Derek McDowell (Labour)

I wish to ask the Minister some general questions on income tax and, in particular, on the credits. I want to explore whether it is still his intention to remove the minimum wage from the income tax net. As I said, this is the most important remaining tax priority and something on which the Minister should have moved last year and should certainly move this year, even if it means having to compensate in other parts of the tax or income tax codes. I will not labour the argument as the Minister is familiar with it but I invite him to state whether it is still his intention to do this in the one budget which remains to him as part of Sustaining Progress.