Benchmarking has been attacked in some quarters. I have always defended it. It is often attacked because what the public service does is not measured by the profit line. However, as we noted this morning, not all the huge pay increases at the top of the scale are measured by the profit line either. The public service – teachers, health workers etc. – makes just as valuable a contribution to society as the private sector. I would not extol the public sector above the private sector, but if benchmarking is needed to attract and keep people in the public sector, as well as providing for industrial peace, then it is worthwhile.