Concern at 'quangocrats' soaking up the sunshine

QUANGO staff have been granted permission to work from abroad more than 2,000 times, including in sunny Spain, France and Italy.

- By David Williamson CHIEF POLITICAL COMMENTATOR

Since 2019, the taxpayer-funded organisations let workers fulfil their tasks overseas on 2,145 occasions.

The TaxPayers' Alliance contacted 169 of the arm's length bodies under the Freedom of Information Act and 55 confirmed granting permission for employees to work from abroad.

It was given 361 times by the Office for National Statistics, 292 by the UK Atomic Energy Authority, 243 by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, 225 by UK Sport and 146 by the Food Standards Agency. Nearly half - 873 were given for "personal reasons".