Ms Ita Mangan:

My understanding is that the committee wants to talk to us about the cost-benefit analysis which was published by the board and is on our website. All of the issues regarding the general principles of changing the structures of MABS and citizen information services, CISs, were thoroughly discussed in this forum last February. I acknowledge and accept that this committee does not agree with the decision of the Citizens Information Board. Nevertheless, the statutory responsibility for the delivery of the services and the manner of the delivery rests with the Citizens Information Board. Our decision of February stands and we are well into the process of implementing it.

The cost-benefit analysis we procured at the request of this committee is in my view a technical economic document which speaks for itself. While we never considered that financial considerations were the major reason for the reorganisation we intend to implement, nevertheless, this cost-benefit analysis as it happens provides backing in a financial sense for the decision we have made but I would emphasise again that the decision was not based on financial considerations. As I have explained here previously, it was based on good governance, good value for money and the prospect of improving services. I am happy to take any questions.