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Three more quangos are to be axed, First Minister Rhodri Morgan has announced following a review of the future of unelected bodies in Wales. The Welsh Language Board, the qualifications and curriculum authority ACCAC and Health Professions Wales will have their duties and staff transferred to the assembly government. Three other quangos will also lose much of their responsibilities. Three Wales-wide councils, for arts, sports and countryside will lose power. The Arts Council for Wales and Sports Council for Wales will become grant-giving bodies only and will no longer be responsible for strategy, policy and planning in their fields. The Countryside Council for Wales will no longer be responsible for implementing the Tir Gofal agri-environment scheme. In July, Mr Morgan announced that three of the largest quangos, the Welsh Development Agency, Wales Tourist Board and Education Learning Wales (Elwa) , would cease to exist by 2006. The move, announced in the assembly on Tuesday, will see around 240 staff transferred to the assembly government and should be in place by 2007. Mr Morgan said most people would still be surprised by the number of bodies that administer government policy in Wales "It really was about time we did something about that," he said. "Bringing in the 'Big Three' in July was a major step, and in this announcement we have gone a long way towards completing the job we started," he said. "This is a significant further shrinkage in the quango state." He added he was determined that continuity of business would be maintained. An assembly government spokesman said that no absolute guarantees could be given that no jobs would be lost, but denied that this was a job efficiency exercise. Health Professions Wales, which oversees training for NHS staff, was only set up in July. No significant changes have been proposed for the structure of the National Library of Wales or the National Museum and gallery of Wales but their relationship with the assembly government will be "strengthened". And no changes have been proposed for the structure of the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales or the Care Council for Wales either. The Welsh Conservatives described Tuesday's announcement as "an embarrassing climbdown". South Wales West AM Alun Cairns, said: "It is obvious that this policy has been drawn up on the back of a fag packet. "Rhodri Morgan promised a bonfire of the quangos but has pulled five of them from the flames because he didn't bother to do his homework properly." Plaid assembly leader Ieuan Wyn Jones said the assembly government "had not thought this process through properly". "Rhodri Morgan is more concerned about headlines in the papers rather than what is best for Wales," he said. Welsh Lib Dem assembly leader Mike German described the announcment as "a soaking wet squib". |
| BBC wales 2004 web site: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4054849.stm |
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Tuesday, November 30, 2004 |
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