Cameron Would 'Cut' Quangos

Opposition Leader David Cameron has said a Tory government would reduce the number of non-departmental bodies, but denied his party was planning a "bonfire of quangos".

Mr Cameron said a cut in the number of unelected organisations would save money and improve efficiencies.

Under Conservative plans one school body would be closed, while Ofcom, which regulates the media industry, would lose its policy making power.

Mr Cameron has asked his Shadow Cabinet to highlight other quangos under their remit which could be axed.

Earlier the government announced proposals to strip back spending on unnecessary bodies, to ensure more money is injected into front line services such as hospitals.

Mr Cameron told the BBC: "There are some quangos that have a technical function - inspecting nuclear installations. Or they have a transparency function - like the Office for National Statistics.

"But in too many cases these organisations have got bigger and bigger. They spend about £64bn a year, they start having their own communications departments, their own press officers; they start making policy rather than just delivering policy - and their bosses are paid vast amounts of money."

He said Ofcom would lose its policy-making functions and the schools' Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency (QCDA), which formulates the national curriculum, would be closed.

He claimed 68 quango heads were now paid more than the prime minister.

"Too many state actions, services and decisions are carried out by people who cannot be voted out by the public, by organisations that feel no pressure to answer for what happens, in a way that is completely unaccountable," added Mr Cameron.

(PR/BMcC)