What are quangos?
Quangos are public bodies that operate at arm's-length from government, but for which ministers are ultimately accountable. For this reason, ministers are usually responsible for appointments. The term, which is American in origin, stands for quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation. These days, the preferred acronym is NDPB, for non-departmental public body. The full cast list includes major players such as London Transport, the environment agency, the BBC, the pay review bodies and the nationalised industries. But many are more obscure. Have you heard of the zoos forum, the advisory committee on historic wreck sites, or the apple and pear research council?
Who sits on them?
Anyone with the necessary talent and experience is entitled to be nominated. The overriding selection criterion is merit, although the final composition of the body should represent the community it serves. Some express concern that merit can take second place in the rush to meet equal opportunities criteria.
How many quangos are there?
There were 1,057 non-departmental public bodies at the last count - responsible for a total budget of £23bn. In addition, there are around 500 NHS trust and health authority boards. Groups such as magistrates and school governors are not quangos.
Has the UK always been run by quangos?
No. Earlier this century, you could count the number of semi-autonomous public bodies - such as the British Council and the BBC - on the fingers of both hands. But, in the 1970s, they began to mushroom, and, at their peak, there were well over 2,000 of them. The Thatcher government set about dismantling many of them - but also found it necessary to create additional ones.
How can I get on to a quango?
There are a number of different ways of being selected. Some jobs are advertised in the national and specialist press, while others may be advertised through internal websites. Sometimes names are put forward by so-called 'nominating bodies' - groups, such as trade unions or consumer bodies, that are independent of the quango in question. Most government departments maintain lists of potential candidates, while the public appointments unit holds a central register of applicants who have expressed a general interest in being a member of a public body.
What would I be letting myself in for?
Some jobs are full-time, while others only require a few hours commitment a month. Most are unpaid, others offer a daily fee, and some an annual payment or salary. According to the last annual report published by the commissioner of public appointments, 1% of those appointed or reappointed last year took home more than £50,000, and 10% earned between £10,000 and £50,000.
Are most of these appointments politically influenced?
A surprisingly small number of appointees have active political backgrounds - candidates have to declare whether they have been politically active in the past five years, but not whether they belong to a political party. Even in the health service, where controversy has been greatest, fewer than 15% of those appointed last year declared a political affiliation. But the politics of the government clearly influences the politics of quango members. In the final year of the Tory government, for instance, 14% of newly appointed chairs were Tory, compared to 2.3% for Labour. Last year the figures had reversed, with nearly 15% Labour chairs and just 3.4% Tory.
Does anyone keep a check on how appointments are made?
The post of commissioner for public appointments was created in the wake of the Nolan report in 1995. It is held by Dame Rennie Fritchie, who succeeded Sir Len Peach last year. Her role is to regulate, monitor and report on the public appointments process. However, only 12,500 of the total 35,000 public body appointments come within her remit.
What was Nolan?
The Nolan committee, chaired by Lord Nolan, was set up to examine standards of public life in the wake of the cash for questions row and other accusations of sleaze. He recommended that all appointments should be subject to independent scrutiny, that merit should be the overriding principle governing appointments, and that all public bodies should follow a code of conduct.
