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 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",[1] making reference to Girolamo Savonarola's religiously inspired Bonfire of the Vanities ("falò delle vanità").[2][unreliable source?] The cuts and closures received criticism in some quarters,[3] but was generally welcomed by the business community.[4]
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.[5]
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
The Department for Communities and Local Government
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department of Energy and Climate Change
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales
- Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution
The Department for Education
- Teachers TV Board of Governors
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Ministry of Justice
- Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council
- Courts boards
- Legal Services Ombudsman
- Youth Justice Board for England and Wales
The Department for Transport
Quangos to be abolished with reservations[]
Some or all functions of these quangos was to be transferred to civil service, local government, other quangos, expert committees, charity or the private sector.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
- British Nuclear Fuels Limited
- Competition Service
- Copyright Tribunal
- Design Council
- NESTA[6]
- Regional development agencies
- [7]
The Cabinet Office
The Department for Communities and Local Government
- Infrastructure Planning Commission
- London Thames Gateway Development Corporation
- Rent Assessment Panels / Residential Property Tribunal Service
- The Office for Tenants and Social Landlords[8]
- Thurrock Development Corporation
- West Northamptonshire Development Corporation
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport
- Football Licensing Authority
- Horserace Totalisator Board
- Museums, Libraries and Archives Council
- Public Lending Right
- UK Film Council
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- Air Quality Expert Group
- British Waterways
- Commission for Rural Communities
- Darwin Advisory Committee
- Farm Animal Welfare Council
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 Committee on Dangerous Pathogens
- Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs
- Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment
- Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence
- General Social Care Council
- Health Protection Agency
- Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
- Human Genetics Commission
- Human Tissue Authority
- Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation
- National Information Governance Board for Health and Social Care
The Ministry of Justice
- Chief Coroner of England and Wales /
- Legal Services Commission
- Security Industry Authority
- Women's National Commission
The Department for Transport
The Department for Work and Pensions
Quangos to be merged[]
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
- Ofcom
- Central Arbitration Committee
- Certification Office
- Competition Commission
- Office of Fair Trading
- Postal Services Commission
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Ministry of Justice
The Department for Work and Pensions
Quangos to be reviewed[]
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
- Local Better Regulation Office - dissolved on 1 April 2012, its functions taken over by the , an independent unit within the BIS.[9]
- Office for Fair Access
- Student Loans Company
- UK Atomic Energy Authority
- UK Commission for Employment and Skills
The Cabinet Office
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
- Sustainable Development Commission
The Department of Education
- Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service
- Children's Workforce Development Council
- Partnerships for Schools
- 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
- Great Britain China Centre
The Ministry of Justice
The Home Office
References[]
- ^ 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". The 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. Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 January 2012. Retrieved 15 October 2010.
- ^ National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts.
- ^ Also known as WAB.
- ^ Also known as Tenant Services Authority.
- ^ LBRO website
External links[]
- 2010 in the United Kingdom
- Public bodies and task forces of the United Kingdom government
- 2010 in British politics
- Reform in the United Kingdom