Britain’s Quangos Uncovered: Almost three hundred quangocrats sitting on multiple quango boards

Embargoed: 22:30 Monday 21st April 2025

• TPA launches new project, Britain’s Quangos Uncovered with revelations that 285 individuals sat on multiple quango boards in 2022-23.
  
  
• Members of the Board reveals that across 398 quangos there were 4,605 board members receiving £125.8 million in remuneration.
  
  
• One individual, Martin Spencer, sat on nine boards, missing 28 per cent of meetings during the year.

As part of a new project lifting the lid on Britain’s quango-state, called Britain’s Quangos Uncovered, the TaxPayers’ Alliance today reveals that in 2022-23 there were 285 individuals sitting on more than one quango board, including one individual who sat on a total of nine boards.

The TPA has been one of the most prominent campaigners calling for greater transparency on the quango state, while criticising ministers who delegate powers and responsibility for what should be democratically accountable decision-making. The group recently welcomed the Labour government’s announcement that these bodies needed to justify their existence or be shut down, but warned: “For too long, Britain’s sprawling network of quangos has operated in the shadows.”

Members of the Board reveals that there were a total of 4,605 positions on the boards of 398 quangos in 2022-23, an increase of 6 per cent from 2018-19, the last time this data was compiled.

Quangos are usually governed by a board comprising executive and non-executive members. However, appointees often face little scrutiny before taking up their post, both from the public and parliamentarians. These members received at least £125.8 million in remuneration in 2022-23, despite missing 2,230 out of 21,332 board meetings - or 10.5 per cent.

Of the 285 individuals sitting on more than one board, 247 sat on two boards, 31 on three boards, five on four boards, one on six boards and one, Martin Spencer, on nine boards. The chair of Network Rail, Peter Hendy, received the most in remuneration at £316,000 of any board member.

The TPA is calling for ministers to ensure that any “bonfire of the quangos” does not simply shuffle functions of government around different agencies and departments, but instead leads to the abolition or repeal of specific regulations or legislation. 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL RESEARCH

Key findings:

• There were at least 4,605 positions on the boards of 398 quangos in 2022-23, an increase of 6 per cent from 2018-19. Of these, 3,824 positions were non-executive. 
• From 2018-19 to 2022-23, at least 17 new quangos were established.
• At least 285 quango board members sat on more than one board in 2022-23. This included: 

• • one person who sat on nine boards, 
  • one person who sat on six boards, 
  • five people who sat on four boards,
  • 31 who sat on three boards, 
  • and 247 who sat on two boards. 

• Members were collectively eligible to attend 21,332 board meetings in 2022-23, of which 10.5 per cent or 2,230 were missed.
• Martin Spencer sat on nine quango boards in 2022-23, the most of any individual.
• This included being a non-executive board member, director, or commissioner for the following organisations: Ofsted, the Civil Service Commission, Companies House, the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority, the Education and Skills Funding Agency, the Legal Ombudsman, NHS Counter Fraud Authority, and Submarine Delivery Agency. 

• Of the 65 meetings he was eligible to attend in 2022-23, he missed 18, or 28 per cent. 
• His total remuneration for holding these positions in 2022-23 was £145,000. 

• Emir Feisal sat on six quango boards in 2022-23, the second most of any individual. 

• • This included being a non-executive board member, director, or commissioner for the following organisations: the Serious Fraud Office, the British Transport Police Authority, Companies House, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, the Judicial Appointments Commission and the Pensions Ombudsman. 
  • He was eligible to attend 32 meetings at four of these organisations in 2022-23, of which he attended 23, missing 28 per cent. 
  • His total remuneration for holding these positions in 2022-23 was £70,500.

• Remuneration of all quango board members in 2022-23 was at least £125.8 million, with remuneration for non-executive members comprising £27.5 million of this sum. 
• In 2022-23, the average remuneration for a non-executive main board chair position was £44,694, while the average remuneration for a non-executive board member position (excluding main board chairs) was £11,052.
• Peter Hendy, chair of Network Rail, received £316,000 in total remuneration in 2022-23, the highest of any non-executive board member. 
• Caroline Ackah and Bill Pauley missed the most meetings in a single role, at nine each. Both were eligible to attend 11 meetings as non-executive board members for the Police Service of Northern Ireland. They attended just two.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL RESEARCH

John, O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said:

"It’s never been more important that Britain’s quangos are uncovered, to ensure that they are genuinely delivering a necessary service which cannot or should not be provided under direct ministerial control.

“The massive expansion of the quango state is clear from the thousands of board members that oversee them. These are often unknown figures running bodies that most have never heard of, but which hold significant control of taxpayers’ money.

“The government needs to ensure that any bonfire of the quangos is more than just a smokescreen and leads to the abolition of unnecessary functions, as well as bringing decision making under democratic control and reducing bureaucratic duplication.”


TPA spokespeople are available for live and pre-recorded broadcast interviews via 07795 084 113 (no texts)

Media contact:

Elliot Keck
Head of Campaigns, TaxPayers' Alliance
[email protected]
24-hour media hotline: 07795 084 113 (no texts)

Notes to editors:

1. Founded in 2004 by Matthew Elliott and Andrew Allum, the TaxPayers' Alliance (TPA) campaigns to reform taxes and public services, cut waste and speak up for British taxpayers. Find out more at www.taxpayersalliance.com.
   
   
2. TaxPayers' Alliance's research council.
   
   
3. The TaxPayers’ Alliance have long been critics of quangos. In 2008 we published a full list of the UK’s quango industry, with a detailed run-down of the staff and cost of the 1,162 bodies, boards and agencies that make up Britain’s Unseen Government.
   
   
4. Find out more about the Britain’s Quangos Uncovered project here.