The SNP has created 24 new quangos since it was elected in May, despite promises by Alex Salmond to cut Scotland's 200 quangos by a quarter at the SNP conference in Aviemore.

Quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations, known colloquially as quangos, can be consultative committees, groups or commissions.

Critics say they complicate government and create needless layers of bureaucracy.

The 24 new bodies created since May include the Scottish Broadcasting Commission and the National Working Group on Young Runaways.

The total running costs of these 24 quangos is estimated at around £781,000.

The revelation came out as Lothian Labour MSP Lord George Foulkes confronted Finance Secretary John Swinney about the quangos.

Lord Foulkes said: "For every two quangos the SNP promised to scrap they've created one new one. This is a new quango every week. At this rate by 2011 they will have doubled the number."

Alex Salmond and the SNP have been recently accused on reneging of many of their manifesto promises, including pledges on university funding and classroom sizes.

Mr Swinney said that most of the groups created since May were intended to have a short life-span.