£12 billion folly

The old utopian idea of universal basic income, peddled 300 years ago by Thomas Paine, is to be trialled by Holyrood in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Ayrshire and Fife. It fits neatly into the nationalist predilection for universal benefits such as free university tuition, free personal care for the elderly and the scrapping of prescription charges.

In fact, a recent paper by Liz Hawkins, the housing and social justice director, estimates that a universal basic income would cost the public purse an additional £12.3 billion a year. Fortunately Holyrood has to hand its famous “money tree”, otherwise the scheme would necessitate a tax rate of at least 40 per cent on all earned income. (REV DR) JOHN CAMERON,

Howard Place, St Andrews