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Mr. Waters

The problem with a report from front line staff is that, unless it is also backed up by large scale investigations into what is happening now, relevant data before and after the changes were introduced (and the short time since that happened suggests that it is not possible yet to have much information after the changes occurred), and appropriate statistical analysis of that data, it is not objective fact. Interesting and well informed, certainly. Possibly even absolutely spot on. But possibly not.

Forgive me, but I do not have access to the report so I cannot say whether or not it does meet these criteria. My earlier comments are on the basis that it may not do so.

The trouble is that government decisions are not taken purely based on fact. Ever heard that “politics is the art of the possible”? It’s true I am afraid. Even if it were as clear as day to everyone that objectively what is being done is a huge mistake, that will change nothing if there is no political gain to be made from changing tack. It is quite clear, however, that changing tack would cause political damage (one can almost hear the immediate cries of “U turn” rather than praise for a government doing its job and reacting to correct mistakes).

There will be no change to this decision unless and until the political calculation changes. It is not as if the fight is about the principle of providing legal aid. No mainstream politician (that I know of) is against giving legal aid, so it comes down to money, which for the moment just ain’t there in the way it used to be.

You said that “if something is more expensive than was ever planned, it’s a mistake - take the Lab gov’s forays into mass NHS computerisation”. A couple of observations just on that.

Common sense (I admit, that is not objective) suggests that the concept of having a computer system on which the medical records of everyone in the UK could be accessed by the NHS to give a joined up medical service is a brilliant idea, not a mistake – but it did cost much too much and had to be abandoned for that reason.

Isn’t that what the legal aid issue is also all about too – cost? Also, it was not the government’s decision, it was an operating decision taken by the NHS, but backed by the government which had to find the money to pay for it. In those days there seemed to be an endless amount of money to spend on just about anything. Now we have come back to earth with a bump (again!) and have woken up to the fact that that is not so, never was so, and never will be so.