29 Mr. Cox asked the Minister for Defence the reaction of the two representative bodies, PDFORRA and RACO, to the Programme for Competitiveness and Work; and whether there will be a delay in either organisations signing up for it.

The terms of the pay agreement associated with the Programme for Competitiveness and Work (PCW) were formally offered to PDFORRA at the 12th meeting of the Permanent Defence Force Conciliation Council held on 24 February 1994 and to RACO at the 13th meeting of the Council held on 3 March 1994. A number of meetings and communications designed to provide clarification of issues arising from the proposed agreement have since taken place between representatives from the associations and departmental officials. These discussions are ongoing and are by agreement, confidential. It would, therefore, be inappropriate for me to speculate on their outcome at this time.