The message
from "PaulK" contains these words:

Second, so far off topic that I don my asbestos suit as I type: Your point
on differentials between regions is well made and just serves to highlight
the ridiculous policy of National Salary Scales for (eg) public servants
like Teachers and Nurses. (Pray allow the cross border issue for sake of
argument?). A head teacher on Arran on £32k is very well paid, a Head
teacher at a local primary here in Wimbledon on £32k = London weighting of
3k is poorly paid!

That's too simplistic. Many costs of living north of the border are
considerably higher than in Wimbledon because of climate differences,
travel distances, and the higher cost of fuel and transport affecting
all goods. In the densely populated SE, economies of profit margin are
possible which Scots never experience. Visitors to mainland Scotland are
often shocked by our higher supermarket prices, public transport costs,
and petrol prices. On Arran costs are even higher for anything imported
by ferry, (and we don't have cheap easy access to duty-free shopping
trips, either). The high proportion of (mostly empty)second homes
inflates the cost of housing here.

Janet.