Arm’s Length Bodies Review 2026-09-10
2026-09-10
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The review of arm's length bodies is ongoing, affecting over 300 organisations with significant public spending.
What progress has been made on the review of arm's length bodies?
The Government have reviewed all 306 active arm's length bodies, and we have commitments to reform over a third of them. Devolution by default means that we will transfer functions of arm's length bodies to local leaders or return them to Departments, because all critical decisions should be taken by Ministers who are directly accountable to Parliament and the public.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific reforms, timelines, and savings figures were not provided
I Answered On Arm'S Length Bodies, Not Quangos
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
Quangos spend over £390 billion a year, and last year, Ministers promised a full review. The questioner seeks details on scrapped bodies and savings.
There are actually over 400 quangos in existence, which spend over £390 billion a year—that is £1 in every £3 spent by the Government. Last year, Ministers promised a full review of those quangos; as an accountant, we would call that zero-based budgeting. Will the Minister tell the House how many of those bodies have been scrapped and how much has been saved?
I am afraid that the hon. Member appears to have not fully heard my initial response, which I believe addresses a lot of the issues he has raised. His question was about arm's length bodies, so of course I answered on arm's length bodies—there are 306 of them, and we are reviewing over a third.
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Assessment & feedback
Specific reforms, timelines, and savings figures were not provided
I Answered On Arm'S Length Bodies, Not Quangos
I Answered On The Initial Question, Not Quangos
Response accuracy