Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom explained

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.

Ministerial department	Minister responsible<		-- This list should aim to reflect the official source of record, the UK Government's official page on "Departments, agencies and public bodies", and its sublist "Ministerial departments".https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations. If in doubt, any sort of reference that says that the minister has "responsibility", "leadership", or "oversight" (whether that be "overall" or for something similar like "the work" or "all portfolios") for the department, or that the department "reports to" the minister, is enough. -->	Civil servant responsible
Attorney General's Office	100px	The Rt Hon The Lord Hermer PC KC Attorney General for England and Wales and Advocate General for Northern Ireland	Douglas Wilson OBE Director-General	^[3] ^[4]
Cabinet Office		The Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster	The Rt Hon Simon Case CVO Cabinet Secretary, Head of the Civil Service Catherine Little CB Permanent Secretary	^[5]
Department for Business and Trade		The Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds MP Secretary of State for Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade	Gareth Davies CB Permanent Secretary	^[6] ^[7]
Department for Culture, Media and Sport		Lisa Nandy MP Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport	Susannah Storey Permanent Secretary	^[8] ^[9]
Department for Education		The Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson MP Secretary of State for Education	Susan Acland-Hood Permanent Secretary	^[10] ^[11]
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero		The Rt Hon Ed Miliband MP Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero	Jeremy Pockington CB Permanent Secretary
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs		The Rt Hon Steve Reed OBE MP Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs	Tamara Finkelstein CB Permanent Secretary	^[12] ^[13]
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology		The Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology	Sarah Munby Permanent Secretary
Department for Transport		The Rt Hon Louise Haigh MP Secretary of State for Transport	Dame Bernadette Kelly DCB Permanent Secretary	^[14] ^[15]
Department for Work and Pensions		Liz Kendall MP Secretary of State for Work and Pensions	Sir Peter Schofield KCB Permanent Secretary	^[16] ^[17]
Department of Health and Social Care		Wes Streeting MP Secretary of State for Health and Social Care	Sir Chris Wormald KCB Permanent Secretary	^[18] ^[19]
Export Credits Guarantee Department (trading as UK Export Finance)		The Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds MP Secretary of State for Business and Trade and President of the Board of Trade	Tim Reid Chief Executive	^[20] ^[21]
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office		The Rt Hon David Lammy MP Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs	Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE Permanent Secretary	^[22] ^[23]
HM Treasury		The Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP Chancellor of the Exchequer and Second Lord of the Treasury	James Bowler CB Permanent Secretary	^[24] ^[25]
Home Office		The Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP Secretary of State for the Home Department	Sir Matthew Rycroft KCMG CBE Permanent Secretary	^[26] ^[27]
Ministry of Defence		The Rt Hon John Healey MP Secretary of State for Defence	David Williams CB Permanent Secretary	^[28] ^[29]
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government		The Rt Hon Angela Rayner MP Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Deputy Prime Minister	Sarah Healey CB CVO Permanent Secretary	^[30] ^[31]
Ministry of Justice		Shabana Mahmood KC MP Secretary of State for Justice and Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain^[32] ^[33]	Dame Antonia Romeo DCB Permanent Secretary & Clerk of the Crown in Chancery	^[34]
Northern Ireland Office		The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP Secretary of State for Northern Ireland	Julie Harrison Permanent Secretary	^[35]
Office of the Advocate General for Scotland		To be announced ^[36] ^[37] ^[38] Advocate General for Scotland	Neil Taylor Director & Solicitor to the Advocate General^[39]	^[40]
Office of the Leader of the House of Commons^[41]		Lucy Powell MP^[42] ^[43] Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council	N/A	^[44]
Office of the Leader of the House of Lords		The Rt Hon The Baroness Smith of Basildon PC^[45] Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal	N/A	^[46]
Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland		The Rt Hon Ian Murray MP^[47] Secretary of State for Scotland	Laurence Rockey Director	^[48] ^[49]
Wales Office		The Rt Hon Jo Stevens MP Secretary of State for Wales	Glynne Jones CBE Director^[50]	^[51]

Non-ministerial departments

Non-ministerial departments are headed by civil servants and usually have a regulatory or inspection function.^[52] A list of all non-ministerial departments is shown below.

Non-ministerial department
Charity Commission for England and Wales
Competition and Markets Authority
Crown Prosecution Service
Food Standards Agency
Forestry Commission
Government Actuary's Department
Government Legal Department
HM Land Registry
HM Revenue & Customs
National Savings and Investments
The National Archives
National Crime Agency
Office of Rail and Road
Office of Gas and Electricity Markets
Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation
Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills
Serious Fraud Office
Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
UK Statistics Authority
Water Services Regulation Authority

Agencies and other public bodies

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

• 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

External links

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

Notes and References

1. Web site: How government works. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20130116085400/https://www.gov.uk/government/how-government-works . 16 January 2013 .
2. Web site: Departments, agencies and public bodies. live. 8 January 2023. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20230108015927/https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations . 8 January 2023.
3. Web site: Attorney General. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405111225/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/attorney-general . 5 April 2012 .
4. Web site: Attorney General's Office. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405134942/https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/attorney-generals-office . 5 April 2012 .
5. Web site: The Cabinet Secretary has appointed Cat Little as the new Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office. GOV.UK.
6. Web site: Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20161110142048/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-business-energy-and-industrial-strategy . 10 November 2016 .
7. Web site: Sarah Munby. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20190723230507/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/sarah-munby . 23 July 2019 .
8. Web site: Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport . GOV.UK. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20190405035126/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-digital-culture-media-and-sport . 5 April 2019 .
9. Web site: Sarah Healey. live . 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20150413114551/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/sarah-healey . 13 April 2015 .
10. Web site: Secretary of State for Education. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405111108/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-education . 5 April 2012 .
11. Web site: Susan Acland-Hood. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20160222113251/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/susan-acland-hood . 22 February 2016 .
12. Web site: Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405111005/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-environment-food-and-rural-affairs . 5 April 2012 .
13. Web site: Tamara Finkelstein. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20150319200856/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/tamara-finkelstein . 19 March 2015 .
14. Web site: Secretary of State for Transport. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405110556/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-transport . 5 April 2012 .
15. Web site: Bernadette Kelly CB. 2021-06-16. GOV.UK. en.
16. Web site: Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405110546/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-work-and-pensions . 5 April 2012 .
17. Web site: Peter Schofield. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20130118213403/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/peter-schofield . 18 January 2013 .
18. Web site: Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. live. 26 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20190405005809/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-health-and-social-care . 5 April 2019 .
19. Web site: Sir Chris Wormald KCB. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20130914195240/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/chris-wormald . 14 September 2013 .
20. Web site: Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20160723121504/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-international-trade . 23 July 2016 .
21. Web site: UK Export Finance. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20130520003144/https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-export-finance . 20 May 2013 .
22. Web site: Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20200902104735/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-foreign-commonwealth-and-development-affairs . 2 September 2020 .
23. Web site: Sir Philip Barton KCMG OBE. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20151224052555/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/philip-barton . 24 December 2015 .
24. Web site: Chancellor of the Exchequer. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405110614/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/chancellor-of-the-exchequer . 5 April 2012 .
25. Web site: Tom Scholar. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20130819180337/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/tom-scholar . 19 August 2013 .
26. Web site: Secretary of State for the Home Department. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405111149/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-the-home-department . 5 April 2012 .
27. Web site: Matthew Rycroft CBE. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20130118163601/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/matthew-rycroft . 18 January 2013 .
28. Web site: Secretary of State for Defence. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405105931/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-defence . 5 April 2012 .
29. Web site: David Williams. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20130118165838/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/david-williams . 18 January 2013 .
30. Web site: Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20190323110534/https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-housing-communities-and-local-government . 23 March 2019 .
31. Web site: Jeremy Pocklington. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20150926022137/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/jeremy-pocklington . 26 September 2015 .
32. "Responsibilities: Oversight of all portfolios and Ministry of Justice strategy" https://www.gov.uk/government/ministers/secretary-of-state-for-justice
33. Web site: The Rt Hon Alex Chalk KC MP. GOV.UK.
34. Web site: Antonia Romeo. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20130520041248/https://www.gov.uk/government/people/antonia-romeo . 20 May 2013 .
35. Web site: Permanent Secretary for the Northern Ireland Office. 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." https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/243426/7109.pdf
37. Web site: HM Advocate General for Scotland - GOV.UK. gov.uk.
38. Web site: Lord Stewart of Dirleton QC. GOV.UK.
39. "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." https://www.gov.uk/government/people/neil-taylor--2
40. Web site: Office of the Advocate General for Scotland. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405141539/https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-advocate-general-for-scotland . 5 April 2012 .
41. Part of the Cabinet Office.
42. Web site: July 2023 . List of Ministerial Responsibilities Including Executive Agencies and Non-Ministerial Departments . assets.publishing.service.gov.uk.
43. Web site: About us. Office of the Leader of the House of Commons. gov.uk.
44. Web site: Office of the Leader of the House of Commons. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20130118145325/https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/the-office-of-the-leader-of-the-house-of-commons . 18 January 2013 .
45. Web site: About us.
46. Web site: Office of the Leader of the House of Lords. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20120405141413/https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-leader-of-the-house-of-lords . 5 April 2012 .
47. Web site: Secretary of State for Scotland - GOV.UK. gov.uk.
48. Web site: Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20180121233401/https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-secretary-of-state-for-scotland . 21 January 2018 .
49. Web site: Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland. 6 July 2024 .
50. Web site: Glynne Jones CBE. GOV.UK.
51. Web site: Office of the Secretary of State for Wales. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20170122083240/https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/office-of-the-secretary-of-state-for-wales . 22 January 2017 .
52. Web site: How government works. live. 16 June 2021. gov.uk. https://web.archive.org/web/20130116085400/https://www.gov.uk/government/how-government-works . 16 January 2013 .