THE Barnett Formula is a littlepublicised device the use of which leads to the distribution of nationally-collected UK taxes throughout the country according to perceived need.

Application of the formula ensures that Scotland receives 20 per cent more funding per head of population than does England, and enables the parliament of that fortunate and heavily-subsidised country to provide its citizens with free residential care for the elderly, free university education for its residents, and spitefully, for residents of the EU too, but not for those living elsewhere in Britain, free NHS prescriptions, and even free parking at hospitals, plus a myriad of other pleasant little perks.

Despite a promise to cap residential care at £75,000, the Government now admits that the true costs could be double that, and residents in care could still be required to sell their homes to fund their stay, while a health spokesman has declared that individual items on a prescription should be charged at £10, and a university vicechancellor has indicated that university fees must rise beyond the present £9,000 a year.

This all applies to England alone, for of all the UK, the English alone pay the full charges for everything mentioned, while the Scots are charged nothing at all.

The originator of the Barnett Formula, Joel Barnett, has pointed out that his formula is outdated and grossly unfair, especially to the English, yet politicians, following their own undisclosed agenda absolutely refuse to alter anything at all and continue to apply it.

The time when the Barnett Formula should have been changed or abandoned altogether in favour of a more realistic and fair distribution of money throughout the UK has long passed.

And yet it still continues to be applied in its old, deeply-flawed format, with no apparent hope of any change in the foreseeable future.

Bobby Meynell, Stockton.