Shocked at the chemists!!!

[AHPP]

47 minutes ago, josharb87 said:

are “van-lifers” part of society though?! 

 

for some kids the school dinner is the only decent meal they’ll get, there’s much more to school than education.

 

Alex, Eggs, I’m being a bit presumptuous, but neither of you have kids? 
 

 

“over here” spend about £100 a year in dentists, prescriptions, chiropractors, doctors etc and the rest is free. 
 

(school dinners is obviously free too 😉)

We’re all part of society. Society is not the same thing as government though. People use the words, and in turn the idea, interchangeably. 
 

I’ve not got any kids. I’m aware it changes people and makes them quicker to reach for pragmatism. A hungry child obviously needs feeding and to an extent that can’t wait. But there’s pragmatism and then there’s stepping back and considering if something’s actually a good idea. Getting kids hooked on the almighty state is a dangerous path. Parents, if they stop and think, wouldn’t want their children growing up in a world being wrecked by state paternalism. The right man to father a child is his father. 
 

And stuff isn’t free. You’ve either paid for it in taxes or in harm to your future wealth. Or someone else has been forced to pay for it. Neither are free. 

[Steven P]

£52,000 on drugs!!

 

So that's got your attention... but it is the system we have, free at the point of use, the premise of the national health service, as a society we club together to help each other out in their times of need.

 

If £1k a month in drugs - free at the point of use - is too much then where do you stop? Very soon you'll be suggesting that the NHS becomes a pay-to-go service. If you can afford it you get treated, if not, well, you can just die.

[AHPP]

1 hour ago, difflock said:

But, all school children from all backgrounds, should be provided with a hot dinner when attending school. Those who work and pay their taxes are funding the meals anyway, and economies of scale should apply if all were provided for

Economies of scale should work but don’t in exactly the same way they don’t work for the nine quid NHS paracetamol. The contractors get the government to sign contracts that ensure they always win at the expense of the government (and in turn the taxvictim) always losing. 
 

This is why I very actively discriminate against businesses who work for state agencies. I’m pissing into a force 9 gale but you have to have standards for yourself. 

Edited December 10, 2023 by AHPP

[Squaredy]

 

2 hours ago, difflock said:

all school children from all backgrounds, should be provided with a hot dinner when attending school

Even if this means the school is two teachers short or has to teach in crumbling buildings? 

 

If budgets were unlimited I might agree, but of course the sad fact is that most schools are struggling to make ends meet, and every £ spent on giving meals to a child who does not come from a poor family is a £ less to spend on teachers, assistants, repairs.

 

The primary school my two boys went to has around 350 pupils and currently about 63 get free school meals.  When the Welsh scheme kicks in next year and they all get free school meals this will increase their yearly costs by £124,000.

[nepia]

16 minutes ago, Steven P said:

£52,000 on drugs!!

 

So that's got your attention... but it is the system we have, free at the point of use, the premise of the national health service, as a society we club together to help each other out in their times of need.

 

If £1k a month in drugs - free at the point of use - is too much then where do you stop? Very soon you'll be suggesting that the NHS becomes a pay-to-go service. If you can afford it you get treated, if not, well, you can just die.

USA - the most advanced society on Earth?!

[pleasant]

3 minutes ago, nepia said:

USA - the most advanced society on Earth?!

I only hear americans stating that

[openspaceman]

1 hour ago, Steven P said:

If you can afford it you get treated, if not, well, you can just die.

Which is the way things are trending

[Steven P]

1 hour ago, Squaredy said:

 

Even if this means the school is two teachers short or has to teach in crumbling buildings? 

 

If budgets were unlimited I might agree, but of course the sad fact is that most schools are struggling to make ends meet, and every £ spent on giving meals to a child who does not come from a poor family is a £ less to spend on teachers, assistants, repairs.

 

The primary school my two boys went to has around 350 pupils and currently about 63 get free school meals.  When the Welsh scheme kicks in next year and they all get free school meals this will increase their yearly costs by £124,000.

 

 

Yup, if they got an increase in budget to cover the meals then all is good.

 

My thoughts on this is that you know 63 get free school meals, probably could identify which ones too, don't think we should be able to do this. At secondary school the 'free' meals got tokens, we paid in cash and knew who was 'poor' - I think this is an added pressure to kids that can be avoided by keeping payment or not discrete from the children.

 

If the catering staff are there and paid for regardless, the kitchen is there and paid for anyway, then the cost of a meal is just the cost of the food? So the paid for meals can be 'at cost' - and all can get a school meal (parents pay, school pays, state pays, however)? Economies of scale should make a school lunch cheaper than you can make at home.

[eggsarascal]

3 hours ago, josharb87 said:

are “van-lifers” part of society though?! 

 

for some kids the school dinner is the only decent meal they’ll get, there’s much more to school than education.

 

Alex, Eggs, I’m being a bit presumptuous, but neither of you have kids? 
 

 

“over here” spend about £100 a year in dentists, prescriptions, chiropractors, doctors etc and the rest is free. 
 

(school dinners is obviously free too 😉)

I have a child, man now.

[AHPP]

1 hour ago, Steven P said:

Economies of scale should make a school lunch cheaper than you can make at home.

 

See my reply to difflock on economies of scale themselves. Also consider this on the cost of doing something privately vs the cost of government "doing" it. The government way will always be more expensive. The labour, fuel, materials etc all costs the same on both sides of the equation but when government is doing it, you're paying extra for the extra layer of bureaucracy, politicians, civil servants etc. A government administered service is always more expensive, whether you can see the cost or not. 

 

Edited to add:

The reality is actually much worse when you add in corruption, incompetence, lack of accountability, lack of competition etc. Hence £9 paracetamol, £42 lightbulbs on army bases etc.

Edited December 10, 2023 by AHPP