I do agree that running things increasingly on ministerial instructions without proper notice is an issue, and I do agree with you that it contrasts with the point system announced in the 1970s.
I guess my next question is to ask whether perhaps you were being polite when you talked about arbitrary power in the hands of public servants as opposed to politicians. It may be that those public servants were doing the bidding of politicians, so indirectly it is politicians.
I am not accusing this government of anything, but I would think, in theory—don't think Conservative-Liberal—that if everything is done by ministerial instructions issued on the spur of the moment, there's a chance that the system could be biased in favour of particular regions or ethnic groups, or whatever, that might suit the party in power.
When you say we're moving to a less transparent and honest system, is that what you had in the back of your mind?