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Health and Social Care Bill

moved Amendment No. 7: 7: Schedule 1, page 111, line 13, at beginning insert ““Subject to sub-paragraphs (1A) and (1B),”” The noble Lord said: I need not detain the Committee long on this amendment because from the moment the issue of pay was raised with Ministers, it was clear that they were already on the case. Indeed, a strong rumour, on which I could not comment, says that they have their man—or woman—for the job. They certainly would not have done that if they had not persuaded themselves that something had to be done on the pay front. As I say, I expect that the Minister will be forthcoming and I shall not detain the Committee long. The pay issue matters not just because of the pounds, shillings and pence in someone's pocket, which they may or may not need, but because it is a symbol of the importance of the job and the amount of responsibility that goes with the job. Thank God, I will not have to do it. I think it would have been seriously misunderstood in the sector if a good fight had not been put up for decent pay to go with the job. I do not believe that I need to say any more until the Committee has had a chance to hear the Minister.