Spending on quangos up under Brown

Public spending on quangos has risen by almost £10 billion in the past two years, according to new figures from the Cabinet Office.

Since Gordon Brown became Prime Minister the annual figure has increased by more than 25 per cent from £37 billion to £46.5 billion.

The survey of non-departmental public bodies was published unannounced on the Cabinet Office website yesterday. It shows that while the number of quangos fell from 827 to 766 between 2007 and 2009, the number of employees has risen from 95,000 to 110,000.

The Government announced a drive to cut quango costs as part of its efficiency savings package last year.