Originally Posted by
sharpend
I have just read that the Scottish government are planning to increase income tax yet again, already higher than in the rest of the UK. This applies to all UK service personnel based north of the border. Though personnel are recompensed by the UK MOD for this increase in deductions from individuals pay, it is a significant amount of the defence budget at a time when many are calling for an increase in defence expenditure. Personally, I fail to understand how the Scottish government are allowed to get away with this; it does not happen to personnel serving in other countries.
I doubt very much that it is a significant part of the defence budget, but they are not “getting away” with anything. Devolution is to blame, but if the Scottish government had the gumption, they would be reducing the rate of income tax to attract more taxpayers to Scotland rather than continuing to milk the captive ( currently) audience.