Public Bodies 2020

Public Bodies 2020 and its accompanying CD provides an overview of the ALB landscape at 31 March 2020 including all executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies and non-ministerial departments. It records a variety of data, including cost and staffing numbers.

Public bodies encompass a wide range of organisations with ties to the public sector such as local authorities,the police and army, and government bodies. This directory only contains information on central government arm’s length bodies (ALBs) - a specific category of public body that is administratively classified by the Cabinet Office. ALBs are executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies, and non-ministerial departments.

Executive agencies (EAs) are clearly designated (and financially viable) business units within departments and are responsible for undertaking the executive functions of that department, as distinct from giving policy advice.

Non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) have a role in the process of national government but are not part of a government department. They operate at arm’s length from ministers, though a minister will be responsible to Parliament for the administration and performance of the NDPBs in their departments.

Non-ministerial departments (NMDs) operate similarly to normal government departments in the functions they perform (though they are usually more specialised and not as wide-ranging in the policy areas they cover). They generally cover matters for which direct political oversight is judged unnecessary or inappropriate.