Quango cull: workforce of public bodies to fall by a third

The 'Public Bodies ' report published today (29th December 2012) by the Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude, shows the progress on the Government’s quango reform programme  will reduce the administrative cost of public bodies by at least £2.6 billion by 2015.  The report also shows that the workforce of public bodies will fall by around a third over the Spending Review period. The Cabinet Office-led review in 2010 has enabled departments to close 114 quangos and merge more than 150 bodies  into fewer than 70. The public bodies landscape will be reduced by over 300 bodies by the end of the Spending Review period in 2014-15.

Public Bodies 2012 details the size, expenditure and membership of public bodies, and highlights the rapid progress that has been made in reforming the landscape. The report shows that reforms driven by the Cabinet Office have enabled government departments to reduce the number of bodies by over 200 since May 2010. The data is presented in a format that enables people to quickly search for information about public bodies – a key step in making them more open and transparent.

Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude, said: "Instead of just talking about the reform of public bodies, this Government carried out the biggest reform in a generation. We acted swiftly to close down unnecessary public bodies and ensure that those that remain are fit to deliver public services efficiently and effectively. By reducing duplication, waste and unnecessary bureaucracy departments tell us they are well on track to reduce the administrative cost of public bodies by at least £2.6 billion by 2015."

"Today’s announcement shows we are more transparent about quangos than any Government before. But there is still a long way to go and our reviews will routinely test whether each public body is fit for purpose and providing the value for money that the taxpayer expects."

Click here to download a copy of the Public Bodies 2012 report.