asked the Minister for Communication the number employed in the Air Navigation Services Office on 31 December 1984; the staff ranks; the maximum salary of each rank; and the total overtime paid in 1984.

The reply is in the form of a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report:

Following is the statement: The number of staff serving in the Air Navigation Services Office on 31 December 1984 was 622 in the following grades:

The total amount of overtime paid in 1984 in the Air Navigation Services Office was £518,591.

How much overtime is paid?

In 1984 the amount was £518,591.

Does the Minister not think this is out of proportion as overtime? Would it not have been possible to employ more people to do the work?

It is very highly skilled work and a lot of it is unavoidable. We are continuing our policy of making every effort to keep overtime at a minimum.