THE Coalition's bonfire of the quangos over the last two years has saved £1.4 billion and is on target to save the taxpayer £2.6 billion by 2015, or £150 per household, Francis Maude, the Cabinet Office minister, announced.

So far, 106 public bodies have been closed with another 150 merged into 70. The aim over the next three years is to cut Britain's quangocracy by a total of more than 300 bodies.

"In 2010, we inherited a bloated quangocracy that had spiralled out of control," explained Mr Maude. "Not only were these unaccountable bodies costing the taxpayer billions but they were duplicating bureaucracy."

He said in the past people had "just talked the talk on quango reform" but the Coalition took swift action by legislating to enable departments to deliver reforms by closing down unnecessary public bodies.

"The changes we have already made will save £1.4 billion but by 2015 the Government will save the taxpayer a total of more than £2.6 billion."

The minister pointed out that the closure of 106 bodies together with the merger of 150 more into 70 meant the Coalition was only halfway through the first phase of its programme.

Mr Maude insisted the UK Government had been more transparent about quangos and who works for them than any previous government.

Among those quangos to have closed, include the regional development agencies in England, 11 school bodies south of the Border, canals and waterways bodies across the UK and the Child Support Agency.