Mr. Peter Tyndall:

No. The most recent correspondence from the Department has been seeking clarification on what the disputed first recommendation entails, and we have been happy to provide that clarification. As these are generally people who were young women at the time, they are not likely to be entitled to the full level of compensation, so the cost to the Department would not be the equivalent of the average cost of the redress that has already been provided. It would be less than that, and the numbers of people involved are comparatively small by comparison with the overall members. From our perspective, therefore, there is no need for a new scheme. As far as we are concerned, with the proper interpretation of that criterion admitted to and worked in, these women are entitled to redress under this scheme. I should be absolutely clear, however, that if Government took the view that the wording of the scheme was precluding these women, and I do not accept for a moment that it is, it should introduce a new scheme.