Although Suffolk has criticised the government’s secrecy and lack of transparency in its refusal to publish the information on the massive failure of Universal Credit, he still seems to be in favour of Universal Credit itself, and believe that the massive overspending involved is just a natural part of the process, which every project on this scale would go through. It isn’t – it’s just proof that the project was unworkable from the outset, regardless what Francis Maude and his minions have to say. IDS and his scuttling myrmidons realise this too, and that’s why they definitely don’t want it published.
By Tony Collins
John Suffolk, the government’s former chief information officer, says warnings that publishing Universal Credit reports will have a chilling effect are “poppycock”.
His comments were prompted by the Department for Work and Pensions’ appeals against a ruling by the first-tier information tribunal that 4 reports on the Universal Credit programme be published.
The DWP has failed in every legal move it has made to stop the reports being published but is continuing its attempts although costs for taxpayers are increasing.
The DWP and its external lawyers argue that publishing the 4 reports would have a chilling effect by inhibiting the candour and boldness of civil servants who contribute to such reports.
But Suffolk says the claims of a chilling effect are “poppycock”. Suffolk was responding to a Campaign4Change blog “DWP tries again to stop disclosure of Universal Credit reports“. He says:
“As you know I am…
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