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Health Bill

My Lords, I am grateful for the noble Lord’s recognition of the powerful concessions that we made on Clause 4. I can also tell him that we wish to proceed with all the other arrangements for a comprehensive ban, for which we are aiming to introduce changes by the summer of 2007. It may put a spring in the step of the noble Lord when he leaves the House if I say that it is not our intention to use any powers in Clause 4 as part of that process. We will wait and see how things go before taking any action under Clause 4, and would certainly consult fully if we did so but on a totally different timescale. I remind the noble Lord that any regulations made under Clause 4 would be subject to the affirmative procedure. I hope that gives him some assurance that we do not have up our sleeves a Clause 4 plan which we are trying to implement by summer 2007. On Question, amendment agreed to.