Dan Tomlinson

I was listening to the speeches made by Members on the Opposition Benches so intently that I am not in the right place in my notes to start my speech. I extend my thanks to the various Members who have spoken today. I will be very brief in winding up— [Interruption.] Yes, I know some Members in particular will enjoy that. The Conservatives’ new clause 15 asks the Government, within three months of this legislation coming into force, to publish an assessment of the impact of exempting pensioners whose sole income is the basic or new state pension from income tax. That issue was raised by the Opposition spokesperson, the hon. Member for Grantham and Bourne (Gareth Davies), as well as by the hon. Members for Hinckley and Bosworth (Dr Evans) and for Mid Dorset and North Poole (Vikki Slade), and others. The new clause refers to the Chancellor’s announcement that those whose only income is the basic or new state pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax over this Parliament. I know that some Members are particularly impatient and energetic on this point, but more details will be set out later in the year. As the details of the policy have not yet been announced, it would be premature for us to set out the impacts at this stage.