How to avoid answering a question

[webofevil]

The Countess of Mar: My Lords, can the Minister guarantee that the computer system that will operate with these ID cards will successfully co-ordinate every government department that is required to use the cards, bearing in mind the disasters that have occurred with the NHS, with Defra, with the Home Office over the original asylum cases and with almost every other major government computer system that I can think of?

Baroness Scotland of Asthal: My Lords, I again remind the House that the UK visa system has been an unmitigated success. The satisfaction rate from all those who have had the privilege of using it is way over 90 per cent. That is something I am sure the House will not hesitate to celebrate.

One government IT project wasn’t a catastrophe! Wahey! Break out the Bolly! Who’s got a number for some Groucho powder?

It’s like celebrating putting out a paper bin fire in an office on Krakatoa.

Comments

[nudejournal.livejournal.com]

Presumably the number of visas issued by the UK is large enough that a 90% success rate still leaves a large number of complete fuck-ups.

[webofevil.livejournal.com]

Any system will naturally produce some complete fuck-ups. I'm prepared to allow that a 90% success rate is to be cautiously applauded, with the emphasis on sorting out the other 10%. (You're right, though, a 10% fuck-up rate is hardly "unmitigated".)

What isn't remotely acceptable is the usual blithering shitstorm, made worse by hapless numpties whose pensions depend on it assuring us that everything's under control.