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Pensions Bill

I raise this as a technical issue. It needs to be clear beyond peradventure, because otherwise it would change market practice and cause a lot of problems. I am grateful for the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Oakeshott, who referred to the sort of problems that may occur. I am not convinced by the argument that, because one is an office-holder, one is not also under contract as an employee. My understanding is that quite the reverse is the case, and the provisions will not necessarily deal with all the issues that I have raised around the public sector. The department needs to take this away and look at it further. I am very happy to engage in any discussions with the Minister’s officials if they would like to know what a modern non-executive’s contract actually looks like. This was a probing amendment, but this is an important issue that we need to resolve before Report. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. Clause 1 agreed to. Clause 2 [Continuity of scheme membership]: