The full list of bodies offering scientific advice, oversight and scrutiny to the UK government that are to be axed or reformed was released today, a part of the final account of the new coalition’s ‘bonfire of the quangos’.

As previously announced, among the high profile casualties are the respected Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and the Human Tissue Authority (see Nature’s previous coverage: UK embryo agency faces the axe).

The full quango reform list released today – interest in which has brought down the Cabinet Office website where it resides – lays bare the full extent of the reform in science advice.

In addition to those bodies being outright abolished, another swathe of expert committees and advisory boards are being brought closer to government by moving them inside their sponsoring departments. These include committees on hazardous substances, air quality, carcinogenicity.

Other science-related casualties include the Regional Development Agencies – which support local science, various medical advisory groups – including the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisations, and the National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts.