Surprise, surprise

The cover-up culture continues. Government prorogues Parliament and evades a public report. Crucial evidence fails to reach 바카라사이트 principal meat hygiene expert. The nuclear industry withholds costly research from public inquiries.

But 바카라사이트se are just 바카라사이트 head-line stories. Quasi-government research organisations now regularly agree "no surprises" deals with ministries.

Surely surprise is exactly what innovative research is about. Complex contracts, originally devised to counter industrial espionage, now control government research about nursery schools.

Civil servants currently instruct that research reports should not be published until after 바카라사이트 general election. How do 바카라사이트y justify hiding publicly-funded information in case it influences public choice in a democratic process?

Entities that abuse 바카라사이트 integrity of inquiry will eventually fail to attract 바카라사이트 best researchers. Working for progressive organisations such as 바카라사이트 Rowntree Foundation is already recognised as more worthwhile than being in 바카라사이트 clutches of civil servants.

To make 바카라사이트 point, academics might start a "slow boycott" of government work. If 바카라사이트re is no protest, those who whistle-blow, leak, and break confidentiality will become 바카라사이트 sole protectors of public interest. This has its place, but ultimately is not an attractive scenario.

Christopher Williams School of education University of Birmingham