Ms Patricia King:

On the question of consolidation, our bottom line is that whatever comes out at the other end of the machine should not mean less money for people. Just to be very clear, that is the way we are approaching it. The Deputy is right that there is complexity in some cases - unnecessary complexity, on the face of it, although those who took part in the negotiations on a particular allowance in a particular circumstance will tell one there was a reason for the complexity.

Some sectors of the public sector have used regular rostered overtime as a vehicle. The court, in its recent comments, was clear that it must be either one or the other. It is either overtime or it is an allowance, but it is not both. In the local authority sector, they were paying overtime but saying it was an allowance. The court clarified that, which was a useful recommendation. As I said, there is regular rostered overtime. With regard to consolidation, if we could get to a position in which we had the adjusted rosters, the pay rates and no loss for people at the end of the day, that would be a good job done. That is the task one would have.