Read the following passage and answer the questions below.

THE FLEXIBLE TIME-CLOCK Flexible working hours is a system which, by putting an end to the nine to five working day myth, brings a more human touch to the working situation, but forces nobody into another straitjacket. It does not demand, either, that the individual, who is set in his ways, should change his habits. With flexible working hours, the working day is split into three sections - one when everyone must be present (the core time) and two at either end of the day

(the flexible bands when everyone can come and go as he pleases). Flexible working hours started in Germany and was developed by the personnel manager of Messerschmitt-Bolkow-Blohm GmbH, a large company in Munich in the aerospace industry. The staff problems with which he was faced were the same as in any large conurbation. The commuting problem, however, is different, since the offices, a large modern block with about 4,000 employees, are on the outskirts of Munich and are not well served by public transport.

The system was introduced in 1968, and quickly spread not only in his company but throughout Germany and to other parts of the Continent. It is now estimated that there are well over 2,000 applications of the system. It has been adopted in administrative organisations, insurance companies, and head offices, as well as in local and central government. One of the latest and most interesting applications is in a retail clothing store - although, given the varying traffic volumes and reliance on part-time assistants, it is surprising that the idea was not born in the retail environment.

In the system core times are set to coincide with the daily peak demands on the organisation - in an office from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. - and flexible bands are added during which employees can be present or not at their will.

In the office situation, these might well be between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. and