Several high-profile public service watchdogs are to be abolished amid a series of mergers to create a streamlined network of scrutiny bodies.

Several high-profile public service watchdogs are to be abolished amid a series of mergers to create a streamlined network of scrutiny bodies.

John Swinney, the Finance Secretary, yesterday revealed the plans which affect health, social work, water and prisons organisations, intended to free up staff and resources for frontline work.

NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is one of the major bodies which will disappear into a new single independent health scrutiny body, together with the Mental Welfare Commission and some independent sector functions of the Care Commission.

The Care Commission and the Social Work Inspectorate Agency will also cease to exist with a new organisation created to deal with both areas together with HM Inspectorate of Education's role in child protection.

A consultation on the role of the Charity Appeals Panel will take place to decide who should take over its duties, once it is abolished, and the Scottish Parliament will be asked to decide whether water industry and prisoners complaints should be dealt with by the Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman.

If so, Waterwatch would also be scrapped and incorporated with Consumer Focus, and the Prison Visiting Committee integrated with HM Inspector of Prisons.

The changes will reduce the number of scrutiny bodies from 29 to 23, with many accepting new responsibilities and several others unaffected, including those which are funded by the Scottish Parliament. That figure will fall to 21 if the consultations on abolishing the Prison Visiting Committee and Prison Complaints Commissioner are accepted.

NHS QIS gives advice on patient safety and new technology to health boards and sets standards for NHS organisations as well as distributing evidence on new research into treatment and methods.

Mr Swinney said: "In the current economic climate, it is more important than ever that all public services actively contribute to increasing sustainable economic growth. We need every ounce of effort to go on delivering first-class public services. The changes I am announcing will remove unnecessary burdens on staff, free up their time to focus on delivering public services and benefit people who use them.

"We will tackle the complex, and occasionally arbitrary, structures where too much time is absorbed in crossing organisational boundaries, getting in the way of efficient and effective services. In reducing the burden of scrutiny, however, we will always ensure we protect the interests of all members of society.

"We have a number of bodies working to join up but it is hard for the public to see who is looking holistically at the services they receive.

"Other changes will reduce the complexity of organisational structures and get better value for public money."

The changes will be implemented by 2011, and Mr Swinney said, although there would be a reduction in staffing, he was guaranteeing no compulsory redundancies.

Mr Swinney's announcement follows from last year's report by Professor Lorne Crerar, into public bodies scrutiny arrangements, set up by the previous Labour/Liberal Democrat administration.

Professor Crerar was pleased that most of his recommendations had been accepted by the Scottish Government.

He said: "I think it is very positive and represents very important steps forward. The review showed there was duplication and too much uncoordinated scrutiny, and this is a good step towards reducing that.

"Scrutiny bodies will also have more independence from parliament, which is a good thing and the changes are designed to ensure we do not lose the skills for scrutiny but work more in a coordinated and effective manner."

Opposition parties said yesterday they would need more time to look at the plan in more detail.

Andy Kerr, Labour finance spokesman, said: "I'm not sure the clarity which we expect at this point is available to us in terms of the examination of the proposals."

Derek Brownlee, of the Conservatives, said: "From the Conservative side I think we would welcome the broad thrust of the announcement today while obviously reserving the right to look at the