Central government

Government in the UK

The United Kingdom is a parliamentary democracy, based on universal suffrage. It is also a constitutional monarchy in which ministers of the Crown govern in the name of the Sovereign, who is both Head of State and Head of the Government. There is no written constitution; instead, the relationship between the State and the people relies on statute law, common law and conventions.

The UK Parliament makes primary legislation (other than for matters devolved to the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies) and is the highest authority in the land. It continues to have the supreme authority for government and law-making in the UK as a whole. The executive comprises the Government (members of the Cabinet and other ministers responsible for policies); government departments and agencies; local authorities; public corporations; independent regulatory bodies and certain other organisations subject to ministerial control. The judiciary determines common law and interprets statutes.

The following links are for many government departments and sevices.

• Directgov (www.direct.gov.uk/Homepage/fs/en)
• A-Z of Central Government (www.direct.gov.uk/QuickFind/AZOfCentralGovernment/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4003151&chk=h9oH%2BR)
• 10 Downing Street (www.number-10.gov.uk)
• Age Positive Website (www.agepositive.gov.uk)
• Audit Commission (www.audit-commission.gov.uk)
• Charity Commission (www.charity-commission.gov.uk)
• Department for Culture, Media and Sport (www.culture.gov.uk)
• Department for Education and Skills (DfES) (www.dfes.gov.uk)
• Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (www.defra.gov.uk)
• Department for Transport (www.dft.gov.uk)
• Department for Work and Pensions (www.dwp.gov.uk)
• Department of Health (www.dh.gov.uk/Home/fs/en)
• Department of Trade and Industry (www.dti.gov.uk)
• Direct Access Government (www.businesslink.gov.uk)
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.fco.gov.uk)
• GAC Government Arts Collections (www.gac.culture.gov.uk)
• Highways Agency (www.highways.gov.uk)
• HM Customs and Excise (www.hmce.gov.uk)
• Her Majesty's Stationery Office HMSO (www.hmso.gov.uk)
• HM Treasury (www.hm-treasury.gov.uk)
• Home Office (www.homeoffice.gov.uk)
• Houses of Parliament (www.parliament.uk)
• Inland Revenue (www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk)
• Office for National Statistics (www.statistics.gov.uk)
• Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (www.odpm.gov.uk)
• Office for Standards in Education OFSTED (www.ofsted.gov.uk)
• Office of Fair Trading (www.oft.gov.uk)
• Online Planning Offices (www.onlineplanningoffices.co.uk)
• South East Regional Assembly (www.southeast-ra.gov.uk
• Valuation Office (www.voa.gov.uk)

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