Examination of Witness (Questions 1200
- 1205)
WEDNESDAY 7 MARCH 2001
LORD FALCONER
OF THOROTON,
QC
1200. I am suggesting that there is someone
whose job it is to sort some of this nonsense out inside departments,
so people can go to these people and say "look, it is stupid
that we are being asked to report endlessly in this way, let us
just get on with the job". I am offering this as a suggestion.
The final question I would ask you is over the last years, and
in the previous government particularly, we have had the notion
of compliance cost assessments being developed in relation to
legislation.
(Lord Falconer of Thoroton) Yes.
1201. For business.
(Lord Falconer of Thoroton) Yes.
1202. Is there not a very strong case for having
a similar compliance cost system introduced for the public sector?
The assumption seems to be that these things come cost free but,
in fact, they are hugely costly.
(Lord Falconer of Thoroton) You mean you should be
assessing the bureaucratic burden on schools, hospitals?
1203. Yes. For each initiative that comes in,
whether directed at local government or anywhere else, you have
to put with it some serious assessment of what the cost of this
is going to be to that organisation.
(Lord Falconer of Thoroton) I can see real merit in
that. It would be a discipline that would force people to think
about it. I have not thought about the practicalities so you cannot
regard me as committing anybody to it, but I can see that it would
be a discipline, like in relation to Regulatory Impact Assessments,
where you are forced to think about what the cost to business
is of doing a particular legislative proposal.
Mr Trend
1204. Would it come within the discipline of
setting up units?
(Lord Falconer of Thoroton) It would. Presumably you
would have to say you have got to get your area based initiatives
through the RCU and the benefit would be, hopefully, less initiatives.
Chairman
1205. We will have to stop. I think we have
had a most interesting exchange with you. Thank you very much
indeed for coming along. We wish you well with your endeavours.
We have not mentioned the Dome.
(Lord Falconer of Thoroton) Indeed.
Chairman: Thank you very much.
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