McCrea calls for fairness, equity and common sense re University fees issue

Ulster Unionist Employment & Learning spokesperson, Basil McCrea, has called for fairness, equity and common sense following reports that UK students – including those from Northern Ireland – with Irish passports, will qualify for free university tuition in Scotland because they will be regarded as EU students.

The Lagan Valley MLA said:

“There is clearly an element of unfairness at work here. We support the right of people with EU passports to have the same treatment as any Scottish student.

However, is it fair that people from within the same United Kingdom as Scotland, whose taxes support these institutions, should have to pay more than both Scots and those from outside the UK?

It is equally unfair that Northern Ireland students with UK passports should have to pay more than Northern Ireland students with Irish passports. So much for equality! And, as we have highlighted before, it is also unfair that students from England and Wales should have to pay more to study in Northern Ireland.

The Ulster Unionist Party alone has fought against the inequality of the approach which treats UK citizens differently depending what part of the Kingdom they come from.

There is a damning silence from those parties who all too often lecture us about their concept of equality and rush to cite “Human Rights” at every slight, real or imaginary. As this instance proves, their commitment to equality flies out the window when inequality acts in their own selfish interests.

I cannot help but note the sheer stupidity in statute which states that we cannot discriminate against EU nationals from other member states but can discriminate against our own UK citizens.  

This is not a question of nationality, it is a question of fairness, equity and common sense.”

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