The Government of the United Kingdom contains a number of Ministries, known in the United Kingdom as Government Departments.
Types of Government Department
- Ministerial Departments are led politically by a Government Minister, and cover matters that require direct political oversight. For most Departments, the Government Minister in question is known as a Secretary of State and is a member of the Cabinet. He or she is generally supported by a team of junior Ministers. The administrative management of the Department is led by a senior civil servant known as a Permanent Secretary.
- Non-ministerial departments generally cover matters for which direct political oversight is judged unnecessary or inappropriate. They and are headed by senior civil servants. Some fulfil a regulatory or inspection function, and their status is therefore intended to protect them from political interference.
(See also Executive agency. Executive agencies are Government organisations that have been given autonomy to perform an operational function. They usually report to one or more specific Government Departments.)
List of Departments of the United Kingdom Government
For some Departments, this list includes some executive agencies which report to it.
Ministerial Departments
Non-Ministerial Departments
Unsorted
See also
Last updated: 05-03-2005 17:50:55