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Government and public administration : Jargon buster

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  1. Overview
  2. Job roles
  3. Entry and progression
  4. Typical employers
  5. Opportunities abroad
  6. Future trends
  7. Jargon buster
  8. Contacts and resources

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Case studies

  • BIS - Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
  • COSLA - Convention of Scottish Local Authorities is the representative voice of Scottish local government and also acts as the employers’ association on behalf of all Scottish councils.
  • DECC - Department for Energy and Climate Change
  • DESG - Defence Engineering and Science Group
  • DEFRA - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
  • DFID - Department for International Development
  • DH - Department of Health
  • DWP - Department for Work and Pensions
  • EPSO - European Personnel Selection Office, for careers with the European Union
  • EU - European Union
  • EU Institutions - the European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, the European Commission, the Court of Justice, and the Court of Auditors. They have decision-making powers delegated to them by EU member states.
  • Fast Stream - the Civil Service’s accelerated training and development programme.
  • FCO - Foreign and Commonwealth Office
  • GCHQ (Government Communication Headquarters) - intelligence and security organisation that works closely with the UK’s other intelligence agencies.
  • Government executive agencies - largely independent organisations that carry out the policies agreed by government (for example Jobcentre Plus).
  • Government departments - these are usually headed by a minister and they are responsible for devising policies and ensuring that they are implemented (for example the Department for Work and Pensions).
  • HA - Highways Agency
  • HMRC - Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs
  • IMF - International Monetary Fund
  • LGA - Local Government Association will lobby and campaign for changes in policy, legislation and funding on behalf of member councils.
  • MoD - Ministry of Defence
  • National Graduate Development Programme (NGDP) - a two-year national graduate development programme for local government, covering England and Wales.
  • Executive NDPBs (non departmental public body) - with executive, administrative, commercial or regulatory functions. Examples include the Arts Council of England, the Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive.
  • Advisory NDPBs (non departmental public body) - are those set up by ministers to advise them and their departments on particular matters. Examples include the Committee on Standards in Public Life and the Low Pay Commission. 
  • Single-tier local government - a single authority (such as a unitary authority, metropolitan council, or London borough council) is responsible for providing all services for an area. Some areas in England follow this system and all areas in Scotland and Wales are governed this way.
  • Two-tier local government - local service provision is divided between a county council and a district council. The former providing county-wide services, e.g. education, and the latter providing more localised services, e.g. recycling collection.
  • UKBA - United Kingdom Border Agency
    UN - United Nations - an international organisation committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards and human rights.
  • WHO - World Health Organisation is the directing and organising authority for health within the UN system.
 
 
 
AGCAS
Written by Colin Dewar, University of the West of Scotland
Date: 
September 2010
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