---

Health Bill [HL]

My Lords, I thank the Minister for her reply. She is in a difficult position in arguing the case for a 1.5 per cent cap for a certain category of trust but not for anyone else, but she made a noble effort to do so. However, I take issue with the technical matter she raised. I am assured that a small technical point of that kind can be rectified perfectly well. As the Minister knows, I strongly agree with her that the review is important and I have already welcomed it. I hope that it will lead, in some years’ time, to a fully worked through reform of the private patient cap. In the mean time, I thank noble Lords for their contributions to the debate, in particular the noble Lord, Lord Walton, and the noble Baroness Cumberlege, and of course I thank the noble Earl, Lord Howe, for his eloquent words. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Warner, for his straight talking, and the noble Baroness, Lady Barker, for her reasoned arguments. I thank the noble Baroness in particular because I know that this is a tricky issue for her, so her words were warmly received.