Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Funds Payments) Order 2006

I graciously accept, in the generous spirit in which I am sure it was intended, the somewhat double-edged compliment from the noble Lord about our attendance and assiduity in this Committee. I think I am going to surprise him; I am going to be controversial. I will ask, particularly on point 2.3 of the explanatory memorandum, how much longer we are going to go on with this charade of pretending that there is such a thing as the National Insurance Fund. It states that the order,"““allows for a payment of a Treasury Grant not exceeding 2 per cent of estimated benefit expenditure for the coming tax year to be paid into the National Insurance Fund””." There is no National Insurance Fund. The emperor has no clothes. It is about time we faced up to that.