---

Finance Bill

I am very grateful. I was particularly keen to intervene because the point that the hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr. Hammond) has just made is entirely legitimate, and applies equally to amendment No. 6. If the assurances that the Minister is giving Labour Back Benchers are to be taken on face value—there is no reason to assume that they should not—she has no reason to oppose new clause 4, tabled by the Conservatives, or amendment No. 6, tabled by the Liberal Democrats. The only reason for her to oppose them would be if, for some reason, there were good reason to believe that her offers should not be taken at face value.