Lord Lexden (Con)

My Lords, as is customary, I thank all speakers. The contributions today have been, I think, for the most part, especially powerful, with many rooted in personal experience. We have had almost total unanimity of voice about the devastating impact on independent schools of the education tax. It was notable that, as my noble friend Lord Caine, pointed out, not a single voice was heard from the Labour Benches in defence of this policy. A range of important topics have been covered: bursaries; the impact on local economies; partnerships; the impact on state schools; loss of opportunity; the vindictiveness of introducing VAT mid-year; the closure of historic institutions; music education and the threat to specialist music schools; special needs; the impact on boarding schools; and the doubts around the economics on which this policy is based—that really is the central issue that has been brought out. There is a widespread belief that at the heart of this is not economics but a vindictiveness towards independent schools. The Minister is so confident in her policy and the figures and data that she has used that she will surely have no reluctance in putting the issue to the test by establishing the independent inquiry review for which so many speakers have so rightly called. I end by thanking all those who have contributed. I beg to move.