Hunt for source of quango lists leak

The head of the civil service has launched a mole-hunt after the leak of lists of around 180 public bodies apparently facing abolition in a "bonfire of the quangos".

The lists, obtained by a national newspaper and the BBC, indicated that organisations ranging from the Health Protection Agency to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, Commission for Integrated Transport and School Food Trust are in line for the axe.

But Cabinet minister Eric Pickles suggested the lists were out of date, saying the government's plans "may have moved on" since it was drawn up.

"We did say we were going to reduce the number of quangos," the Communities Secretary said. "We will be making an announcement in due course. It's a bit dated that document. I think things may have moved on."

Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell ordered an immediate investigation into the leak. A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "We deeply regret any extra uncertainty for employees that this irresponsible leak has caused."

The spokesman said ministers had already made clear they were "committed to radically increasing accountability and improving efficiency", which would involve substantial reforms to public bodies.

The first document, dated 26 August named 180 quangos which would be abolished, 124 to be merged, 56 to be retained "with substantial reform" and 282 to be preserved. Meanwhile, a separate - but very similar - undated list put the figures at 177 abolitions, four privatisations, 129 mergers and 350 reprieves.

In a letter to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude said that the changes "are intended primarily to increase accountability, but will also support the aims of the spending review by reducing costs and support our ambitions for a Big Society by encouraging alternative devolved or non-state delivery models".