But as the new bodies take up control - and the old organisations, including 152 primary care trusts, are scrapped - the government maintained the changes would put the NHS on a firm footing for the 21st century.

BBC: NHS structure changes come into force

Although the theory that describes the interaction of quarks and gluons is on a firm conceptual footing, it is so complicated in practice that it can take years to make a single calculation of something like the shape of a proton even using the most powerful supercomputers.

ECONOMIST: Protons: Holey grail | The

Victim Support argues that the government should "implement funding solutions which place the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme on a firm financial footing".

BBC: Victim compensation fund reduced

Limiting government spending, and keeping the budget on a firm financial footing, is crucial as we approach the retirement years of the baby-boomer generation.

FORBES: Limiting Government by Expanding Public Healthcare

The three points will ensure the visiting fans travel back to the south coast with pride intact, even if their club is not on as firm a footing.

BBC: Burnley 1-2 Portsmouth

When they presented the plan to us, my responsibility to taxpayers is to look at those plans in a realistic way and figure are these plans going to work in order to put these auto companies on a firm, solid footing where they can operate without government subsidies and succeed, and compete in the marketplace.

WHITEHOUSE: Town Hall in Arnold, Missouri