"Third of public consultations come to nothing"

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From The Times

Ministers waste tens of millions of pounds on pledges

Third of public consultations come to nothing

Tens of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money has been squandered by the government on public consultations that have come to nothing, The Times can reveal.

Ministers have commissioned more than 1,600 since the Conservative Party’s victory at the 2015 election, an average of more than two every working day. More than 500, almost a third, have not been completed, with officials saying that they are still “analysing feedback”. These include at least 202 consultations started more than two years ago.

Consultations can cost £40,000, prompting accusations that ministers are spending as much as £20 million a year to delay difficult decisions and make empty promises.

Two years ago Sajid Javid, then the business secretary, announced a consultation on banning restaurants from taking waiters’ tips,…

[Continues behind paywall]

1. If The Times suggests that tens of millions of taxpayers' money is squandered, does it also suggest that hundreds of millions of hours of taxpayer's effort in providing excellent answers is also squandered?  Should Government pay for our data (but then who pays for government?)

2. If a third come to nothing, does that mean that two thirds produce results that are actually taken into consideration, and if it does mean such, as that not too bad a figure?

3. As a personal thing, I find the procedure of thinking about and completing a consultation to engage my mind into the subject under question, and so the very procedure brings me a personal benefit even if the results are never correlated.

[trainer]

Could it be also true that having genuinely been consulted, if I don't get my own way I believe the consultation was a waste of time?  I, as most people do, think my view is sweet reasonableness itself and when the outcome of a consultation goes against what I think, there could be a tendency to believe I was simply ignored when in fact other (totally unreasonable  ) views prevailed.

On the other hand we're talking about government here so I am prejudiced enough to be somewhat cynical as to motives for some 'consultations'.

[CyclingSid]

Consultations can be just another tick box in a project when the outcome is already "signed and sealed"

[didcotdean]

They are also a way of kicking the can down the road and not reaching a quick decision.

The most major type being a Royal Commission, although these seem to be less common these days.