Following my earlier posts, and readers’ responses, on public consultations by Government, I put down a number of Parliamentary Questions. I have also now secured a slot for a Question for Short Debate (QSD): “to ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to ensure that public consultations by Government Departments follow best practice”.
Admittedly, it is something of a death slot – 5.00 p.m. on Thursday in the Moses Room – but the important thing is to be able to raise the issue on the public record and get a ministerial response. Interestingly, I see that the Government have yet to list the minister who is to reply.
I have mentioned some of the problems in earlier posts and, indeed, had problems drawn to my attention by readers. I plan to pursue these on Thursday.
Indeed, the government is using consultations primarily as weapons in the political arena. And it is a useful one in many purposes:
– to judge the public support for an idea
– to identify options to “spin” it
– to cherry pick and publish statements in support
– to use it as an excuse for delay or unrelated actions
Unfortunately this “functional” use of consultations also shows a complete disrespect for the people and the opinions contributed. So much so that I dread seeing a new consultation, because it usually means that the government is yet again up to something they are no up front about. And that is in my opinion the real problem.
Good luck – to the poor soul that has to face you, I mean.
As a completely separate question, would you tell what are the differences between Codes of Practice, and governement Guidelines, please?
Thank you.
Unfortunately, I have to be cynical about public consultations too. It seems the government have made up their minds before the consultation has even opened. They go through the process but just ignore the outcome if it doesn’t happen to agree with them. Just look at the public consultation on “Adding capacity at Heathrow airport”. The eventual decision was exactly what everyone expected it to be before the process had even started.
This is an interesting topic, and one that has exercised me recently. The Welsh Assembly Government has just launched its consultation on its plans to cull badgers as a way to control Bovine tuberculosis. I spotted this due to a very small mention in The Veterinary Record. Reviewing the consultation list reveals an almost complete lack of specialists in epidemiology, whose input might be considered valuable! I have nothing against Evangelical Alliance Wales, but…