I am concerned as to the lack of accuracy with respect to the box 'The List Goes On... Other Quangos' covers what the writer believes to be other quangos, and suggests that their existence may be under threat as a result of current government policy.
The list begins with The Meat & Livestock Commission, which effectively finished in 2002 with the establishment of Bpex, Eblex, Hybu Cig Cymru Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) and Quality Meat Scotland (QMS). The MLC was never a quango but was a non-departmental public body (NDPB).
Quangos are financed by UK taxpayers and therefore are open to the possibility of being scrapped as a result of government policy towards quangos. NDPBs are funded through statutory levy paid by the producers and processors and therefore present no burden to the UK taxpayer.
With the demise of the MLC, the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board was set up, bringing together other levy-funded farming NDPBs.
AHDB finally became a single entity on 1 April 2008.
The list then moves on to the British Potato Council. This, again, is not and never has been a quango, but is in fact an NDPB.
In addition, there once was a British Potato Council, but EU legislation required that the word 'British' be dropped from NDPBs and so, on 1 April 2008, this body was renamed The Potato Council. Today, The Potato Council, is not a quango but is an NDPB and again is no burden on the UK taxpayer.
The list then moves to the Home Grown Cereals Authority which is, of course, not a quango but an NDPB and therefore not a burden on the UK tax payer.
The Grocer is such a well-respected title and read by many of the retailers, processor and foodservice operators whom I and others within the AHDB speak to.
Such an inaccurate piece could potentially put us at a disadvantage, allowing for some to say that there is little point in interacting with us as we potentially could be scrapped as part of the reduction in quangos
Tony Goodger, trade sector manager, Bpex
The editor responds: Our aim was to flag up the many quangos and similar bodies that impact on this industry. It was not to cast judgement on their effectiveness or importance, but we clearly should have shown more due diligence in fact-checking the box-out copy and apologise for the errors.
The list begins with The Meat & Livestock Commission, which effectively finished in 2002 with the establishment of Bpex, Eblex, Hybu Cig Cymru Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) and Quality Meat Scotland (QMS). The MLC was never a quango but was a non-departmental public body (NDPB).
Quangos are financed by UK taxpayers and therefore are open to the possibility of being scrapped as a result of government policy towards quangos. NDPBs are funded through statutory levy paid by the producers and processors and therefore present no burden to the UK taxpayer.
With the demise of the MLC, the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board was set up, bringing together other levy-funded farming NDPBs.
AHDB finally became a single entity on 1 April 2008.
The list then moves on to the British Potato Council. This, again, is not and never has been a quango, but is in fact an NDPB.
In addition, there once was a British Potato Council, but EU legislation required that the word 'British' be dropped from NDPBs and so, on 1 April 2008, this body was renamed The Potato Council. Today, The Potato Council, is not a quango but is an NDPB and again is no burden on the UK taxpayer.
The list then moves to the Home Grown Cereals Authority which is, of course, not a quango but an NDPB and therefore not a burden on the UK tax payer.
The Grocer is such a well-respected title and read by many of the retailers, processor and foodservice operators whom I and others within the AHDB speak to.
Such an inaccurate piece could potentially put us at a disadvantage, allowing for some to say that there is little point in interacting with us as we potentially could be scrapped as part of the reduction in quangos
Tony Goodger, trade sector manager, Bpex
The editor responds: Our aim was to flag up the many quangos and similar bodies that impact on this industry. It was not to cast judgement on their effectiveness or importance, but we clearly should have shown more due diligence in fact-checking the box-out copy and apologise for the errors.
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