2010 UK quango reforms
Following the 2010 United Kingdom general election, the UK Government announced plans to curb public spending through the abolition of a large number of quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations (quangos). On 23 May 2010, Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne unveiled a £500million[1] plan to reduce the budget deficit by abolishing or merging many quangos. This was styled in the national press as a "bonfire of the quangos",[2] making reference to Girolamo Savonarola's religiously inspired Bonfire of the Vanities ("falò delle vanità").[3] The cuts and closures received criticism in some quarters,[4] but was generally welcomed by the business community.[5]
Categorisation of reform
On 14 October, the government released a document entitled Public Bodies Reform –– Proposals for Change outlining plans for each quango. The document broadly classified each quango into one of four groups, viz. –
- Retain - the government thought it expedient to retain the organisation;
- Merge - the organisation would be merged with another organ of state or its function could be replicated by a third sector organisation;
- Abolish - the organisation would be abolished;
- Under consideration - firm plans were not drawn up for organisations in this category, but deadlines were set for complete consideration.[6]
The document also contained a description of which ministry of state or government department the organisation was part of.
Quangos to be abolished
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
- Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Arbitration Tribunal
- British Shipbuilders
- Union Modernisation Fund Supervisory Board
The Cabinet Office
- Office for Civil Society Advisory Body
- Communities and Local Government
- Advisory Panel for the Local Innovation Awards Scheme
The Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport
- Advisory Council on Libraries
- Legal Deposit Advisory Panel
The Department of Energy and Climate Change
- Advisory Committee on Carbon Abatement Technologies
- Renewables Advisory Board
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Advisory Committee on Organic Standards
- Agricultural Dwelling House Advisory Committees
- Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales
- Agricultural Wages Committees
- Animal Health and Welfare Strategy England Implementation Group
- Committee on Agricultural Valuation
- Commons Commissioners
- Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards
- Food from Britain
- Inland Waterways Advisory Council
- Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
The Department for Education
- Teachers TV Board of Governors
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Caribbean Board
The Ministry of Justice
- Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council
- Courts boards
- Legal Services Ombudsman
- Public Guardian Board
- Victim’s Advisory Panel
- Youth Justice Board for England and Wales
- Animal Welfare Advisory Committee
The Department for Transport
Quangos to be abolished with reservations[7]
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
- British Nuclear Fuels Limited
- Competition Service
- Copyright Tribunal
- Design Council
- Hearing Aid Council
- NESTA[8]
- Regional development agencies
- BIS SITPRO Limited
- Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property
- Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Advisory Body[9]
The Cabinet Office
- Civil Service Appeal Board
- Commission for the Compact
- Government Strategic Marketing Advisory Board
- Main Honours Advisory Committee
- Security Commission
The Department for Communities and Local Government
- Advisory Panel on Standards for the Planning Inspectorate
- Audit Commission for Local Authorities and the National Health Service in England
- Community Development Foundation
- Firebuy
- Infrastructure Planning Commission
- London Thames Gateway Development Corporation
- Olympic Park Legacy Company Limited
- Rent Assessment Panels / Residential Property Tribunal Service
- The Office for Tenants and Social Landlords[10]
- Thurrock Development Corporation
- Valuation Tribunal for England
- Valuation Tribunal Service
- West Northamptonshire Development Corporation
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport
- Advisory Committee on Historic Wreck Sites
- Advisory Committee on National Historic Ships
- Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection
- Football Licensing Authority
- Horserace Totalisator Board
- Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
- Public Lending Right
- The Theaters Trust
- UK Film Council
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Advisory Committee on Hazardous Substances
- Advisory Committee on Packaging
- Advisory Committee on Pesticides
- Air Quality Expert Group
- British Waterways
- Commission for Rural Communities
- Darwin Advisory Committee
- Farm Animal Welfare Council
- National Standing Committee on Farm Animal Genetic Resources
- Pesticide Residues Committee
- Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee
- Veterinary Residues Committee
- Zoos Forum
Department for Education
- British Educational Communications and Technology Agency
- General Teaching Council for England
- Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency
- School Food Trust
The Department of Health
- Advisory Board on the Registration of Homeopathic Products
- Advisory Committee on Antimicrobial Resistance and Healthcare Associated Infections
- Advisory Committee on Borderline Substances
- Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens
- Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs
- Advisory Group on Hepatitis
- Alcohol Education and Research Council
- Appointments Commission
- Committee on Carcogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment
- Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollutants
- Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment
- Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment
- Committee on the Safety of Devices
- Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence
- Expert Advisory Group on AIDS
- Gene Therapy Advisory Committee
- General Social Care Council
- Genetics and Insurance Committee
- Health Protection Agency
- Herbal Medicines Advisory Committee
- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
- Human Genetics Commission
- Human Tissue Authority
- Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health and HIV
- Independent Review Panel for the Classification of Borderline Products
- Independent Review panel on the Advertising of Medicines
- Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation
- National Information Governance Board for Health and Social Care
- National Joint Registry Steering Committee
- Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition
The Ministry of Justice
- Chief Coroner of England and Wales / Chief Coroner's Office
- Crown Court Rule Committee
- H.M. Inspectorate of Court Administration
- Legal Services Commission
- Magistrates' Courts Rule Committee
- Security Industry Authority
- Women's National Commission
The Department for Transport
The Department for Work and Pensions
- Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission
- Disability Employment Advisory Committee
- Disability Living Allowance / Attendance Allowance Advisory Board
Quangos to be merged
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
- Ofcom
- Central Arbitration Committee
- Certification Office
- Competition Commission
- Office of Fair Trading
- Postcomm
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Ministry of Justice
- Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace
- Advisory Council on Historical Manuscripts
- Advisory Council on Public Records
- Crown Prosecution Service
- Revenue and Customs Prosecutions Office
- Serious Organised Crime Agency
The Department for Work and Pensions
- Pensions Ombudsman
- Pensions Protection Fund Ombudsman
Quangos under review[11]
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
- Engineering Construction Industry Training Board
- Film Industry Training Board
- Insolvency Practitioners Tribunal
- Local Better Regulation Office - dissolved on 1 April 2012, its functions taken over by the Better Regulation Delivery Office, an independent unit within the BIS.[12]
- Office for Fair Access
- Student Loans Company
- UK Atomic Energy Authority
- UK Commission for Employment and Skills
The Cabinet Office
- Central Office of Information
- National School of Government
- The Leasehold Advisory Service
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
- Agricultural Land Tribunal
- Consumer Council for Water
- Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal
- Sea Fish Licence Tribunal
- Sustainable Development Commission
The Department of Education
- Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
- Children's Workforce Development Council
- National College for Leadership of Schools and Children's Services
- Partnerships for Schools
- School Support Staff Negotiating Body
- The Office of the Children's Commissioner
- Training and Development Agency for Schools
- Young People's Learning Agency Under consideration
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office
- Diplomatic Service Appeals Board
- Foreign Compensation Commission
- Great Britain China Centre
- UK India Round Table
The Ministry of Justice
- Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information
- Judicial Appointments Commission
- Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman
The Home Office
- Independent Safeguarding Authority
- Office of the Immigration Services Commissioner
- Police Advisory Board, Police Negotiating Board and Police Arbitration Tribunal
References
- ↑ Walters, Simon (23 May 2010). "George Osborne unveils £500m bonfire of the quangos". Daily Mail. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- ↑ Parkinson, Justin (14 October 2010). "Politicians' love/hate relationship with quangos". BBC News. Archived from the original on 17 October 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- ↑ Amatosi, Alexander (8 September 2010). "Bonfire of the quangos". Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- ↑ Porter, Andrew (23 September 2010). "Quango cuts: backlash begins". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 27 October 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- ↑ "Businesses rejoice as Whitehall starts the cull of quangos". London Evening Standard. 14 October 1010. Archived from the original on 22 October 2010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- ↑ "Public Bodies Reform –– Proposals for Change" (PDF). UK Government. 15 October 1010. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- ↑ With some or all functions transferred to civil service, local government, other quango, expert committee, charity or private sector.
- ↑ National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts.
- ↑ Also known as WAB.
- ↑ Also known as Tenant Services Authority.
- ↑ As of 14 October 2010.
- ↑ LBRO website