The ministry and its most important areas of responsibility were agriculture, bergsrörelse, trade, shipping, factories, crafts and other industries, public roads and other communications.
[4] Through the Ministry for Civil Service Affairs, matters concerning the lantregeringen (county administrative boards) as well as rural municipalities, köping's and cities were prepared and presented – in accordance with the Royal Statute of 31 March 1900 and Royal Proclamation of 30 January 1903.
Other matters were communications (excluding road, ferry and bridge maintenance issues), in particular rail and postal services, telegraphs, telephones and other electrical installations, road, waterway and port facilities, medical and quarantine services, public health as well as civilian health care institutions, concerning the insurance and health insurance system as well as other social issues, concerning flammable oils and explosive goods and suchlike, concerning the borders of Sweden and the special status of the Laplanders, and finally in general all civil matters not assigned to another ministry.
[5] The number of people who were employed in the Ministry for Civil Service Affairs with associated government offices and institutions at the beginning of the 20th century amounted to about 35,000.
[5] Most of the matters belonging to the Ministry for Civil Service Affairs were presented, before the introduction of the ministerial reform (1840), by the State Secretary at the then Kammarexpeditionen; some of the cases were presented by the State Secretary at the Trade and Finance Office (Handels- och finansexpeditionen).