ABSTRACT
Quangos have been described as ‘the fringe in the fog’ of government (Jordan, 1994, 32). The sector is now a firmly established and integral part of the apparatus of governance and has replaced elected authorities as the natural home for government and the management of the public purpose (Skelcher, 1998). Quasi government raises questions about the accountability of government and the effectiveness of processes of governance. At the present time, the political agenda in the United Kingdom is dominated by a firm emphasis on the renewal of civil democracy, devolution, decentralisation, social inclusion and community empowerment (Giddens, 1998). Yet, it must follow that a continued or even increased reliance on quangos sits uncomfortably with this recasting of a middle ground between the conventional political debates associated with social democrats and neoliberals. This is certainly evident in Scotland at the present time, where the continued existence of quangos raises questions for the Scottish Parliament ‘about the place of formal ministerial and parliamentary mechanisms in securing accountability for devolved functions’ (Parry, 1999, 12). This chapter explores the nature of quasi government in Scotland. It considers some of the principal issues raised for the Scottish Parliament and its interest in community planning as the basis of local governance in a devolved Scotland.
