Private practice

Barry Kirk

Alex Salmond definitely never used the facilities – except for the free food!

Ken Johnston

The more freebies and privileges that a politician receives, the more their feeling of selfaggrandisement grows and their ego swells. There are no doubt exceptions, but it pretty well applies across the board.

Charlie Jack

Workplace perks are taxable. Get HMRC on to them!

Tom Lamb

We all pay for gyms. They are lucky to have one on their doorstep. Give them free towels.

Kieran Panico At my last job we had a free gym and Zumba lessons. Aslo a running track and use of the local pool, subsidised canteen. Oh and free private medical care. Don’t see the problem here.

Mairi Mcnab Connell Parents whose children attend private schools are facing significant increases in fees, in part due to plans to end business rates relief for the sector. The average private school is expected to hike its fee by more than £500 for the next school year.

Yeah let’s close all the fee-paying schools and overload the state schools and education budget with 30,000 kids.

Tom

The parents would only spend the difference on Chelsea tractors and Barbour jackets anyway!

Gerry Donlon

Rather unfortunate policy driven by envy. Private schools mean more per head resource for state schools. The schools are not-for-profit organisations educating children – they should have charitable status. Community amateur sports clubs charge for their services but they are allowed to retain charitable status

Stewart Kirkwood

If the fees go up, these schools become more elitist.

Alasdair Gordon

Nobody’s saying they should shut, just that, as commercial enterprises, their customers should pay their way as in any other area of business.

Callum Macleod Perhaps if funding were to be invested in state schools instead of subsidiary support to private schools, declaring they are charities, there would be less overcrowding. My family and I all went to local schools and have all managed very well with the education we received. Hardly envy! More like, if you want private education, fair enough, pay for it.

Vikki Rennie

My heart bleeds.

Craig Mclaren The Assisted Places Scheme should be restored. Under the scheme, children who were eligible were provided with free or subsidised places to fee-paying schools. The Labour government of Tony Blair, upon its election in 1997, abolished it.

Nigel Davis