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. 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", making reference to Girolamo Savonarola's religiously inspired Bonfire of the Vanities. The cuts and closures received criticism in some quarters, but was generally welcomed by the business community.
Categorisation of reform
On 14 October, the government released a document entitled 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.
Quangos to be abolished
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills- Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Arbitration Tribunal
- British Shipbuilders
- Union Modernisation Fund Supervisory Board
- Office for Civil Society Advisory Body
- Communities and Local Government
- Advisory Panel for the Local Innovation Awards Scheme
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department of Energy and Climate Change
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
- Teachers TV Board of Governors
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
- Railway Heritage Committee
Quangos to be abolished with reservations
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
- British Nuclear Fuels Limited
- Competition Service
- Copyright Tribunal
- Design Council
- Hearing Aid Council
- NESTA
- Regional development agencies
- BIS SITPRO Limited
- Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property
- Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Advisory Body
- Civil Service Appeal Board
- Commission for the Compact
- Government Strategic Marketing Advisory Board
- Main Honours Advisory Committee
- Security Commission
- 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
- Thurrock Development Corporation
- Valuation Tribunal for England
- Valuation Tribunal Service
- West Northamptonshire Development Corporation
- 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
- 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
- British Educational Communications and Technology Agency
- General Teaching Council for England
- Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency
- School Food Trust
- 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
- 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
- BRB Limited
- Cycling England
- Renewable Fuels Agency
- Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission
- Disability Employment Advisory Committee
- Disability Living Allowance / Attendance Allowance Advisory Board
Quangos to be merged
- Ofcom
- Central Arbitration Committee
- Certification Office
- Competition Commission
- Office of Fair Trading
- Postcomm
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
- Pensions Ombudsman
- Pensions Protection Fund Ombudsman
Quangos to be reviewed
- 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.
- Office for Fair Access
- Student Loans Company
- UK Atomic Energy Authority
- UK Commission for Employment and Skills
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
- 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
- Diplomatic Service Appeals Board
- Foreign Compensation Commission
- Great Britain China Centre
- UK India Round Table
- Advisory Panel on Public Sector Information
- Judicial Appointments Commission
- Judicial Appointments and Conduct Ombudsman