A briefing paper examined the history of public bodies, the size and cost of the 'quango state', and the accountability of public bodies and appointments mechanisms. It also set out the main provisions of the Public Bodies Bill – enabling legislation that would give ministers the power to abolish, merge, and transfer functions to and from certain public bodies.

Source: Lucinda Maer, Quangos, Standard Note SN/PC/05609, House of Commons Library

Links: Briefing paper

Date: 2010-Nov

An article examined the devolving of government functions to quangos and departmental agencies (by reference to two large quangos created after 1970, the Manpower Services and Health and Safety Commissions). There were advantages to devolution: but there were also serious limitations in the 'owner-agency' model when applied to public business – arising from powerful centralizing forces, rapid changes in political aims, the cardinal requirement for economy, and shifting needs for lateral co-operation across the government sector.

Source: John Rimington, 'Devolved functions in government: some realities', Political Quarterly, Volume 81 Issue 4 Links: Abstract

Date: 2010-Nov

The coalition government announced plans to reform a large number of arm's-length public bodies ('quangos'). 481 bodies in total would be affected. Of these, 192 would cease to be public bodies, and their functions would either be brought back into government, devolved to local government, moved out of government, or abolished altogether. Those losing their identity as separate public bodies included: Audit Commission; Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission; Commission for Integrated Transport; Commission for Rural Communities; Commission for the Compact; Community Development Foundation; Consumer Focus; Disability Employment Advisory Committee; Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee; General Social Care Council; General Teaching Council for England; Health Protection Agency; HM Inspectorate of Court Administration; Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority; Human Genetics Commission; Independent Advisory Group on Sexual Health and HIV; Independent Advisory Group on Teenage Pregnancy; Legal Services Commission; Museums, Libraries and Archives Council; National Housing and Planning Advice Unit; National Tenant Voice; Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency; Regional Development Agencies; School Food Trust; Standards Board for England; Tenant Services Authority; Women's National Commission; and Youth Justice Board for England and Wales.

Source: Public Bodies Reform – Proposals for Change, Cabinet Office

Links: Report | Hansard | DBIS press release | DCLG press release | DCMS press release | DE press release | DH press release | DT press release | CDF press release | GEO press release | MOJ press release | CBI press release | CFC press release | CIH press release | Citizens Advice press release | Commission for Compact press release | Conservative Party press release | CWDC press release | Fawcett Society press release | HGC press release | LGA press release | NHF press release | NCVO press release | OFT press release | Scope press release | SEC press release | SFT press release | Sustrans press release | TUC press release | UKCES press release | WNC press release | YJB press release | IfG press release | Labour Party press release | Community Care report (1) | Community Care report (2) | Community Care report (3) | Children & Young People Now report (1) | Children & Young People Now report (2) | Civil Society report | BBC report | Telegraph report | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2) | Guardian report (3) | Guardian report (4) | Guardian report (5) | Guardian report (6) | Inside Housing report

Date: 2010-Oct

A think-tank report made recommendations designed to increase the effectiveness and accountability of arm's-length bodies (or 'quangos'). It said that it should be made harder to set up new bodies; that there should be better management of them by central government; and that they should be the subject of greater transparency.

Source: Tom Gash with Ian Magee, Jill Rutter and Nicole Smith, Read Before Burning: Arm's length government for a new administration, Institute for Government 

Links: Report | IFG press release

Date: 2010-Sep

A briefing note provided a short history of public bodies, and examined the size and cost of the 'quango state'. It considered why the number and cost of quangos had been hard to control. It looked at the accountability of public bodies and appointments mechanisms, and at the coalition government's plans for a Public Bodies (Reform) Bill.

Source: Lucinda Maer, Quangos, Standard Note SN/PC/05609, House of Commons Library

Links: Briefing paper

Date: 2010-Aug

A report said that although cuts and efficiencies in arm's-length bodies (quangos) were certain, and might well be justified, making decisions about whether and how they should operate in future needed to be taken alongside fundamental reform – otherwise there was a risk of more confusion about their role and value.

Source: Tom Gash with Ian Magee, Jill Rutter and Nicole Smith, Read Before Burning: Arm s length government for a new administration, Institute for Government 

Links: Report | IFG press release | Telegraph report

Date: 2010-Jul

The new Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government announced (in the Queen's Speech) plans for a Public Bodies (Reform) Bill, designed to cut the number of public bodies, introduce a greater degree of transparency and accountability for public bodies, and give the government new powers to abolish, merge, or transfer functions.

Source: Queen's Speech, 25 May 2010 

Links: Text of Speech | PCS press release | Guardian report (1) | Guardian report (2) | Telegraph report

Date: 2010-May

A report said that machinery of government changes were often announced at short notice, usually poorly managed, and always costly. It made recommendations designed to improve the long-standing problems faced when making major changes to the role of Whitehall departments.

Source: Anne White and Patrick Dunleavy, Making and Breaking Whitehall Departments: A guide to machinery of government changes, Institute for Government and London School of Economics 

Links: Report | IFG press release

Date: 2010-May

The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 was given Royal assent. The Act created a statutory basis for the civil service. Many other parts of the relevant Bill had to be abandoned following a failure to reach cross-party agreement prior to the general election.

Source: Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, Ministry of Justice/TSO

Links: Text of Act | Explanatory notes | MOJ press release

Date: 2010-Apr

A report by a committee of MPs said that the number of United Kingdom government ministers should be cut 'by as much as one third' to reduce costs and make Parliament more independent.

Source: Too Many Ministers?, Ninth Report (Session 2009-10), HC 457, House of Commons Public Administration Select Committee/TSO

Links: Report | Telegraph report | Guardian report | BBC report

Date: 2010-Mar

An audit report said that reorganizations to central government between 2005 and 2009 did not provide value for money, given that most had 'vague objectives' and that costs and benefits were not tracked. It estimated that the average annual cost of the reorganizations was almost £200 million.

Source: Reorganising Central Government, HC 452 (Session 2009-10), National Audit Office/TSO

Links: Report | NAO press release | IOG press release | BBC report | Guardian report

Date: 2010-Mar