59 237.  The issue of independence is a fundamental issue that lies behind much of the evaluation's  concern  with  the  implementation  of  Commission  Reports.    This matter was pointed out by the Ministry of Justice in its comments on the draft Report.  The Ministry put it in this way:    The independence of the Commission and its status as a Crown entity rather than a Department  inherently  removes  it  from  the  need  for  close  involvement  with government  processes  and  day-to-day  understanding  of  Ministerial  concerns  and priorities.  When the Commission reports to a Minister, therefore, the Minister has a choice to make;  either:    • To  trust  the  Commission's  analysis  and  judgment,  including  policy  and political judgments and legislative drafting;  or • To ask his or her departmental officials for a second opinion.    This choice is likely to be influenced by a variety of factors, including the subject matter, the make-up and expertise of the Commission and that of the Department, the  political  salience  of  the  topic  and  the  opportunity  cost  -  the  value  of  the alternative uses of the Department's resources.    238.  The Ministry of Justice goes on to point out that the choice must be one for the relevant  Minister  to  make  in  each  case.    For  the  choice  to  be  available  to  the Minister there has to be some level of resource allocated to the second opinion work by the relevant Department.    239.  The  evaluator  accepts  the  logic  of  the  Ministry  of  Justice's  point  but  does  not draw  the  same  conclusion  from  it.    To  set  up  an  expert  body  like  the  Law Commission   has   some   futility   to   it   if,   every   time   it   provides   a   Report, Departmental  officials  are  to  analyse  the  Report  in  depth  in  order  to  decide whether to advise the Minister to proceed.  It does not appear, for example, that the proposals of the Law Commission in the United Kingdom are subjected to this sort of review.    240.  Ministers are paid to make policy choices.  They should be capable of making up their  minds  without  what  is  often  endless  and  pointless  re-litigation  within Departments.    241.  The  Ministry  of  Justice  made  another  point  of  considerable  importance.    A review of Crown entities is currently being conducted and the Law Commission is a Crown entity.  The Rt Hon. Simon Upton commenced that policy review and it has already yielded a number of important results.  The review is continuing