From yesterday’s Independent article Westminster has no answer to the Alex Salmond effect.

See what can be done when a country has a parliament that works in the interests of its own people – the additional per person, per year funding of the Barnett formula must help though eh?

Scotland vs England: subsidies and benefits

Old people

Scotland: Free personal care for all residents of nursing homes.

England: Proposal that anyone with assets worth £35,000 should pay all the costs of their care.

University tuition fees

Scotland: Free – to Scottish students. Holyrood abolished £1,000-per-year tuition fees.

England: Students pay tuition and top-up fees of up to £9,000 a year – and English students at Scottish universities are charged £1,800 for tuition.

Education maintenance allowances

Scotland: Up to £30 a week

England: £0

Prescription charges

Scotland: Prescription drugs free for the chronically ill from next April. Expected to be free for everyone within four years.

England: £6.85 per item (This is the Indies mistake – prescription prices are £7.40 per item in England and free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)

Health checks

Scotland: Free dental checks and free eye tests for all.

England: Standard charge of £17 for dental check-ups; eye tests cost £18.85.

Transport

Scotland Over-60s travel free on buses; 16- to 18-year-olds get a third off.

England: Off-peak journeys free for over-60s and schoolchildren.

Heating for elderly

Scotland: Central heating installed for all pensioners;

England: Grants available for those on pension credits.

School dinners

Scotland: Free in the first three years of primary school.

England: Poorer children qualify for free meals – but this applies to only 16 per cent of pupils.

It might be worth sending this list to your local MP – ask them what they think is in the “Union” for English people. Let us know if you get a reply.