Member

The Minister has frequently asked, not unreasonably, how it will all be paid for. I have made suggestions, including DST, a digital services tax. Interestingly, on the front page of the Times business pages today, and probably other journals as well, is the news that the Americans are going to put VAT on low-value consignments from the EU—bizarrely, two days after I mentioned it. There are opportunities to raise revenue elsewhere, apart from the NIC carve-out, which the Government might make. The purpose of having Bills reviewed in your Lordships’ House is to give the Government time to pause and consider. Are the Government really going to ask Peers of all parties and none to vote against such an amendment, knowing the damage this will do to people in the sector? I suspect that every constituency in the country has a care home that is going to suffer. This is the moment for the Government to think again and I very much hope they will be minded to do so. I beg to move.