Public offices

Public body classifications explained

Last checked 6 November 2026 · 6 sources

Short answer

Governments sort public bodies into types, and those types decide which rules and records apply. The GOV.UK directory lists 23 ministerial departments, 20 non-ministerial departments, 419 agencies and other public bodies and 133 high profile groups ¹. Canada's ethics law sorts office holders into members, ministers, reporting public office holders and public office holders, each with its own disclosure duties ². Public bodies can hold the same identifiers as companies, including the LEI ³. Cite the category with the directory and its date.

UK ministerial departments: 23 ¹
UK non-ministerial departments: 20 ¹
UK agencies and other public bodies: 419 ¹
UK high profile groups: 133 ¹
LEI scope: Includes government bodies and supranational bodies ³

Why the classification matters

The type of a public body tells you which records exist for it. A ministerial department, an agency and an advisory group answer to different rules. In the same way, the category of a public office decides what its holder must disclose. Canada is a clear case. Elected members are subject to the Conflict of Interest Code for Members of the House of Commons. Ministers and parliamentary secretaries are subject to the Conflict of Interest Act and, as members, to the Code ².

The UK organisation directory

GOV.UK publishes a directory of government organisations sorted by type ¹. When this page was checked, it showed these counts ¹:

Category on GOV.UK	Count shown
Ministerial departments	23 ¹
Non ministerial departments	20 ¹
Agencies and other public bodies	419 ¹
High profile groups	133 ¹

Canada: categories of public office

Members file disclosure statements within 60 days of the election notice in the Canada Gazette, and the Commissioner publishes a summary ⁴.

Members of the House of Commons, subject to the Code ²
Ministers and parliamentary secretaries, subject to the Conflict of Interest Act and the Code ²
Reporting public office holders, appointed by the Governor in Council or a minister to mostly full-time roles, who follow the Act's reporting and public disclosure rules ²
Public office holders appointed by the Governor in Council to mostly part-time roles, who follow only the Act's general rules ²

Identifiers for public bodies

Public bodies are legal entities too, and they can carry the same identifiers as companies. ISO 17442-1:2020 covers government bodies and supranational bodies as well as companies, so a public body can hold an LEI ³. GLEIF gives Level 1 data on who is who and Level 2 data on who owns whom ⁵. The US Internal Revenue Service issues EINs to businesses, tax-exempt organisations and other entities ⁶.

Using a classification in a profile

Name the directory and the date you read it, since counts change ¹.
Quote the category as the directory states it ¹.
Check which disclosure rules follow from the category ².
Add any identifier the body holds, such as an LEI ^3,5.

Common questions

How many ministerial departments does the UK list?

The GOV.UK directory showed 23 ministerial departments when checked ¹.

Can a government body have an LEI?

Yes. ISO 17442-1:2020 covers government bodies and supranational bodies ³.

What is a reporting public office holder in Canada?

A person appointed by the Governor in Council or a minister to a mostly full-time role, who follows the Act's reporting and public disclosure rules ².

Are part-time Canadian appointees covered?

Yes. Public office holders in mostly part-time roles follow only the Act's general rules ².

Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@entitydossier.com.

Sources

How to verify an official role from public records
How to confirm a public office or company officer role using gazettes, parliamentary registers, ethics registries and company registers.
Registers of members' interests: how parliaments compare
How the UK, US, Canadian, Australian, European and South African parliaments record members' interests, with deadlines and update rules.
The Legal Entity Identifier explained
What the 20-character LEI is, who issues it, what its Level 1 and Level 2 data show, who oversees the system and how to check an LEI for free.
How to build a sourced entity profile from official records
A step-by-step method for profiling an organisation or public office from official registers: identifiers, company records, ownership and interests.