DOWNING STREET’S reassessment of 300 quangos must have “clear objectives and rationale,” Prospect union said yesterday.

The public bodies will reportedly be tested against a series of criteria, including whether they duplicate work being carried out by ministers and government departments.

Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy said: “Specialist civil servants working around the country in arm’s-length bodies do incredibly important work that is often underappreciated in Westminster.

“If these functions are to be brought back into central departments then there need to be clear objectives and rationale for doing so.

“Many arm’s-length bodies have advisory roles and important safety functions which require independence from central government, there must be clarity on how this would be maintained if organisations are merged.

“Above all, any reorganisation must not jeopardise the essential expertise and specialist skills contained within arm’s-length bodies, and must make it easier to recruit and retain the specialists the Civil Service needs.”