A Modest Proposal to Re-organise Government Departments

It has struck me for some time that one of the obtacles to government is the structure of the present administration, so I am going to propose some changes in those areas I feel I have some knowledge and experience to offer. Incidentally, if anyone wishes to pay me alot of money to expand upon my "modest proposal", I'd be be delighted. However, I do advise any male politician who likes to surround himself with a harim of yeswoman, that I wouldn't fit in at all.

My proposal covers 3 departments : the Department of (or for) the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) ; the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG); and,
the Home Office (HO). In their stead, I recommend :

DEFRA - A Department for the Environment, Sustainability and Planning : (DESP)
DCLG - A Department for Regional, Urban and Rural Development : (DeRURD)
HO - A Department for Community and Homeland Affairs/Security, or, even Wellbeing (DCHA)

Briefly, the rational for this re-organisation is as follows :

DESP : Experience shows what issues like environmental sustainability tend to be compromised by governments (of all persuasions) because these often involve long-term planning. As a major - if not the major- mechanism of environmental protection, the planning system itself can also be compromised by policy-making which does not respect its full importance. These responsibilities therefore need to come under one Secretary of State who can champion them.

DeRURD : The message here is again : "Tough on Qangos, Tough on the Causes of Qangos." Regeneration of local democracy is what is what is required. Also this Government's habit of saying one thing when it means precisely the opposite (as in the case of Communities) needs to be tackled. Many "real" community-based organisations have lost financial support from local authorities in recent years, in favour of "loads of money" qangos (national, regional and local).

DCHA : There has been alot of attention on the Home Office in recent years and it seems widely accepted that some fundamental re-organisation is in order. Personally, I like the idea of a Department for Community (as in Society) and Homeland Wellbeing (which if achieved could be "exported" to other countries"). However, this is probably a bit too "David Cameron" just now. "Security", on the other hand, sounds too "George Bush". So "Affairs" will have to do.

At least no one can accuse me of not putting forward positive proposals. Incidentally, I'm not proposing that any minister should be re-shuffled (or excluded to the back benches)