Absolutely - the amount of money wasted in ridiculous by an advance, and orderly society standard.
By the way, I think there are things TPA can do to improve efficiency - I gave a small donation via Paypal to TPA and they send me a letter in the post to thanks me. That would probably have costed 5 minute of staff time, 50p of postage and packaging.
They could have used email.
In the absense of competitors, we shall see how TPA will behave more like a private enterprise rather than whitehall.
I don't think it's strictly accurate to simply say that, in the public sector, Whitehall is king. Because Whitehall isn't spending its own money (it all comes from that endless source, taxpayers), it really isn't focused on the job. So, in many instances, it's public sector organisations and their employees that are free to run their operations more for their own benefit than that of the public. As there's no competition and income is assured, no-one is focused on efficiency.
Suffice to say, however, the poor 'customer' of their services is the least powerful. They have your taxes and you don't have spending power.
Incidentally, Dennis MacShane has a similar piece on today's Guardian web site.
Hmm MacShane - Oh yes the Europe Minister who has helped drive the Lisbon Treaty through Parliament. Now given that was it 80% of our legislation now originates as EU thinking or Directives (which are of course then gold-plated by Whitehall), I think his piece in the Telegraph is just a sick joke. This gumby would not know an efficiency saving if he saw one!
Would you credit it. Something really weird is happening. Could it be that Gordon Brown is the catalyst for lower taxes? Will this be his legacy? (Actually, it was BOM; TPA and Guido what done it.)
I will really believe it when the Today Programme (Radio 4) does a flip over to our side.
With apologies to Richard Littlejohn, here is my insult to The Today Programme:-
... Now the time is seven fifty eight you are listening to BBC Radio Four. Regulations come into force today to make it illegal to draw cartoons and computer generated images of assaults on children ... Minister, I take it that this has Gordon Brown’s approval but Labour back bencher's are showing signs of rebelling, do you see this as another 10p tax fiasco. “We have been listening to the people and we found many, many who support our policy on this matter ...”
... Good morning, the time is six twenty four and you are listening to BBC Radio Four. Regulations come into force today to increase the VED on old cars, considerably in some cases. Minister, it has taken some while for Labour MPs to discover this clause in the regulations; many on the backbenchers are showing signs of rebelling, do you see this as a threat to Gordon Brown’s leadership, is this another 10p tax fiasco. “We have been listening to the people and we...”
... The time is eight twenty three you are listening to BBC Radio Four. Regulations come into force today to slaughter all first born children in an attempt to balance the population based on results of new immigration statistics. Minister, immigration policy has been a disaster for Gordon Brown and Labour backbenchers are showing signs of rebelling over the Immigration Services Bill; is this another 10p tax fiasco; do you see this as a threat to Gordon Brown’s leadership, “We have been listening to the people and they tell us that immigration is high on their agenda, we have always said that we will ... etc etc etc”.
Now here is someone with the weather.
Me thinks that many Labour MP's are getting a wee bit nervous, they are staring oblivion in the face and they don't like it one bit.
The Tories could steal a march now by NOT MATCHING Gordo's spending plans, and reducing Fuel Duty etc
Next you'll be telling me that we are giving aid to China as well. Call me old-fashioned, but I'd rather put the money into building new schools and hospitals.
http://lettersfromatory.wordpress.com
To be scrupulously fair to the egregious McShane, he did make some pretty blistering comments about Big Government, which would not have looked out of place on samizdata.
Whether he intended the article to be taken seriously, or understands the implications of taking it seriously, is quite another matter.
But he did sound nearly, well, sound.
ITYF Bugs has been taken over by the evil "Torioids" with their fiendish orbiting mind-control lasers. (You can always tell by the eyes.)
"All your policy are belong to us."
Commenting by HaloScan
