Quasi-autonomous non-government organisation

The term Quasi-autonomous non-government organisation (or QUANGO) was originally invented as a joke, but fell into common usage in the United Kingdom to describe the agencies produced by the growing trend of government devolving power to appointed bodies.

These appointed bodies performed a large variety of tasks, for example [health trusts]?, or the [Welsh Development Board]?, and by 1992 were responsible for some 25% of all governement expenditure in the UK.

Critics argued that the system was open to abuse as most quangos had their members directly appointed by government ministers without an election or consultation with the people. The press, critical of what was perceived as the Conservatives complacency in power in the 1990s, presented many questionable government practices. Amongst those QUANGOs investigated, it was found that in London hospital trusts, over 70% of the members had direct family links ministers and MPs in the Conservative party.

Whilst critism of this style of government has been less prevalent in recent years, the system has not been dismantled by the new Labour government.