News Search Search this site or the web powered by FreeFind Site search Web search Story archive		13-06-2005 The Scotsman Quango kings and queens who profit as 'bonfire' threat turns into a damp squib Gethin Chamberlain, Chief News Correspondent THE Scottish Executive is pouring GBP 1.68 billion a year more into unelected public bodies than it did four years ago - despite repeated promises by senior Labour politicians to light a bonfire of the quangos. The massive increase in spending includes an annual salary bill in excess of GBP 4 million to pay for hundreds of officials to sit on quango boards. One couple, Alan and Morag Alexander, between them earn more than GBP 85,000 a year from part-time posts. Lord Eassie, chairman of the Scottish Law Commission, is the highest earner, pulling in GBP 155,404 a year for working 2½ days a week. Despite pledges dating back to 1995, when Gordon Brown pledged a "bonfire of the quangos", the Executive now has responsibility for 144 public bodies, just seven fewer than in 2001 when Henry McLeish launched an all-out assault on such agencies. Between them, they spend GBP 9.577 billion a year, up from GBP 7.894 billion in 2001 - around GBP 4,560 for each of Scotland's 2.1 million taxpayers. Brian Monteith, Conservative MSP and convener of the Scottish Parliament's audit committee, said: "It is not a question of how many quangos there are but how much public funds they control and the lack of accountability their arms-length appeal brings. That is the big worry. "We spend GBP 40 million a year on a parliament of politicians and should be making more quangos responsible to parliament rather than ministers who have repeatedly shown they will use quangos as a way of sidestepping responsibilities." The Executive defended the increase in spending, asking how anyone would begrudge more money going into bodies such as health boards. A spokesman said: "Public bodies in Scotland impact on almost every aspect of our lives and should have appropriate levels of funding to allow them to carry out their diverse range of functions. The level of grant support the Executive as a whole receives has also increased over this period." Labour first pledged to crack down on quangos before the 1997 election but it was Mr McLeish who made a bonfire of the quangos a key task for his administration in 2000. In January 2001, Angus MacKay, then finance minister, pledged a "rigorous, radical review". "If the case is not made for a quango, we will abolish it," he said. Four years on, just seven have gone, say the Executive's own figures: Scottish Homes; the Scottish Conveyancing and Executry Services Board; the Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland; the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland; the Scottish Hospital Trust; the Scottish Medical Practices Committee and the Scottish Transport Group. Prof Alan Alexander, a former Labour Party parliamentary candidate, collects GBP 63,270 a year for his roles as chairman of Scottish Water, member of the Accounts Commission and member of the Economic and Social Research Council. He spends 2½ days a week on his chairmanship. His wife Morag gets GBP 22,669 to chair the Scottish Social Services Council as well as sitting on the Care Commission board. Prof Alexander said: "I work very hard." Prof Susan Walker sits on the three boards - the Deer Commission for Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage. Keith Geddes, ex-Labour leader of Edinburgh Council, receives GBP 23,233 as deputy chairman of Scottish Natural Heritage and for putting in 1½ days a month on the Accounts Commission board. Big quango earners include: * Lex Gold, GBP 37,210 from Lanarkshire NHS Board/NHS National Services Scotland. * James Royan, GBP 36,510 from Grampian NHS Board and the Scottish Ambulance Service. * Prof James McGoldrick, GBP 32,493 from Fife NHS Board and the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council. * Jean Couper, GBP 33,103 for chairing the Scottish Legal Aid Board and sitting for 1½ days a month on the board of the Accounts Commission. * Dr Lindsay Burley, GBP 30,250 from NHS Education for Scotland and the National Waiting Times Centre Board. * Ann Markham, GBP 30,250 from NHS National Services Scotland/NHS Education for Scotland. * William Brackenridge, GBP 29,513 from Highlands And Islands Airports Ltd and the Scottish Ambulance Service. Most board chairmen earn more than the Scottish national average wage of GBP 22,230, working between 1½ and three days a week. Board members average two to three days a month. In its own literature, the Executive says "new public bodies will continue to be created where this is clearly the best mechanism for getting work done". There is no sign of an end to the appointments. Scottish Enterprise is advertising a GBP 9,651-a-year position requiring two days' work a month - equivalent to GBP 402 a day - while the Parole Board is looking for a chairman to put in 100 days a year in return for GBP 33,500.
		................................................................................................................. Copyright ©2004 Gethin Chamberlain. All rights reserved.