Seriously. Take the time, and do it right.

Any delay won't appease the screaming "Won't Somebody Please Think Of The X" brigade, but on the upside it might create something that REALLY helps, instead of just seeming to help, which is all the screaming normally generates.

Why is it that when the tax payer is involved no is to blame?

If we are expected to believe that this system really works and will protect children then this delay is endangering children, which would otherwise have been protected. Presumably someone somewhere is responsible for managing this deployment or are we expected to believe that it somehow manages itself (maybe that's where they went wrong)?

Oh well, when you practically get a blank check to play with from the tax payer every year why worry too much about pesky things like responsibility, schedules or even competence.

asking them to bring something out on time and not to keep extending the deadline is not the same asking them to rush things.

or is this part of New Labour/Consultancy NuSpeak: Delayed = brought out in a timely manner, not rushed, working

Get all the kids to put all their information on Facebook. They want to do it and they'll tell you everything you want - and so much more. That's the sharing bit of the equation and the government hasn't had to spend a penny.

But it gets better!

When they get the inevitable 'do you want to see some puppies' IM, the precious little snowflakes can call the Home Office approved paedosquad number at the top of the screen - so that's the child protection bit taken care of, *AND* it shows joined-up government in action!

Mine's the one with £10 million of consultancy fees in the pockets.

I walk into casualty one evening with 6 year-old daughter holding teatowel over one eye and screaming...

me : hi, can someone have a look at my kid's eye? she's screaming and it's bleeding

Large Woman: name?

me : <child's name>

LW : date of birth?

me : <blank look, phones wife, relays information>

LW : can you confirm your name and address? <she already has it on screen>

me : <confirms name and address>

LW : what school does your child go to?

child : waaaaa!

me : why do you need to know?

LW : <waves hand enigmatically at computer screen>

me : believe it or not I didn't come here to take part in a survey.

LW : <takes offence>

LW : what's your phone number?

me : <getting irked now, there's no way I want to start a telephone relationship with this woman> don't have it to hand

LW : are you still registered with Dr. Whatsisname?

child : waaaaa! daddy my eye hurts!

me : look, I've really no idea, any chance of seeing the nurse?

LW : <harumphs> go on through then...

Once past the gatekeeper, the medical staff were brilliant.