Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 12)

Co-ordination unit
A crack team sent in to  finally enforce joined-up government – by having no noticeable impact and then being renamed 

Manifesto commitments
If they’re easily achievable, they’re a government commitment. If not, they’re party political and not your problem 

Doesn’t meet GOV.UK style guidelines
Please learn how to write before sending me anything else 

Elephant traps
Cock-ups in waiting, and a term retained from the days when we had an empire. If you work in the Foreign Office, we still do 

Let’s drill down into this issue
I don’t know what I’m talking about, but this should buy me a little bit of time 

Issue
A way of lending importance to an idea. Also a handy euphemism for “potential disaster”  

To submit your own examples of Whitehallese, email editorial@civilserviceworld.com or tweet us @CSWNews

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More in the series:
Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. I)
Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 2)
Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 3)
Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 4)
Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 5)
Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 6)
Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 7)
Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 8)
Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 9)
Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 10)
Terminological inexactitudes: handy translations of Whitehall jargon (Vol. 11)