Business Secretary
Vince Cable today announced the next step in cutting the number of
Department for Business quangos with the abolition of four more
partner organisations.
The Strategic Advisory Board for Intellectual Property policy
(SABIP), SITPRO (Simplifying International Trade) and the Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Advisory Body (WAB) will all
close in the next year. The British Shipbuilders Corporation will
be abolished next year.
The functions of SABIP will pass to the Intellectual Property
Office, and the functions carried out by the remaining
organisations will be passed to the Department for Business
Innovation and Skills.
The announcement comes as part of the Government’s commitment to
reducing the number and cost of quangos and builds on the 13
Public Bodies closures that have already been announced.
Business Secretary Vince Cable said:
“We are absolutely committed to reducing the number and cost of
quangos that we no longer need. I have already said that I want to
reduce the number of these bodies by a third and we’ve achieved a
lot in a short space of time. This is the latest phase of that
work.
”By bringing these functions back into Government, we make their
activities more accountable and can reduce the considerable
administrative costs that they place on the taxpayer.”
Today’s announcement brings the total number of BIS quangos to be
abolished, merged or receive no further funding from the
Department to 17. The next phase of streamlining, which is likely
to account for the remainder of bodies identified for in-year
reform, is expected to be announced in the Autumn.
Notes to editors
1. The annual cost of these bodies is £8.62 million, which
includes the liabilities met by British Shipbuilders.
2. BIS will continue to meet the liabilities of British
Shipbuilders, primarily compensation for personal injury.
3. The abolition, merger or termination of BIS funding of 13
Public Bodies was announced on 24 May 2010. Those bodies are:
seven Regional Industrial Development Boards: UfI/Learndirect;
Learning & Skills Improvement Service; Institute for
Learning; Standards and Verification UK; IiP UK; and Hearing Aid Council.
4. BIS' online newsroom contains the latest press
notices, speeches, as well as video and images for download. It
also features an up to date list of BIS press office contacts. See
http://www.bis.gov.uk/newsroom
for more information.
Contacts:
BIS Press Office
NDS.BIS@coi.gsi.gov.uk
Helen Cook
Phone: 020 7215 6963
Helen.Cook@bis.gsi.gov.uk