View source for Government Offices for the English regions

{{Distinguish|Government Offices Great George Street}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Politics of England}}
'''Government Offices for the English regions''' ('''GOs''') were established in 1994 by the [[John Major]] government. Until 2011, they were the primary means by which a wide range of policies and programmes of the [[Her Majesty's Government|Government of the United Kingdom]] were delivered in the [[regions of England]].
There were Government Offices in the [[East Midlands]], [[East of England]], [[Greater London|London]], [[North East England|North East]], [[North West England|North West]] (until 1998 there was a separate GO for [[Merseyside]]), [[South East England|South East]], [[South West England|South West]], [[West Midlands (region)|West Midlands]] and  [[Yorkshire and the Humber]] regions.
==Purpose==
The Offices represented thirteen [[Whitehall]] [[Departments of the United Kingdom Government|departments]], and were involved in regenerating communities, fighting crime, tackling housing needs, improving public health, raising standards in education and skills, tackling countryside issues and reducing unemployment.
==Departments represented==
By the time of their abolition, there were twelve Whitehall Departments represented in the Offices:
*[[Department for Communities and Local Government]] (lead department)
*[[Department for Business, Innovation and Skills]]
*[[Cabinet Office]]
*[[Department for Culture, Media and Sport]]
*[[Department for Education|Department for Children, Schools and Families]]
*[[Department of Energy and Climate Change]]
*[[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]]
*[[British Department of Health|Department of Health]]
*[[Department for Transport]]
*[[Department for Work and Pensions]]
*[[Home Office]]
*[[Ministry of Justice]]
*[[HM Treasury]]
==Abolition==
The abolition of the Government Offices was announced in the [[2010 Spending Review|Coalition Government's Spending Review]] in October 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=416088&SubjectId=2%2F |title=News Distribution Service for Government and Public Sector |access-date=2020-01-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119051905/http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/detail.aspx?NewsAreaId=2&ReleaseID=416088&SubjectId=2%2F |archive-date=2012-01-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  It was stated at that time that "The GO Network will therefore close no later than the end of March 2011. Functions undertaken by the GO Network are now in the process of being wound down, with the exception of a small number which may transfer elsewhere."<ref>[http://www.gos.gov.uk/  Government Office Network] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051230142112/http://www.gos.gov.uk/ |date=2005-12-30 }}. Accessed 2 November 2010</ref>
==See also==
* [[Regional development agency]]
* [[Regional minister]]
* [[:Category:Regional Select Committees of the British House of Commons]]
* [[Regional State Administrative Agency]] (Finland)
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/geography/beginner-s-guide/administrative/england/government-office-regions/index.html National Archives archive page]
[[Category:Regional planning in England]]
[[Category:Politics of England]]
[[Category:Defunct public bodies of the United Kingdom]]