I have finally got round to reading the National Audit Office report on Reorganising central government
In the first 4 years of this current Parliament, up to June 2009, there were over 90 reorganisations to central government. This cost about £200million a year on average, mostly on arms length bodies, but £30million went on government departments themselves.
The report points out that since 1980, 25 central government departments have been created, including 13 which no longer exist while the United States have managed with only two new departments in the same period.
I particularly enjoyed the Audit Office term for the most radical kind of change – Multiple carve out & merger! Prime examples of this are the Ministry of Justice & the Departments of Children, Schools & Families and for Innovation, Universities & Skills – the departments run by Messrs Straw & Balls and by Lord Mandelson. Empire building comes at a price.
The Audit Office is particularly concerned about the short notice which is given - reorganisations often start on the day they are announced!
In the first 4 years of this current Parliament, up to June 2009, there were over 90 reorganisations to central government. This cost about £200million a year on average, mostly on arms length bodies, but £30million went on government departments themselves.
The report points out that since 1980, 25 central government departments have been created, including 13 which no longer exist while the United States have managed with only two new departments in the same period.
I particularly enjoyed the Audit Office term for the most radical kind of change – Multiple carve out & merger! Prime examples of this are the Ministry of Justice & the Departments of Children, Schools & Families and for Innovation, Universities & Skills – the departments run by Messrs Straw & Balls and by Lord Mandelson. Empire building comes at a price.
The Audit Office is particularly concerned about the short notice which is given - reorganisations often start on the day they are announced!
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