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Machinery of government is the generic term used to refer to the way that central government is organised. It includes the responsibilities of ministerial departments, usually headed by a Secretary of State, and non-ministerial departments. It does not include changes to the structures and responsibilities within a department.
In general, the ministerial head of a department has responsibility for a set of policy issues and associated legislation, and these responsibilities are delivered through their department and its delivery partners. The responsibilities of ministers and the structure of government are kept under review to ensure fitness for purpose. As the challenges the country faces and the Government’s priorities change, the Prime Minister may wish to reorganise the roles of Cabinet Ministers and the Government to sharpen the focus and delivery capacity on particular issues. This could involve a combination of reallocating responsibilities between ministers, creating a new department and renaming departments. This is referred to as a machinery of government change.
The Prime Minister is responsible for the overall organisation of the executive and the allocation of functions between ministers in charge of departments. All significant changes to the machinery of government will therefore be agreed by him on the advice of the Cabinet Secretary. See section 4 of the Ministerial Code. The Cabinet Secretary is advised on machinery of government changes by the Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat (EDS) within the Cabinet Secretariat.
The Cabinet Office has published a new guidance note on the process for making machinery of government changes. The Machinery of government changes: best practice handbook consists of two parts: the first sets out why a machinery of government change might occur and the process for assessing options for change and reaching final decisions. The second part focuses on the implementation of those changes.
For recent significant changes, a detailed document explaining their rationale has been published alongside a Written Ministerial Statement by the Prime Minister. This document is laid in the Libraries of both Houses, as well as published here.
5 June 2009: Creation of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
On the 5 June 2009 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills was created by merging the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. A Cabinet Office paper sets out this change in more detail.
3 October 2008: Economy, business, climate change, energy and environment
On 3 October 2008, the Prime Minister announced a series of changes to manage the global and domestic issues that the country faces. A Cabinet Office paper “Machinery of Government: economy, business, climate change, energy and environment” sets out these changes in more detail.
28 June 2007: DCSF, BERR, DIUS, Business Council for Britain
On 28 June 2007, the Prime Minister announced a series of Machinery of Government and other changes[External website] to sharpen the focus of Government on the new and very different challenges that Britain will face in the years ahead. A Cabinet Office paper, “Machinery of Government: Departmental Organisation”, sets out these changes in more detail:
Security and Counter–Terrorism, and the Criminal Justice System
On 29 March 2007, the Prime Minister announced machinery of Government changes to the Home Office and the Department of Constitutional Affairs to deliver the Government’s agenda on security, public protection and the criminal justice system issues. A Cabinet Office paper “Machinery of Government: Security and Counter–Terrorism, and the Criminal Justice System” sets ouf these changes in more detail:
A Protocol
This document sets out how Government Departments will work together to deliver the Government's priorities for crime and the criminal justice system in the light of the Machinery of Government changes which took effect on 9 May 2007.