Why Scotland may soon get Commissioner of Commissions... (if Value for Money Tsar approves)
UK’s new ‘value for money’ tsar will be value for money, insist Labour amid row over £950-a-day pay
If there’s a problem, creating a commissioner or ‘tsar’ – supported by a dedicated taskforce, of course – to deal with it may seem the obvious thing to do. At least, it may seem like that to politicians seeking to avoid the stark fact that, in a democracy, it's ultimately their responsibility.
The tsar can then spend public money developing various proposals, which the politicians may decide they can’t afford because, well, they’re spending so much on commissions, taskforces and the like.
This week it emerged that the Labour government’s new ‘value for money’ tsar will be paid £950 a day, as head of the new Office for Value for Money. Treasury minister Darren Jones insisted the pay deal itself would prove to be value for money, although it’s unclear if this view was cleared by the new office...
Meanwhile in Scotland, MSPs have ordered a “root and branch” review of the growing number of statutory commissioners. The total commissioner budget has risen from £1.3 million in 2003 to £18.2m today.
Sounds like a bit of a problem. Time for a Commissioner of Commissions...?
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