Mr. David Cooney:

I regret that the Deputy feels he is being scoffed at but I do not feel I am scoffing at him. The Deputy is fully entitled to seek value for money and this is what the committee is supposed to do. I am happy to answer any questions. I am simply making the point to the Deputy that his expectation in the pursuit of officers regarding private circumstances before they can qualify for an allowance is untenable. I do not see how one can insist that an officer handles private effects in a certain way before he or she can be considered for an allowance. I do not know the private circumstances and residential status of officers. I am certainly prepared to return with the business cases we made regarding allowances, their value and why we paid them.