'm aware. It's not just the English and Scots than make up the UK.

By that post I can only assume that you have no idea how tax money is spent in Britain.

All tax money raised in Scotland apart from council tax goes to the UK Treasury's central pot. It is then dished out from there. Taxes are not separated as we are run as one country.

There's no Engllish government, though, which is the issue really.

True, thanks for the correction

You'd be right, I've never done practical economic research on any country, just theoretical and ideological. I honestly don't know if any English money goes toward Scottish higher education institutions. Does it? If so, it doesn't seem unreasonable to find the practice objectionable, as it does mean that money from English taxpayers would be being spent on something that has no returns for them. If it doesn't, then obviously it wouldn't be a problem.

There's no need for condescension when I made it perfectly clear that I'm ignorant on the subject in question, by the way.

Edit - Thank you, zav. Do you happen to know how money is distributed when it leaves the central treasury?

Incidentally, SillyFencer, I do happen to have practical knowledge of the UK's political system, and as a result of that, I must inform you that there is no English Parliament to turn to, only a UK Parliament, and as a result of the "West Lothian question" Scottish MPs would be eligible to vote on whether English students would get free tuition at English universities, whereas with education as a devolved issue, English MPs have no vote on whether Scottish students get free tuition at Scottish universities. That's hardly equality, is it?

There is no 'English money'. There is British money, out of which the Scottish Parliament is given a budget which they may do with as they please.

There is English money before it reaches the UK's coffers. It's what English taxpayers pay. If the terms of its distribution to the Scottish government allow for spending on things that are actively negatively discriminatory towards people in the rest of the UK who are still paying for them, then I don't see how it's unreasonable to take issue.

So really, what you are taking issue with is the fact that we have a government capable of making such decisions?

Well, I do take issue with discriminatory practised based on place of residence, but then I'm a borderline-anarchist and don't really believe in national borders so that's kind of a given. But yes, practically, what I rather disagree with here is the half-finished nature of devolution as it stands. I don't oppose a Scottish government having the right to dictate benefits for Scottish students as such, I just think that there ought to be an English equivalent capable doing the same for English students, and tighter controls on spending from the central treasury to ensure that everyone gets a fair share. I also think that EU students getting the benefits but British non-Scots not is utterly retarded.

I wish I was Scottish

Well I a British National Overseas (BNO) passport for being born in HK under British rule but Britain doesn't really acknowledge us as british. Not saying I am but it'd be nice if i can get discount off uni in the UK and live in the UK. I feel bad for those who only hold a BNO and luckily I have 3 different passports =D
So it doesnt really matter, I have to pay full fees but i was just wondering

What would Welsh students pay?

If you don't want to pay for university, go and campaign for it. As River says, it's not our fault our government and indeed our country has its priorities right.
Aside from that, it would be hideously unworkable in the current climate to make Scottish unis free for other UK students. Given the choice of going to Edinburgh for free or...say Exeter for several thousand pounds a year, where are people going to choose to apply? Completely overloading the Scottish higher education system and no doubt putting a hell of a lot of Scottish students out of university places. Or face introducing quotas on nationality, which would still have you people shouting about discrimination