Governance of England facts for kids

England hasn't had its own separate government since 1707. That's when the Kingdom of England joined with the Kingdom of Scotland to create the Kingdom of Great Britain. Before 1707, the government of England also looked after Wales. Wales became part of England a long time ago, in 1284, and they shared the same laws.

The Kingdom of Great Britain lasted until 1801. Then, it joined with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Later, in 1922, this became the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK). This happened when most of Ireland became independent.

Since then, the UK's government has changed a lot. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland now have their own parliaments or assemblies. This is called devolution. However, England is still fully governed by the UK Parliament and the UK government. No separate government has been made for England.

This situation has led to a problem called the West Lothian question. It means that MPs from Scotland can vote on laws that only affect England. But English MPs cannot vote on certain Scottish matters because Scotland has its own devolved powers. Sometimes, Scottish MPs' votes have helped pass laws for England that most English MPs didn't agree with.

How England is Governed

One idea to solve the West Lothian question is to give more power to the different regions of England. But so far, these attempts haven't worked out.

However, Greater London does have some devolved power. It's not as much as Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland. This power is held by an elected Mayor of London, currently Sadiq Khan, and the London Assembly.

England is officially divided in these ways for how it is governed:

• The nine English regions.
• The modern local authority areas.
• The geographical or ceremonial counties of England.

The current UK government does not plan to create a separate parliament for England.

UK Government Departments for England

Several departments within the UK Government are responsible for things that only affect England.

Departments Focused on England

• The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities handles matters related to local areas and housing in England.
• The Department for Education is in charge of education issues for people in England up to age 19.
• The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) looks after the environment, food, agriculture, fisheries, and rural communities in England.
• The Department of Health (DoH) creates government rules for health, social care, and the English National Health Service (NHS).
• The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (Ofsted) checks the quality of schools and children's services in England. It is led by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools.

Departments with Wider Responsibilities

Other departments mainly deal with England but also have some responsibilities across the whole UK:

• The Department for Transport
• The Department for Culture, Media and Sport
• The Charity Commission for England and Wales, which oversees charities.