Glossary
This section explains key parliamentary and government terms.
Advisory Committee on Business Appointments
Abbreviation: ACOBA
The former advisory committee that considered some applications under the Business Appointment Rules until its functions were transferred in 2025.
Bank of England
Abbreviation: BoE
The UK’s central bank, responsible for monetary policy and financial stability.
Border Force
The Home Office command responsible for securing the UK border.
Boundary Commission
An independent body involved in reviewing parliamentary constituency boundaries.
Care Quality Commission
Abbreviation: CQC
The independent regulator of health and adult social care services in England.
Charity Commission for England and Wales
Abbreviation: Charity Commission
The regulator and registrar of charities in England and Wales.
Civil Aviation Authority
Abbreviation: CAA
The UK regulator for civil aviation.
Civil Service Commission
The independent body now providing Business Appointment Rules advice for some senior Crown servants.
Committee on Standards in Public Life
Abbreviation: CSPL
The advisory body that promotes high ethical standards across public life.
Commons Library
The House of Commons research service that publishes impartial briefings for MPs and the public.
Competition and Markets Authority
Abbreviation: CMA
The UK regulator responsible for competition and consumer protection enforcement.
Crown Prosecution Service
Abbreviation: CPS
The public body responsible for prosecuting criminal cases in England and Wales.
Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
Abbreviation: DVLA
The agency responsible for maintaining driver and vehicle records in Great Britain.
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency
Abbreviation: DVSA
The agency responsible for driving tests, vehicle standards and roadworthiness services in Great Britain.
Electoral Commission
Abbreviation: Electoral Commission
The independent body overseeing elections and regulating political finance in the UK.
Environment Agency
Abbreviation: EA
The public body responsible for environmental regulation and protection in England.
Equality and Human Rights Commission
Abbreviation: EHRC
The equality and human rights regulator for Great Britain.
Financial Conduct Authority
Abbreviation: FCA
The regulator for financial services firms and financial markets in the UK.
Food Standards Agency
Abbreviation: FSA
The public body responsible for food safety and food standards in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Health and Safety Executive
Abbreviation: HSE
The regulator responsible for workplace health and safety in Great Britain.
HM Courts and Tribunals Service
Abbreviation: HMCTS
The executive agency responsible for administering courts and tribunals in England and Wales and some UK-wide tribunals.
HM Prison and Probation Service
Abbreviation: HMPPS
The agency responsible for prisons and probation services in England and Wales.
HM Revenue and Customs
Abbreviation: HMRC
The UK tax authority responsible for collecting taxes and administering customs and some benefits.
Homes England
The government’s housing and regeneration agency for England.
Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards
The adviser who supports the Prime Minister and ministers on ministerial standards and interests.
Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority
Abbreviation: IPSA
The independent body that regulates and administers MPs’ business costs and decides MPs’ pay and pensions.
Information Commissioner’s Office
Abbreviation: ICO
The UK regulator for data protection and freedom of information.
Lords Library
The House of Lords research service that publishes impartial briefings for Lords business.
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Abbreviation: MCA
The agency responsible for maritime safety, coastguard services and regulation of shipping standards.
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
Abbreviation: MHRA
The UK regulator responsible for medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion.
National Audit Office
Abbreviation: NAO
The UK public spending watchdog that supports Parliament in scrutinising value for money.
National Crime Agency
Abbreviation: NCA
The UK law enforcement agency focused on serious and organised crime.
National Highways
The company responsible for operating, maintaining and improving England’s strategic road network.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
Abbreviation: NICE
The body that produces guidance and advice on health and care in England.
Natural England
The public body responsible for advising on and helping protect England’s natural environment.
NHS England
Abbreviation: NHSE
The body responsible for leading the NHS in England.
Office for Budget Responsibility
Abbreviation: OBR
The independent body that produces forecasts and analysis of the UK public finances.
Office for Environmental Protection
Abbreviation: OEP
The body that scrutinises and enforces environmental law in England and Northern Ireland.
Office for National Statistics
Abbreviation: ONS
The UK’s official statistics body, responsible for producing and publishing national statistics.
Office for Product Safety and Standards
Abbreviation: OPSS
The public body responsible for product safety and standards policy and enforcement support.
Office for Students
Abbreviation: OfS
The independent regulator for higher education in England.
Office of the Registrar of Consultant Lobbyists
Abbreviation: ORCL
The independent statutory office responsible for keeping and publishing the Register of Consultant Lobbyists.
Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards
Abbreviation: PCS
The independent House of Commons officer responsible for monitoring the Code of Conduct and registers.
Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology
Abbreviation: POST
The UK Parliament office that produces impartial research on science and technology policy issues.
Payment Systems Regulator
Abbreviation: PSR
The regulator for payment systems in the UK.
Prudential Regulation Authority
Abbreviation: PRA
The Bank of England body responsible for prudential regulation of banks, insurers and major investment firms.
Register of Consultant Lobbyists
The statutory register for consultant lobbyists lobbying UK Government ministers or permanent secretaries on behalf of clients.
The Pensions Regulator
Abbreviation: TPR
The UK regulator for workplace pension schemes.
UK Health Security Agency
Abbreviation: UKHSA
The UK agency responsible for protecting public health from infectious diseases and other health threats.
UK Visas and Immigration
Abbreviation: UKVI
The Home Office body responsible for visas, immigration applications and related services.