MPs rate quangos bottom in league tables

The Child Support Agency (CSA) has been slammed as ineffective by MPs, coming bottom of a league table of public bodies, according to a poll published yesterday.

The finding contrasts sharply with approval for the Audit Commission public spending watchdog, which topped the effectiveness chart, with 55% of MPs praising it as somewhat or very effective and just 8% saying it was ineffective.

Seven out of 10 MPs rated the CSA as somewhat or very ineffective in the poll of a representative sample of 125 MPs, carried out by the think tank nfpSynergy. Just 16% thought it somewhat or very effective.

The CSA has come under fire for most of its existence, with the latest debacle emerging in February when work and pensions secretary Andrew Smith admitted a new ?450m computer system could be ditched if it was not made to work properly.

Official figures released in November last year showed that only 4% of the 150,000 people applying for payment to the CSA had received any cash since the new system was launched in April 2003.

The Financial Services Authority (rated ineffective by 39% of the MPs polled), the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Charity Commission all failed to secure more positive than negative ratings.

The Audit Commission's positive result saw it beat the Environment Agency - rated effective by 45% of MPs - and the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and Local Government Association, both seen as effective by 38% of MPs.

Opinion was polarised over the Commission for Racial Equality - 30% of those polls giving it a positive effectiveness rating compared with 25% rating it negatively.

The quangos, termed non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) or arm's length bodies in government jargon, face an uncertain future, with Sir Peter Gershon's efficiency review expected to recommend that some be axed or merged in a bid to cut the costs of red tape.

Joe Saxton, co-founder of nfpSynergy, said: "This is bad news for organisations that do not work with MPs effectively - after all it is the MPs who could create the climate in which organisations are merged, budgets reduced or increased and legislation scrutinised.

"Indeed today's backbenchers could be tomorrow's ministers and choose to close down organisations they consider to be failing."

One MP told the anonymous survey: "There are serious constitutional problems over the lack of accountability of NDPBs. Cutting their budgets, powers and numbers would help, but I am also attracted to the idea of hearings and select committees for chief executives of these organisations."

Mr Saxton said: "Overall, quangos do very badly in our poll. We surveyed nearly 40 charities and NDPBs at the same time and asked MPs to judge their effectiveness. Out of the top 20 most effective organisations, only one was a quango - the Audit Commission - and the rest were charities. Public bodies don't appear to give sufficient respect or resource to the views and attitudes of MPs."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Work and Pensions, which covers the CSA, said: "It is natural that MPs will hear about problems their constituents may have but it is worth noting that the agency's published results show an effective outcome being achieved for around 75% of the agency's clients. Our staff are working hard to improve on that number."

The agency had dedicated phone lines to deal with MPs' queries, she said.