Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom

The Government of the United Kingdom is divided into departments that each have responsibility, according to the government, for putting government policy into practice.^[1] There are currently 24 ministerial departments, 20 non-ministerial departments, and 422 agencies and other public bodies, for a total of 465 departments.^[2]

Ministerial departments

Ministerial departments are generally the most high-profile government departments and differ from the other two types of government departments in that they include ministers. A list of all ministerial departments is shown below.

Non-ministerial departments

Non-ministerial departments are headed by civil servants and usually have a regulatory or inspection function.^[50] A list of all non-ministerial departments is shown below.

Agencies and other public bodies

Government departments in this third and final category can generally be split into five types:^[50]

• Executive agencies, which usually provide government services rather than decide policy
• Executive non-departmental public bodies, which do work for the government in specific areas
• Advisory non-departmental public bodies, which provide independent and expert advice to ministers
• Tribunal non-departmental public bodies, which are part of the justice system and have jurisdiction over a specific area of the law
• Independent monitoring boards, which are responsible for the running of prisons and the treatment of prisoners

See also

• Office of the Prime Minister
• Politics of the United Kingdom
• Civil Service

Notes

1. Part of the Cabinet Office.

References

1. "How government works". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
2. "Departments, agencies and public bodies". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
3. "Attorney General". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
4. "Attorney General's Office". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
5. "The Cabinet Secretary has appointed Cat Little as the new Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office". GOV.UK.
6. "Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 10 November 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
7. "Sarah Munby". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 23 July 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
8. "Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 5 April 2019.
9. "Sarah Healey". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
10. "Secretary of State for Education". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
11. "Susan Acland-Hood". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
12. "Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
13. "Tamara Finkelstein". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 19 March 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
14. "Secretary of State for Transport". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
15. "Bernadette Kelly CB". GOV.UK. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
16. "Secretary of State for Work and Pensions". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
17. "Peter Schofield". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
18. "Secretary of State for Health and Social Care". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
19. "Sir Chris Wormald KCB". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 14 September 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
20. "Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 23 July 2016. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
21. "UK Export Finance". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
22. "Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2 September 2020. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
23. "Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 24 December 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
24. "Chancellor of the Exchequer". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
25. "Tom Scholar". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 19 August 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
26. "Secretary of State for the Home Department". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
27. "Matthew Rycroft CBE". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
28. "Secretary of State for Defence". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
29. "David Williams". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
30. "Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 23 March 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
31. "Jeremy Pocklington". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 26 September 2015. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
32. "Responsibilities: Oversight of all portfolios and Ministry of Justice strategy" [1]
33. "The Rt Hon Alex Chalk KC MP". GOV.UK.
34. "Antonia Romeo". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 20 May 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
35. "Permanent Secretary for the Northern Ireland Office". Retrieved 18 November 2023.
36. "The Scotland Office and Office of the Advocate General for Scotland report to the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Advocate General for Scotland respectively." [2]
37. "HM Advocate General for Scotland - GOV.UK". gov.uk.
38. "The Director of OAG is responsible for overseeing all legal services provided by OAG to the UK government, and for overseeing delivery of OAG's objectives as set out in its Business Plan." [3]
39. "Office of the Advocate General for Scotland". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
40. "List of Ministerial Responsibilities Including Executive Agencies and Non-Ministerial Departments" (PDF). assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. July 2023.
41. "About us". Office of the Leader of the House of Commons. gov.uk.
42. "Office of the Leader of the House of Commons". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
43. "About us".
44. "Office of the Leader of the House of Lords". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 5 April 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
45. "Secretary of State for Scotland - GOV.UK". gov.uk.
46. "Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 21 January 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
47. "Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland". Retrieved 6 July 2024.
48. "Glynne Jones CBE". GOV.UK.
49. "Office of the Secretary of State for Wales". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 22 January 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
50. "How government works". gov.uk. Archived from the original on 16 January 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2021.

External links

• How government works - GOV.UK
• Departments, agencies and public bodies - GOV.UK