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Key quangos on leaked government list of 177 bodies identified for abolition; further 124 'under review'

The Daily Telegraph has published a leaked list of 177 quangos identified by the government as suitable for abolition, including British Waterways, the Sustainable Development Commission, the Commission for Rural Communities and the General Social Care Council.

The document also lists a a further 124 organisations whose futures remain 'under review', which includes the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS), the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the Environment Agency and the Tenants Services Authority (TSA).

Other local government-facing organisations set for abolition include

  • The Museum, Libraries and Archives Council
  • The Administrative Justice and Tribunal Council
  • The Advisory Council on Libraries
  • The Commission for Integrated Transport
  • The Commissioner for the Compact
  • The General Teaching Council for England
  • The Health Protection Agency
  • The National Information Governance Board
  • The Public Guardian Board
  • The School Support Staff Negotiating Body
  • The Sustainable Development Commission

A number of development organisations are also named, whose responsibilities will be transferred to the relevant local authorities. These include the Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation, the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation and the London Thames Gateway Development Corporation.

The list includes some bodies – including the Audit Commission, the Infrastructure Planning Commission, Standards for England and the eight regional development agencies – whose abolition has already been announced.

In addition to CAFCASS, the EHRC, the Environment Agency and the TSA, the list organisations under review includes

  • The Chief Coroner of England and Wales
  • The Civil Justice Council
  • The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment
  • The Family Justice Council
  • Firebuy
  • The Homes and Community Agency
  • The Independent Safeguarding Authority
  • Law Commission of England and Wales
  • Local Better Regulation Office
  • Natural England
  • Partnership for Schools
  • Passenger Focus
  • Remploy
  • Tenant Services Authority
  • The Office of the Children's Commissioner
  • The UK Supreme Court

The leaked document also outlines a lost of 129 other organisations whose operations are intended to be merged with similar quangos or regulators. This includes the Gambling Commission, which will be combined with The National Lottery Commission and English Heritage, which is to be merged with the National Memorial Fund and the National Lottery Fund to create a single heritage body.  A single tribunals service will take on the functions of a range of tribunal and review bodies, including the Valuation Tribunal Service.

Finally, a number of quangos are identified to remain, but subject to substantial reform, including Ofsted and the Food Standards Agency, while the School Food Trust is to become an independent charity.

In a statement, the Cabinet Office said that it regretted any uncertainty for employees that the “irresponsible” leak had created, but refused to comment on its accuracy. The Communities Secretary Eric Pickles told the BBC he did not know how accurate the list was.

He said: "We are certainly looking towards removing a number of unaccountable quangos and reducing their costs but we haven't come to a firm view with regard to the numbers. But we will be making an announcement reasonably soon."

To download the full list, please click here.