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National Insurance Contributions Bill

In a throwaway line in his Budget, the then Chancellor of the Exchequer put a tax of some £1.5 billion on middle-income families; he simply referred to a change in the upper earnings limit. Does my hon. Friend agree that if the safeguard is removed, that can only lead to the conclusion that the Government are preparing, and intending one day, to use the changes in respect of the removal of the safeguard? Perhaps they will come back with a proposal under the negative procedure, which does not require any debate on the Floor of the House. Having been bitten once, we should fear being bitten again.