Guide to the Centre of Government

Part II: Who Does What 

Number 10 Downing Street

Number 10 Downing Street is the Prime Minister's Office. It is staffed by a mixture of civil servants and politically appointed Special Advisers. It is headed by a Chief of Staff and consists of a number of sections.

The team of Private Secretaries, led by the Principal Private Secretary:

Private Office is supported 24 hours a day throughout the year by Duty Clerks who manage communications and paperwork; and the Garden Room staff who provide secretarial support. Day-to-day contact with departments is normally through their Ministers’ Private Offices.

The Press Office - working closely with press offices in lead Whitehall Departments - responds to questions from newspaper, radio and TV journalists here and abroad, arranges media interviews for the Prime Minister, and organises press attendance at events. The Head of the Press Office is also the Prime Minister's Official Spokesman.

The SCU handles longer-term communications, including managing the scheduling of Government announcements. It is also responsible for the Government’s Annual Report. It maintains close contact with departmental press and information units.

The research and information unit provides factual information and briefing material to the whole of No 10.

The Policy Unit provides expert advice to the Prime Minister. It works with Ministers and officials in departments to ensure effective implementation of the Government’s objectives and strategies. It also works with colleagues inside Government, and policy specialists outside, to develop new ideas. The members of the Unit each have responsibility for a specific area of policy. Their departmental contacts are at Ministerial, Special Adviser and official level, including press and information offices.

Direct Communications Unit

The DCU - working closely with other Whitehall Departments - handles all correspondence to the Prime Minister via letter, fax or e-mail. It deals with departments through their ministerial correspondence units.

Parliamentary Section handles all Parliamentary affairs for the Prime Minister, and liaises with Departments on preparation for Prime Minister’s Questions, answers to written PQs, and oral statements. It deals with departments through their Parliamentary units.

This section advises the Prime Minister on a range of appointments, in particular Crown appointments, which the Queen makes on the Prime Minister's advice. It works closely with Cabinet Office contacts nominated by each department.

The Political Office manages relations between No 10 and the party of Government. All members of the Political Office are employed by the current party of government. They handle areas where the Prime Minister's duties overlap with his duties as Leader of his party and as constituency MP. Their departmental contacts are through Ministers’ Special Advisers.