Tuesday, January 10, 2023
When Welsh Ministers abandon collective responsibility
Walesonline reports on the regulatory impact assessment attached to the Welsh Government bill, which will make 20mph the default speed limit in all urban centres this side of Offa's Dyke.
They say that he Welsh Government's own analysis points to a potential £4.5bn hit to the economy. Published in the explanatory memorandum on the topic, the minister for climate change signed off on the analysis saying it "gives a fair and reasonable view of the expected impact" of the 20mph limit and that she is "satisfied that the benefits justify the likely costs".
So far so good. A policy proposal has been put forward, its costs and benefits evaluated and the Minister has made the argument that her priority is to save lives and that accordingly she is prepared to accept the potential downside, even though that has been identified as £4.5 billion over a 30 year period. Her deputy however is not so circumspect:
When asked about the increased cost to the economy by the BBC deputy climate change minister Lee Waters said: "The idea that being a minute later to get to school harms the economy, I just don't believe it, so I think the figures are discredited in my view and there's a movement to change that. Also it's going to save lives - we know it's going to save lives."
So effectively, a government minister is trashing the official document, which has been signed off by his boss, by arguing that the figures in it are wrong. How is that the basis for rational law-making? Whatever happened to collective responsibility?
They say that he Welsh Government's own analysis points to a potential £4.5bn hit to the economy. Published in the explanatory memorandum on the topic, the minister for climate change signed off on the analysis saying it "gives a fair and reasonable view of the expected impact" of the 20mph limit and that she is "satisfied that the benefits justify the likely costs".
So far so good. A policy proposal has been put forward, its costs and benefits evaluated and the Minister has made the argument that her priority is to save lives and that accordingly she is prepared to accept the potential downside, even though that has been identified as £4.5 billion over a 30 year period. Her deputy however is not so circumspect:
When asked about the increased cost to the economy by the BBC deputy climate change minister Lee Waters said: "The idea that being a minute later to get to school harms the economy, I just don't believe it, so I think the figures are discredited in my view and there's a movement to change that. Also it's going to save lives - we know it's going to save lives."
So effectively, a government minister is trashing the official document, which has been signed off by his boss, by arguing that the figures in it are wrong. How is that the basis for rational law-making? Whatever happened to collective responsibility?
