The new Scottish Government is very keen on discussions. Alex Salmond's constitutional options paper is called a "conversation" and the Health department's long-awaited paper is also styled a "discussion document".
I'm not sure if these are isolated examples but it could be a trend. The Cabinet Office consultation affecting (mostly) Whitehall is currently posing a number of options including one that seeks more flexibility. The trouble with this is that it could just become a licence to ignore best practice standards. Even if this does not happen, will Government departments get around such rules as exist by labelling their exercises as something other than consultations.
Both the Scottish examples include options and seek public dialogue on them. Why not therefore just call them consultations? After all, the Scottish Executive has a tolerably good record on consultations. Let's call a spade a spade.
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