WRITTEN ON March 23rd, 2009 BY William Heath AND STORED IN Data nitwittery, Foundation of Trust, Political engagement, Save Time and Money, Transformational Government, What do we want?

So, did the government receive JRRT’s Database State report in a tender and creative spirit? Did they for one moment consider their Transformation Government plans might be mistaken? Not really. To judge by the initial reaction from Michael Wills on the BBC Radio Four Today programme they seem to prefer counter-attack us, rather than stop wasting money, obey the law and put the future of public services on the right track.

He took the line

– this report is just a headline with nothing behind it
– we say “almost certainly illegal”, not definitely illegal
– there was no lawyer on our team
– anyway these databases are very useful for law enforcement and public services

Oh Lord. We’re going to get sucked into direct retorts here *sigh*

We say there was a lot of work behind it, and

– it’s a great deal harder to get media interest in something you cant see, touch or smell than in, say, th edeath of a 27-year-old media celebrity.
– Nothing is certain in law and “almost certainly illegal” should be enough to give pause for thought. We could have said “definitely illegal” but that would have been hyperbole. We had an eminent professor of European law advising us. The utility of these databases is often illusory (cracking DCSF example to follow shortly). Most government IT projects dont work (the government themselves admit 70% fail). And breaking the law to try to achieve something worthwhile is a path that any of us should take only after the most careful deliberation. For the government to go down that path is a very slippery slope.

Incidentally, the growing Google list of media coverage is here.