Mr. John Tierney:

We will revert to the committee on a couple of issues, if necessary.

We have done modelling out to 2021 and I explained how the staff issue feeds into this modelling. In the past five or six years, a staff reduction process has been under way in local authorities, with staff numbers being allowed to fall through natural wastage. One could take the scenario of the introduction of a voluntary redundancy scheme, examine what would be its impact and make assessments on that basis extending to 2021. As I stated, I will not cite a figure because this issue has to be worked through with trade unions and local authorities over a period. Members will respect the fact that this is how the matter will be dealt with.