The Government Offices at work
The central goal for the Government Offices is to be an effective and competent instrument for the Government in carrying out its task of governing the nation and realising its policies. Achieving this goal requires good coordination and an efficient organisation as well as specialist competence in several fields: for example the economy, environment and care services.
Government policy must follow a consistent line but the Government itself decides how its work is to be organised. The formal rules of administrative procedure merely lay down general guidelines and establish a number of basic principles for dealing with government matters. The work methods and organisation of the Government Offices are in constant development in cooperation between the political leadership, the Directors-General for Legal Affairs and the Office for Administrative Affairs which is led by the Permanent Secretary, the authoritys most senior official.
The Ministry of Defence is headed by the Minister for Defence
Each ministry is headed by a minister, for example, the Minister for Defence or the Minister for Culture. In addition, a ministry may have other ministers. They are responsible for specific policy areas within the ministrys sphere of activity.
Below ministerial level, a ministrys operations are directed by the ministers immediate subordinates, the state secretaries. Each ministry also has an administrative affairs directorate responsible for ensuring that administrative matters that come before the Government are properly managed, and a legal affairs directorate responsible for ensuring the legality of legislative proposals and government ordinances.
Public officials in the ministries compile basic data for decisions
Most government business is prepared by public officials in the various ministerial departments. Primary tasks for the departments include conducting inquiries into both national and international matters and undertaking the preparatory work leading up to government decisions but not implementing the measures adopted. This task is normally the responsibility of around 300 central government agencies and administrations.
Issues involving more than one ministry are dealt with collectively by the ministries concerned. This usually takes the form of inter-ministerial discussions at the level of officials. In some cases such discussions may also involve the state secretaries concerned. If agreement cannot be reached, the issue becomes a matter for discussion by the Government as a whole before it takes a decision.
The Government may choose an external inquiry into certain complicated matters - by appointing a special committee of inquiry - before deciding on a proposal for measures. Information about ongoing and completed committees of inquiry is available on the Swedish Government Official Reports website. If you have any questions, please contact the department "Kommittéservice" at the Government Offices, through the switchboard.
