Non-ministerial government departments (NMGDs) are a type of department of the United Kingdom government that deal with matters for which direct political oversight has been judged unnecessary or inappropriate.
They are typically headed by senior civil servants.
Some fulfil a regulatory or inspection function, and their status is therefore intended to protect them from political interference.
[1] The status of an NMGD varies considerably from one to another.
For example:[2] A list of NMGDs is maintained by the Cabinet Office, which as of January 2023[update] states that the following 45 are in existence:[3]