Finance Bill

I think that I will be able to answer the hon. Gentleman’s serious question when I finally begin my prepared speech. That will depend on the detailed steps that we can take between now and 2016 to move the policy forward. I will be able to reassure him. I point out to the hon. Gentleman, however, that later on the page of Hansard I quoted a moment ago, when I said that we will move"““from nought today to 200,000 a year by 2016, and…will produce a costing.””" it is recorded that he asked,"““Will the Minister give way?””" to which I replied, ““In a second.”” I then continued my remarks, saying"““On that basis, costing by 2012 will be around £15 million a year.””––[Official Report, Finance Public Bill Committee, 15 May 2007; c. 142.]" The hon. Gentleman must have been about to intervene. Unfortunately, I have only one page of Hansard, so I cannot tell him what he said subsequently, although I am sure that he made, as always, a good and astute intervention. He may have forgotten that moment, but he was undoubtedly an important player in the Committee debate.