Department for Constitutional Affairs

Former UK Government department

Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)

JurisdictionGovernment of the United KingdomWebsitehttps://www.dca.gov.uk

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The Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) was a United Kingdom government department. Its creation was announced on 12 June 2003; it took over the functions of the Lord Chancellor's Department.^[1] On 28 March 2007 it was announced that the Department for Constitutional Affairs would take control of probation, prisons and prevention of re-offending from the Home Office and be renamed the Ministry of Justice.^[2] This took place on 9 May 2007.

It was primarily responsible for reforms to the constitution, relations with the Channel Islands and Isle of Man and, within England and Wales, it was concerned with the administration of the Courts, legal aid, and the appointment of the judiciary. Other responsibilities included issues relating to human rights, data protection, and freedom of information.

It incorporated the Wales Office and the Scotland Office, but those offices remained the overall responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales and Secretary of State for Scotland respectively.

After the 2005 general election, it gained additional responsibilities for coroners and conduct of local government elections in England.^[3]

Departmental executive agencies and public bodies

Legislation enacted by the department

This is a list of acts of Parliament enacted since 1997 that gave powers to the Department of Constitutional Affairs.

Constitutional acts

Election acts

Electoral Administration Act 2006
European Parliamentary and Local Elections (Pilots) Act 2004
European Parliament (Representation) Act 2003
European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002
Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000
Representation of the People Act 2000

References

^ "Lord Chancellor's Department". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
^ "Home Office to be split in two". BBC News Online. BBC. 29 March 2007. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
^ "Machinery of Government Changes". Archived from the original on 2 November 2005. Retrieved 24 May 2005.