Proposals to abolish 180 quangos and merge a further 124 have been seen by the BBC's Politics Show.

The Renewables Advisory Board and Museum, Libraries and Archives Council are among taxpayer-funded bodies proposed for abolition.

The list, dated 26 August, includes groups linked to all major government departments.

The Cabinet Office has ordered a leak inquiry and says it regrets any "uncertainty" for employees.

The list of public bodies up for abolition, mergers or other reforms was included in a letter from Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude to other ministers.

It includes the previously announced abolition of the Health Protection Agency, UK Film Council, Audit Commission and Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority but also puts a question mark over the future of dozens of less well-known bodies.

'Substantial reform'

The list suggests 180 quangos will be abolished and 124 merged. A further 338 will be retained, although 56 of them will be subject to "substantial reform". The future of another 100 bodies is yet to be agreed, according to the letter.

The largest numbers of quangos facing the axe are those linked to the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department of Health and the Ministry of Justice.

Quangos, or "non departmental public bodies", have repeatedly drawn politicians' fire over the years back to former Conservative deputy PM Michael Heseltine's pledge for a "bonfire of the quangos". Last year both Labour and the Conservatives pledged to review the bodies with the aim of saving money.

Among those listed as facing abolition are the Olympic Park Legacy Company, responsible for planning what happens to the Olympic site after the 2012 Games, the Advisory Committee on Organic Standards and Cycling England - whose functions will be transferred elsewhere.

Postcom and Ofcom could be merged while the School Food Trust would have its status changed to an independent charity and Ofsted and the Food Standards Agency would be kept but subject to "substantial reform".

The future of the Student Loans Company, tourism groups Visit England and Visit Britain, the UK Atomic Energy Agency, Central Office of Information, the Carbon Trust and the Environment Agency are yet to be decided, according to the document.

The Daily Telegraph has published a different, undated list of 177 quangos to be axed.

A spokeswoman for the Cabinet Office would not comment on the leaks but said the government had "made it clear that it is committed to radically increasing accountability and improving efficiency".

Jobs concern

She added: "The cabinet secretary has this morning asked for an immediate investigation into the leak of a government document on Public Bodies reform. We deeply regret any extra uncertainty for employees that this irresponsible leak has caused".

Construction workers' union Ucatt warned that privatising the Construction and Skills Training Board would be a "disaster" for apprenticeship training and the trade union Prospect said its members would be "very concerned for their jobs".

In a statement, it said: "Our members do valuable work and in many cases save the state a great deal of money. If it is true that over 200 bodies are about to be merged or axed without any consultation with the public or employee representatives, then we would urge the government to think again."

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles told the BBC he did not know how accurate the list was.

To read more http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11405096

As part of the Government’s commitment to radically increase the transparency and accountability of all public services, the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, today summarised plans to substantially reform a large number of public bodies and also announced further proposals.

The Government intends to introduce a Public Bodies Bill that will enable many of these plans to be implemented.

The reform process, which covered all of HM Government’s Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs), as well as other bodies, such as some non-ministerial departments and some public corporations, will help to reinvigorate the public’s trust in democracy and also ensure that the Government operates in a more efficient and business-like way.

The Government proposes to reform 481 bodies.  Of these 192 will cease to be public bodies and their functions will either be brought back into Government, devolved to local government, moved out of Government or abolished altogether. Examples include:

• Devolving responsibility for the work of Development Corporations to local government
• Bringing organisations under more direct Ministerial control, such as the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission, Renewable Fuels Agency and, as previously announced, the Appointments Commission
• Enabling organisations, such as the Design Council and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (NESTA), to become charities.

In addition, as part of the planned reforms, if it is clear that a public body has accomplished its mission and no longer needs to exist, it will be abolished. 

Speaking about the changes, Francis Maude said that this process represented the restoration of political accountability for decisions which affect people’s lives and the way taxpayers’ money is spent:

“We know that for a long time there has been a huge hunger for change.  People have been fed up with the old way of doing business, where the Ministers they voted for could often avoid taking responsibility for difficult and tough decisions by creating or hiding behind one of these quangos. 

“Today’s announcement means that many important and essential functions will be brought back into departments meaning the line of accountability will run right up to the very top where it always should have been.”

As part of the reforms the Government is also announcing proposals to merge 118 bodies down to 57, and to substantially reform a further 171. Examples include:

• Strengthening the competition regime by forming a single competition and market authority
• Substantially reforming organisations such as the Environment Agency and the Homes and Communities Agency working with them to streamline their work.

Speaking about these bodies, Francis Maude said:

"In many cases, today’s proposals will ensure we preserve the quality of vital services, while allowing them to become more efficient and, where appropriate, giving more power to the front line professionals who know those services best."

A proportion of public bodies will be retained and will remain at arm’s length from Government, although work will continue to ensure that they become more open, accountable and efficient.  All of the retained bodies will have met one of the three tests:

• Performing a technical function
• Requiring political impartiality
• Needing to act independently to establish facts.

Francis Maude said:

“There are of course organisations that will remain, although it is unlikely that any will be completely unchanged.  This is because we recognize that some of these bodies do hugely important and essential work that has to be done at arm’s length from Government, especially when political impartiality, independence or technical expertise is required.

“But those that remain will not be allowed to go back to the old way of working.  As part of the reforms, we will also be introducing new transparency requirements, a new governance framework and a new review process to ensure that there is a robust and regular challenge of the continuing need for all the public bodies that remain.”

He added:

"While today’s changes will help us move quickly to a new era of accountability in government, we recognise that there will be significant changes for many staff, who have done an enormous amount of excellent work for their organisations. We also want to recognise the public service given by members of boards and committees.  We will continue to do all we can to work with their Chief Executives, Chairs and management teams to ensure any change is conducted as fairly and as smoothly as possible."

The Government now plans to introduce a Public Bodies Bill into Parliament.  This will help enable proposals to be rapidly implemented where statutory changes are required. Other legislation, which will be introduced this session, such as the forthcoming Education Bill and Localism Bill, will also enable some specific changes.  All final decisions and implementation will be subject to the Spending Review, necessary legislation and other measures where appropriate.

Further proposals to increase the accountability of those bodies which remain, such as through new tri-ennial reviews, will be set out in the new year.

Notes to Editors

1. The full list of reforms to the Government’s Public Bodies can be found on the Cabinet Office website:
2. The following table summarises the number of bodies which are proposed for reform: 

   No longer an NDPB	Merge	Retain and substantially reform	Retain	Under consideration	Total
   192	118 (down to 57)	171	380	40	901

   Public Bodies remainng after reforms: 648
    

3. Where proposed changes have implications for the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Government will continue to work closely with them to develop and implement changes.
4. Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) or quangos (Quasi-autonomous non-government organisation) are defined as bodies which have a role in the processes of national government but are not government departments or part of one and which accordingly operate to a greater or lesser extent at arm’s length from Ministers.  This includes:
   • Executive NDPBs, e.g. grant or service delivery, regulatory or training providers
   • Advisory NDPBs, e.g. scientific committees or pay review bodies
   • In addition, for this reform process other bodies, such as some non-ministerial departments and some public corporations are being included in the scope.
5. This reform process covered all of HM Government’s NDPBs and also considered other statutory bodies, such as some non-ministerial departments and some public corporations, bringing the total number of organisations covered by this process to 901.
6. This announcement includes all announcements made since the election, such as the abolition of the Regional Development Agencies and the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency.  They include changes which the previous Government had proposed but had not implemented and which this Government is confirming, such as selling the Horserace Totaliser Board (the Tote), reducing the number of Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace, abolishing the Agricultural Dwelling House Committees and Agricultural Wages Committees and the Hearing Aid Council.
7. As part of this work, the Cabinet Office has continued its commitment to the reform process and published details of its 15 public bodies.
8. Some proposals are subject to legislation and Impact Assessments.
9. A final decision has still not been taken on the status of a number of Public Bodies and they are currently listed as “Under Consideration”.  This means that:
   • It is being considered by a wider formal review of that policy area which has yet to be completed
   • A final decision on whether and/or how to reform has not been made.  This may be because, for example, it is linked to the Spending Review or wider service reforms.  Where options are still being considered, it may be the particular way in which an organisation operates, rather than the overall status, which is being assessed.
10. Today’s announcement relates to the status of the Government’s Public Bodies.  All of the public sector, including public bodies, will need to undergo further reforms and efficiency measures as a consequence of the forthcoming Spending Review.  Those public bodies which are expected to maintain their current status may be subject to significant changes in their budget and structure as a result of this process.  For more information on the Spending Review, please contact HM Treasury Press Office directly.
11. The Public Bodies Bill will be introduced shortly.  Where necessary, this Bill will provide the legislative underpinning for this reform process.
12. For questions about the Public Bodies review process, please contact the Cabinet Office Press Office.  For questions about individual bodies, please contact the relevant departmental press offices.
13.  
14. http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/newsroom/news_releases/2010/101014-quangos.aspx
15. http://download.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/ndpb/public-bodies-list.pdf

• Public Administration Committee
• Public Administration Committee Report: Smaller Government: Shrinking the Quango State
• Public Administration Commitee Report:  Smaller Government: Shrinking the Quango State - Additional Written Evidence
• Bills before Parliament: Public Bodies Bill [HL]
• National Audit Office memorandum on assessing business cases for changes to arm's length bodies

The Conservatives’ pre-election promises about cutting the "costly bureaucracy" of quangos "created a false expectation that the review would deliver greater savings", the MPs have concluded.

If the Government wishes to make meaningful savings in public body expenditure it needs to examine not just how these organisations operate, but what they exist to do.

In many cases these functions should have been transferred to charities and mutuals, which would have helped the Government deliver its vision of a Big Society.

Bernard Jenkin MP, Chair of the Committee, said:

"The whole process was rushed and poorly handled and should have been thought through a lot more. This was a fantastic opportunity to help build the Big Society and save money at the same time, but it has been botched.

The Government needs to rethink which functions public bodies need to perform and consider transferring some of these functions over to mutuals and charities." 

"Superficially plausible"

The inquiry found that the tests used to evaluate each public body "may have seemed superficially plausible at the outset, but they are hopelessly unclear". The Cabinet Office failed to establish a proper procedure for departments to follow and there was no system of consultation with the bodies concerned or with the public.

PASC also raises concerns that the Bill, as originally drafted, does not contain sufficient safeguards to prevent the misuse of powers by Ministers.

The review has highlighted the complex and confusing landscape of UK public bodies. The current system is chaotic, making it difficult to understand why different arms-length bodies exist and what these variations mean in practice.

The Committee is calling on the Government to re-examine the proper governance arrangements for each public body.

The Committee is also unconvinced that bringing functions back into central departments will create a more accountable system.

It says that the Government fails to recognise ways the organisations are held to account beyond ministerial accountability to Parliament. Stakeholders and civil society play an important role in providing challenge and criticism to public bodies on a day to day basis, a central part of the Government’s vision for a Big Society.

Further Information

• About Parliament: Select Committees
• Key Issues for the New Parliament: Quangos

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-sele...

http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-sele...

• Watch the debate live: Public Bodies Bill committee stage: day seven (from approximately 3pm)
• Read a transcript of the debate from Today in the Lords (available approximately three hours after debate begins)

Proposals for amendments to a Bill are published in a marshalled list before the Bill stage takes place.

• Eighth Marshalled List of Amendments to be moved in Committee as at 3 March 2011

Committee stage: day seven

Amendments to Clause 1: Power to abolish: bodies and offices were discussed.

• Watch the debate: Public Bodies Bill committee stage, day seven
• Watch the debate: committee stage continued (amendment 49)
• Watch the debate: committee stage continued (amendment 59)
• Lords Hansard: read a transcript of the debate
• Lords Hansard: debate continued (amendment 49)
• Lords Hansard: debate continued (amendment 59)
• Further Revised Seventh Marshalled List of Amendments to be moved in Committee as at 24 February 2011

Members of the Lords agreed without voting to Amendment 47 – moved by Lord Clark of Windermere, a former chair of the Forestry Commission – to remove regional advisory committees established under the Forestry Act 1967 from the bodies listed in Schedule 1. Clause 1 gives ministers power to abolish bodies in Schedule 1.

Lord Judd and Lord Taylor of Holbeach supported the amendment.

Explaining the amendment, Lord Clark said that with amendment 47 the House was ‘also discussing a series of amendments which relate to forestry issues.’ He said that regional advisory committees performed the function of allowing ‘thinking on a regional basis’ so that national policies could be devolved from ‘England level down to the regions.’

Lord Judd explained that it was ‘important for advisory committees to continue’ as a ‘significant way in which to give meaning to this sense of ownership by the people as a whole, because it is possible for the local arguments to be heard and taken into account.’

The next day of committee stage is expected to take place on Monday 7 March.

Further information

The Public Bodies Bill grants new powers to allow Ministers to reform, merge or abolish public bodies.  

• Bills before Parliament: Public Bodies Bill
• Lords news: Public Bodies Bill committee stage continues in Lords
• Lords news: Public Bodies Bill receives second reading

The Public Bodies Bill has been the subject of reports by two House of Lords select committees. The Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee published reports on 15 and 23 November 2010. The Constitution Committee published a report on 3 November 2010.

• Lords news: Public Bodies Bill raises serious concerns (Delegated Powers Committee)
• Lords news: Public Bodies Bill grants ministers 'inappropriate powers' (Delegated Powers Committee)
• Committee news: Committee publishes report on Public Bodies Bill (Constitution Committee)

The committee stage of a Bill involves the detailed line-by-line examination of the separate parts – clauses and schedules.

• Passage of a Bill: committee stage

http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2011/february/public-bodies-bill-...

Francis Maude (Minister for the Cabinet Office; Horsham, Conservative)

The coalition Government are committed to reducing the number and cost of quangos and increasing accountability by transferring the responsibility for key decisions of public policy back to Ministers.

On 14 October 2010, I placed in the Libraries of both Houses a list of proposed reforms to take forward this commitment. The Public Bodies Bill has since been introduced to provide the legislative basis for reform. I have also placed in the Libraries an updated list of proposed reforms this morning.

Committees of both Houses have shown significant interest in the Government's review. This statement accompanies our response to a report of the Public Administration Select Committee, "Smaller Government: Shrinking the Quango State".

The Government welcome this opportunity to restate the aims and intentions of our reform programme for public bodies, and to correct some misunderstandings and inaccuracies apparent in that report.

With these reforms, we will increase accountability by putting into practice our clear presumption that functions carried out by the state should be accountable through democratically elected structures. We will ensure clear chains of democratic accountability through to Ministers, by transferring functions into a Department, or by creating a new executive agency. We will also increase accountability to local decision makers and will also support our big society, transferring functions from public bodies to local government, voluntary or charitable bodies or social enterprises.

A secondary, but important, purpose is to remove duplication and waste, save taxpayers' money and to streamline a chaotic and confusing public bodies landscape.

PASC has criticised the Government for being unable to identify exact cost savings. We were always clear that savings would flow from this programme of rationalisation and reform. I can now announce that we estimate that cumulative administrative savings of £2.6 billion will flow from public bodies over the spending review period. When reductions in programme and capital spend are taken into account, we estimate that total spending through public bodies will be reduced by at least £11 billion per year by 2014-15, a cumulative amount of £30 billion over the spending review period. This does not include spending simply transferred elsewhere.

At the time of the October announcement, I indicated a number of reviews were still in progress, with bodies listed as "under consideration". I publish with this statement an updated list of reform proposals, giving more certainty to the staff in those public bodies as to how the Government's review programme will affect them.

Implementation is being taken forward by Departments, with the Cabinet Office operating as a source of support and guidance. I publish two key Cabinet Office documents today: a checklist of issues Departments need to consider in implementing public bodies reform; and a set of eight key requirements that must be followed in all cases (these requirements are annexed to the Government's response to PASC).

The Government's commitment to reform of public bodies does not end with the implementation of this first stage of reform proposals. I also publish today a summary of a new robust system of triennial reviews and underline our determination to take decisive action where future reviews highlight inefficiency and waste. The Government intend that the powers in the Public Bodies Bill will provide a proportionate mechanism to implement the conclusions of subsequent reviews.

Reducing the number and cost of public bodies is a coalition priority. It is important that we make progress and I make no excuse for the speed at which we have sought to realise our commitment. There is momentum and cross-party support for a radical programme of reform. We have already brought forward proposals on an unprecedented scale and with the Public Bodies Bill and our implementation plans we take those proposals to fruition. With our future process of review and reform, we will continue to ensure accountability in public life and identify and drive out inefficiency, duplication and waste.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/wms/?id=2011-03-16a.9WS.1

The Audit Commission - England's spending watchdog which the government vowed to abolish as part of its "bonfire of the quangos" - could still exist in 2015, the BBC has learned.

The commission was informed last year that it would be one of 192 public sector organisations to be closed.

The commission's own chairman, Michael O'Higgins, said it was taking longer than expected to "light the match".

The government says it is "committed to disbanding" the commission after 2012.

The Audit Commission checks up on the accounts of local authorities, emergency services and the NHS in England.

Michael O'Higgins, told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "The latest we've been told by officials is that they were looking at the latter part of 2014, possibly the end of 2014 for the Audit Commission itself.

"The audit practice, which is the bulk of the commission, might well have transferred before then".

To read more http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12924187