Public servants shouldn't obfuscate

Monday, November 30, 2009

Politicians and public servants should use language that's clear, honest and understandable, the Public Administration Select Committee has said.

The committee reckoned that too often government uses language that confuses or distorts meaning and this can be damaging because it can prevent the public from understanding policies and can even deter people from getting access to public services and benefits, especially the elderly and those with reading difficulties. Also, mistakes made when filling in self-assessment tax forms mean that around £300m tax goes unpaid every year.

The government should consider cases of misleading or confusing language which results in harm as 'maladministration', the committee said, which would mean people's complaints about poor official language would be treated on the same basis as other kinds of poor administration. And if government and public sector bodies didn't resolve the issue complaints about bad official language could be taken to the relevant ombudsman.

Committee chair Tony Wright said: "Good government requires good language, while bad language is a sign of poor government. Far too often, government uses language that obscures, confuses or evades. We propose that cases of bad official language should be treated as 'maladministration', as for any other type of poor administration. Complaints made on this basis must be dealt with properly. This would help ensure that government takes seriously its responsibility to use good, clear and understandable language."