Department for Transport

This article is about the UK Department for Transport. For equivalent ministries in other countries, see Ministry of Transport.
Department for Transport
Welsh: Adran am Drafnidiaeth
Department overview
Formed 2002
Jurisdiction England
Headquarters Great Minster House, Horseferry Road, London, England
Annual budget £5.3 billion (current) & £7.7 billion (capital) in 2011–12 [1]
Minister responsible
Department executive
  • Philip Rutnam
Child agencies
Website www.gov.uk/dft
United Kingdom
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The Department for Transport (DfT) is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that have not been devolved. The department is run by the Secretary of State for Transport, currently (since 4 September 2012) Patrick McLoughlin.

History

For List of Ministers, see Secretary of State for Transport.

Government control of transport and diverse associated matters has been reorganised a number of times in modern history, being the responsibility of:[2]

The name "Ministry of Transport" lives on in the annual MOT test, a test of vehicle safety, roadworthiness, and exhaust emissions, which most vehicles used on public roads in the UK are required to pass annually once they reach three years old (four years for vehicles in Northern Ireland).

Role

The Department for Transport has four strategic objectives:

The department "creates the strategic framework" for transport services, which are delivered through a wide range of public and private sector bodies including its own executive agencies.[3]

Ministers

The DfT Ministers are as follows:[3]

Minister Rank Portfolio
The Rt Hon. Patrick McLoughlin MP Secretary of State Overall responsibility, transport security, high-speed rail
Robert Goodwill MP Minister of State High Speed Rail (HS2), Aviation, Europe and International, Maritime, Devolution, cycling and walking
Claire Perry MP Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Rail Major project and growth, rail infrastructure, safety and security, passenger services, strategy, funding and sponsorship, integrated delivery and accessibility, rail fares and ticketing
Andrew Jones MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Northern Powerhouse, including Northern and TransPennine Express franchises, environment, Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), connected vehicles, technology and innovation, freight and logistics, national roads and Highways England, bus policy, local transport, including roads, local majors, and Local Sustainable Transport Fund, city growth deals, smart ticketing, road safety
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Aviation security, transport agencies, corporate and better regulation, skills and supply chain, London

The Permanent Secretary has been Philip Rutnam since 11 April 2012.

Executive agencies

Non-departmental public bodies

The DfT sponsors the following public bodies:

Devolution

The devolution of transport policy varies around the UK; most aspects in Great Britain are decided at Westminster. Key reserved transport matters (i.e., not devolved) are as follows:

Scotland Reserved matters:[4]

Northern Ireland Reserved matters:[5]

The department's devolved counterparts in Northern Ireland are:

Wales Under the Welsh devolution settlement, specific policy areas are transferred to the National Assembly for Wales rather than reserved to Westminster.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Budget 2011 (PDF). London: HM Treasury. 2011. p. 48. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  2. ↑ "Transport Departments". The National Digital Archive of Datasets. The National Archives. 2008-01-10. Retrieved 13 August 2009.
  3. 1 2 Cabinet Office List of Government Departments and Ministers: Department for Transport
  4. ↑ Scotland Act 1998, Schedule 5, Part II
  5. ↑ Northern Ireland Act 1998, Schedule 3
  6. ↑ DRD: About The Department
  7. ↑ DoE: About Us

External links

Coordinates: 51°29′41″N 0°07′45″W / 51.4946°N 0.1293°W / 51.4946; -0.1293

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