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National Insurance Contributions Bill

I am grateful to my hon. Friend, who raises a concern that many have. To be fair to the Government, their position is explicitly that the issue is part of the realignment process and that the upper earnings limit will not exceed the point at which people start paying higher rate income tax. The Financial Secretary gave that commitment in Committee, and I do not doubt her integrity. However, we all move on at various times. In the words of Robin Day, we are all ““here today, gone tomorrow”” politicians to some extent, although I am sure that the Financial Secretary would move on only to even greater things. We find ourselves in the position of not having the legislative protection in the system. We are relying on a commitment—and that is unsatisfactory, given that previously we have had real protection in the system.