Mr. Fergal Mythen:

I run our corporate services division. I have a small team of eight to ten people who work 24-7 on allowances. Nothing is given away as a right. Everything is checked, assessed and reviewed. We have just carried out an annual review of allowances, which resulted in several cutbacks across the world which has not been well received but we base it on hard facts, data and analysis which we receive from the independent consultancy firm. It is very rigorous and thorough, and nothing is given away as of right.

It is not simply a matter of looking at the numbers serving in missions and dividing the money accordingly. There are children involved. For example, I had four children in Brussels. The numbers assessed in this calculation are greater than the number of officers working in the mission. I absolutely guarantee we are as thorough as can be and will continue to be so, to ensure value for money and to ensure people are compensated as per our guidelines. We have reduced our administration fees and costs by millions over the past four years. We have reduced the rent allowance in every location around the globe. That has affected people. Some individuals have not been able to get accommodation in certain cities because we have set the bar quite low. We do not do this lightly. We review it and make sure we are always driving down costs without imposing burdens on our staff who move their families abroad.