Opt Out Of The Teachers Pension Scheme: Fill & Download for Free

The popular answer amongst the Yes voters is that it was a combination of media bias (especially in the BBC) that prevented the true nature of the dream being conveyed, and the bullying/fear tactics of the No campaign duping the Scots. It is interesting the number of foreigners, both in Britain and outside, wishing for a Yes, as if it were a benign, romantic gesture.The first is a fiction. All sorts of people think the BBC is biased against all sorts of things, but such accusations rarely hold water. The second effectively models the Scots as a bunch of stupid cowards, easily duped and scared of every other thing. It's bizarre to hear Scottish nationalists argue that, but effectively that's what they are doing.The reasons are complex.The first is radical and never countenanced by anyone on the Yes side, or their romantic overseas cheerleaders: the Union is quite a good thing, and people quite like it. We grew up together, the peoples of this Island, and we feel for one another. We have far more in common than we do that separates us. We all watch the same TV, recall similar childhoods, we established and use the NHS (a national religion), we shared each other's triumphs at London 2012 with mutual pride, and so on.Secondly, there was a problem in the heart of the Yes proposition, and that was it was based on a) optimism as a policy and b) a belief that many aspects of society are more-or-less infinitely malleable. So Yes voters and campaigners kept modelling Norway as the destination for Scotland, ignoring the fact that the small country that Scotland would most resemble would be Ireland. Which is to say very much like Britain/England/Scotland.Nationalism, wherever you find it, always makes some ludicrous assumptions. If you ask a nationalist, 'How should we improve health outcomes for middle-aged men?', they say, 'Change the constitution.' If you ask them, 'How can we improve the rehabilitation rates of our prisons?', they will answer (in part at least), 'By redrawing the borders.' And if you enquire how best we might change literacy amongst poor children, they will answer 'Change the flag'. Nationalism, then, is always something of a policy joke - not least because Scotland has been running its own education and health systems for some time, spending much more money on them than England, and without much variation in outputs.Ultimately, the reasons why certain types of economy prevail in certain types of place (in the democratic West) are all to do with social structures and cultural assumptions, not constitutional arrangements.Thirdly, the Nationalists proposed a ludicrous prospectus whereby you could dissolve a state that had been in situ for 300 years without any negative consequences at all, and with some ludicrous non-consequences. For example, they wanted to leave the UK, but keep its currency; leave the UK, but keep its broadcasting system; leave the UK but keep its head of state; leave the UK but use UK embassies for diplomacy; leave the UK but have an integrated armed forces; leave the UK but have an integrated immigration system; leave the UK, but stay a member of the European Union, when it is the UK that is a member of the EU, not Scotland. I am a member of the Mercedes Benz Classic Car Club. The Mercedes Benz Classic Car Club is a member of the Federation of British Historic Vehicle Clubs. I understand that if I leave the MB Club, I leave the FBHVC. So there were a set of idiotic or fantastical inconsistencies in the Yes campaign. For example, currently, Scotland (just like all the other parts of the UK) has a say over the currency. But if Scotland kept the £sterling, it would be a foreign currency. They would have had as much control over the £ as Puerto Rico has over the US$. So independence would mean surrendering control to a foreign country. The opposite of the goal.Fourthly, there would have been years of conflicts over things like the Teachers' Pension Scheme, the Postal Workers' Pension Scheme, military hardware, fishing rights, air traffic control, medical regulation, border control, and so on, that would have soaked up all our national energies for years.Fifthly, the Scots were promised 'maximum devolution' - they'll control more within the UK than they ever would out of it. So why bother?Sixthly, the UK is quite successful, so why destroy it?Seventhly, Scottish Nationalism in the last 10 years has always been much more about flicking the finger to London politicians and trying to get more money out of them than it ever has been about sincerely securing an independent sovereign state. And the field has been left to the nationalists to be 'the party of Scotland', when traditionally this was the Labour party. Why? Because if you're a clever, dedicated Labour politician, you could end up Prime Minister of Great Britain, not just the transport administrator of one province. So Labour in Scotland opted out of the game, really, for the past ten years.Eigthly, devolution itself has been a problem. Many Scots have realised that whether you're screwed over by politicians in Edinburgh or London, it doesn't much matter.So. Some reasons to mull over, which don't rely on conspiracy theories or the assumption that the Scottish people are easily duped and can't work out what's what.

Well, I suppose leaving the EU would not be a bad idea at all, as long as we can retain the same privileges as before. After all, one might suggest it would be really stupid to vote for something that reduces our quality of life, limits our freedoms, inconvenience our lives, complicates our trade and improverish us. Nobody sensible would cut off his nose to spite his face, right?So as long as we can retain our hard-won privileges which entitled us to call ourselves modern people living in a modern world, I have no problem with leaving the EU.Following are our hard-won privileges which we should not throw away lightly unless the government can replace them with something at least comparable:Membership of the world’s largest trading bloc with over 500 million consumers, representing 23% of global GDPThe UK has greater global influence as a member of the EUThe EU provides a counterweight to the global power of the US, Russia and ChinaWith Trump in the White House the UK’s strongest natural allies are France, Germany and our other West European neighboursTariff-free trade within the EUThe abolition of non-tariff barriers (quotas, subsidies, administrative rules etc.) among membersParticipation in free trade agreements with Japan and Canada as an EU memberThe EU accounts for 44% of all UK exports of goods and servicesThe EU accounts for 53% of all UK imports of goods and servicesCheaper food and alcohol imports from continental EuropeAs a member of the EU the UK maintains a say in the shaping of the rules governing its trade with its European partners3.1 million jobs in the UK are directly linked to exports to the EUFree movement of labour has helped UK firms plug skills gaps (translators, doctors, plumbers)Free movement of labour has helped address shortages of unskilled workers (fruit picking, catering)The Single Market has brought the best continental footballers to the Premier LeagueUntil the Brexit vote, the EU accounts for 47% of the UK’s stock of inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), worth over $1.2 trillionAccess to the EU Single Market has helped attract investment into the UK from outside the EUNo paperwork or customs for UK exports throughout the single marketPrice transparency and removal of commissions on currency transactions across the EurozoneFDI into the UK has effectively doubled since the creation of the EU Single MarketThe UK’s net contribution to the EU budget is around €7.3bn, or 0.4% of GDP (less than an eighth of the UK’s defence spending)No time consuming border checks for travellers (apart from in the UK)The City of London, as a global financial hub, has acted as a bridge between foreign business and the EUBritish banks and insurance companies have been able to operate freely across the EUCornwall receives up to £750 million per year from the EU Social Fund (ESF)Structural funding for areas of the UK hit by industrial decline (South Wales, Yorkshire)Support for rural areas under the European Agricultural Fund for Regional Development (EAFRD)EU funding for infrastructure projects in the UK including £122 million for the “Midlands engine” projectFinancial support from the EU for over 3,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the UKEU funding for the British film industryEU funding for British theatre, music and danceEU funding for British sport, including football apprenticeships, tennis and rugby leagueGlasgow (1990) and Liverpool (2008) benefitted from being European capitals of culture, stimulating their local economiesEU competition laws protect consumers by combatting monopolistic business practicesStrict controls on the operations of Multinational Corporations (MNCs) in the EUHuman Rights protected under the EU Charter of Fundamental RightsThe death penalty can never be reintroduced as it is incompatible with EU membershipMinority languages such as Welsh and Irish are recognized and protected under EU lawThe right to reside in any EU member stateThe freedom to work in 28 countries without visa and immigration restrictionsThe mutual recognition of professional qualifications has facilitated the free movement of engineers, teachers and doctors across the EUThe mutual recognition of educational diplomasThe Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) has standardized assessment of language proficiency across the EUThe freedom to study in 28 countries (many EU universities teach courses in English and charge lower fees than in the UK)The Erasmus programme of university exchanges (benefitting 16000 UK students a year)The freedom to set up a business in 28 countriesThe ability to retire in any member statePension transferabilityThe right to vote in local and European Parliamentary elections if resident in any member stateEU laws making it easier for British people to buy property on the continentThe right to receive emergency healthcare in any member state (EHIC card)Consular protection from any EU embassy outside the EUThe EU has played a leading role in combatting global warming (Paris 2015 climate change conference)Common EU greenhouse gas emissions targets (19% reduction from 1990 to 2015)Improvements in air quality (significant reductions in sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) as a result of EU legislationReductions in sewage emissionsImprovements in the quality of beaches and bathing waterEU standards on the quality of drinking waterRestrictions on landfill dumpingEU targets for recyclingCommon EU regulations on the transportation and disposal of toxic wasteThe implementation of EU policies to reduce noise pollution in urban areasEU policies have stimulated offshore wind farmsStrict safety standards for cars, buses and trucksProtection of endangered species and habitats (EU Natura 2000 network)Strict ban on animal testing in the cosmetics industryMembership of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) which monitors the quality and safety of medicines (until recently located in London)13% of EU budget earmarked for scientific research and innovationThe UK receives £730 million a year in EU funding for researchEU funding for UK universitiesCooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy as a member of EuratomMinimum paid annual leave and time off work (Working Time Directive)Equal pay between men and women enshrined in European law since 1957The right to work no more than 48 hours a week without paid overtimeMinimum guaranteed maternity leave of 14 weeks for pregnant womenRights to a minimum 18 weeks of parental leave after child birthEU anti-discrimination laws governing age, religion and sexual orientationEU rules governing health and safety at workThe rights to collective bargaining and trade union membership are enshrined in EU employment lawThe UK enjoys an opt out from the single currency and maintains full control of its borders as a non-member of the Schengen areaSince 1985 the UK has received a budget rebate equivalent to 66% of its net contribution to the EU budgetEU cross-country coordination offers greater protection from terrorists, pedophiles, people traffickers and cyber-crimeThe European common arrest warrantEurope-wide patent and copyright protectionEU consumer protection laws concerning transparency and product guarantees of quality and safetyImproved food labelingA ban on growth hormones and other harmful food additivesCheaper air travel due to EU competition lawsCommon EU air passenger rightsDeregulation of the European energy market has increased consumer choice and lowered pricesMutual recognition of the common European driving licenseThe introduction of the European pet passportThe abolition of mobile telephone roaming chargesThe EU acts as a guarantor of the Irish Good Friday AgreementA frictionless Irish borderThe EU acts as a guarantor of the special status of GibraltarThe EU helped support and maintain democracy in Spain, Portugal and Greece from the 1970s and these countries have become major destinations for British touristsEU membership has helped facilitate intercultural dialogueDuty-free booze in any quantity you need for family useFree travel insurance for travel anywhere in the EUImportantly, the EU is large enough to be able to negotiate down and regulate the costs of medications. Therefore EU citizens avoid the incredible prices people pay for medications in countries such as the USABut instead of hearing about the plentiful benefits of leaving the EU, all you hear are Leavers whining like bitches: Why can't Brexiters get over winning?Here are other examples of cutting off our noses to spite our faces, which is something one should never do, unless one is pathologically mentally-impaired:What is the arithmetic of Brexit?Are Brexit supporters correct or wrong to assume there's no net benefit of paying into the EU?Hope this improves your understanding of facts, Bruce Barnes and thanks for the A2ACORRECTION: The answer originally contained an incorrect statement about 10 billion Euro of aid the EU had offered to the UK to help with the pandemic. Commission approves € 10.3 billion UK aid scheme. This is not true as I had misread the complicated rules of the TFEU (Temporary Framework) where it states the “Temporary Framework enables Member States to combine all support measures with each other”. It is also feasible that no member states combined with the UK to assist the UK with the aid requirement.

What is the basic difference between BJP and Congress parties?If it were possible, we Indians would like to get retired not at age of 60 years, but like to be kept employed for as many more years beyond 60 years as could be possible. For teachers in the universities, the retirement age is 60 years and teachers retire at the end of the month, in which they complete 60 years of age.I do not know, if it is still practiced, but in the eighties and nineties of the last century, the Universities in Punjab and Haryana, would re-employ the retired teachers at some consolidated salary, to write books, or some such thing and keep the retired teachers working for up to three more years. But this practice was not adopted at the Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla.In 1986, a colleague working in the University, came to be appointed the Vice-Chancellor of the University. He and I had joined the Regional Centre for Post-Graduate Studies of Punjab University, Shimla in the year 1969, within a month of each other. Of course he was Reader, Head of his Department and I had joined as a Lecturer. Having known each other for so many years, and also both coming from the same alma-mater, the Pujab University, we were friends with each other as well. So I had high hopes that he could be persuaded to also give an extended service span to teachers in analogy to the universities in the neighbor states.Once on a even walk, I broached the subject with him. He assured that he would try to implement it, but not that year as Professor 'A' is a useless person and would be retiring and the scheme could be implemented from next year. When the topic was raised next year, that time some other Professor B was useless and the scheme could be seen to once that person retires.I for one am not known for subtlety, or being overawed by rank of office. So I just gave him my mind. I told him, “ Professor Sahib, what you say that Professor A is useless or Professor B is bad, really means that Professor A and Professor B, are not bad or useless, but really inconvenient to you. But there will never be a moment in life, when one person or the other will not be inconvenient to you. But if your decesions benefit one friend, but two other person not on your friend list, then do not wait for the adversaries to fade away, do implement your decisions. Let your enemies also benefit along with your friends.”This in essence is the fundamental difference in the Congress and the BJP as political parties. The Congress has always practiced inclusivist policies. If any benefit is to be given to people, it will not try to exclude any group of people. The BJP on the other hand would not like any benefits to be passed on to a person not on their friend list.Our University had a provision of Contributory Provident Fund or Pension for its teachers. But teachers always opted for CPF rather Pension, because for promotion they needed to change the University. In 1993, Raja Veerbhadra Singh of the Congress was the Chief Minister of the Himachal Pradesh. The teachers' body could persuade him to allow the provision of Pension for teachers as well and allow the teachers to opt for either scheme. He very graciously agreed. All teachers were given a choice to choose either pension or the CPF by a certain date. All teachers opted out of CPF to Pension. This has allowed teachers to live a life of dignity. In arriving at his decision the Raja Sahib never considered as to how many Congress inclined and how many BJP inclined teachers would benefit. His decision benefitted all teachers whether Congressmen or BJPmen or even with left leanings or with no leanings to any political party.Congress follows inclusivist policies whereas the policies of BJP are exclusivist.Added later:At the Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, all teachers, whether they are teaching in its campus teaching department, or in its Centre for Distance Education, or its Evening College, retire on 30th June of the succeeding year. For example, by my date of birth and year of birth, I should have retired on 31st of July in 2001. But teachers are not retired after the start of the academic session but only on the completion of the academic session on 30th June the next year. The new academic session starts on 1st July every year. So, I retired on 30th June, 2002. To my knowledge, Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla, is the only University in the entire country where this practice is followed. It virtually gives all teacher upto 11 months of extended service.