Our governance

Decision-making, executive and managerial bodies in the Department for Transport (DfT).

Roles and structure of our boards and committees

Departmental Board

The Departmental Board is an advisory body that supports and challenges both the Department for Transport’s ministers and the Principal Accounting Officer. The DfT Board does not decide policy or exercise the powers of ministers. Policy matters are decided by ministers on advice from officials.

The Secretary of State for Transport chairs the DfT Board. The board meets at least quarterly and can meet up to 6 times a year with a minimum of 4 meetings.

The DfT Board delegates certain responsibilities to subcommittees. Subcommittees assume the characteristics of supervisory bodies. They provide collective oversight to support the Permanent Secretary as the Principal Accounting Officer.

Departmental Board members

Group Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (GARAC)

The Group Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (GARAC) supports the Principal Accounting Officer and the DfT Board in carrying out their oversight responsibilities for financial and internal control, risk and governance, financial reporting, internal and external audit and the assurance programme.

GARAC provides oversight of DfT’s programme of assurance activity and reviews the internal audit strategy and the performance of the Government Internal Audit Agency (GIAA).

GARAC members

Investment Portfolio and Delivery Committee (IPDC)

IPDC is a subcommittee of the DfT Board. It has delegated authority to provide oversight, challenge and scrutiny of DfT’s Tier 1 programmes and projects. It also approves recommendations to ministers at significant approval stages in the life cycles of these programmes and projects.

In addition to its core approval function, IPDC is continuing to develop a wider portfolio management role, providing oversight of the Tier 1 portfolio.

This portfolio management role will include giving a view on future investments and the evaluation of implemented projects, as well as monitoring the progress and performance of the projects during implementation and the ongoing evaluation of their impact.

IPDC members

Commercial Assurance Board

In addition to IPDC, Tier 1 and 2 projects or programmes must get assurance from the Commercial Assurance Board (CAB).

CAB is chaired by the Deputy Director of Assurance and Supply Chain Management. The board‘s remit is to ensure that commercial strategies are aligned and being implemented in accordance with policy and recognised good commercial practice and that a sound procurement process is followed.

Tier 2 investment boards and committees

Tier 2 investment boards and committees are subcommittees of IPDC. Tier 2 boards have delegated authority to provide oversight, challenge and scrutiny of Tier 2 programmes and projects. Tier 2 boards also approve recommendations to ministers at significant approval stages in the life cycles of projects.

Tier 2 boards should continue to develop a wider portfolio management role, providing oversight to all DfT groups in the Tier 2 portfolio. The portfolio management would include giving a view on future investments.

The Tier 2 investment boards and committees are:

  • Corporate Delivery Group Investment Board
  • International and Security Investment Board
  • Local Transport Investment Committee
  • Rail Board
  • Rail Integration Board

Nominations Committee

The Nominations Committee has an advisory role focusing primarily on ensuring DfT has the capability to deliver and plan for the current and future needs of talented people in both DfT and its public bodies.

It provides scrutiny of both DfT executive appointments as well as DfT public bodies’ non-executive appointments by ensuring appropriate succession planning is in place to meet the needs of DfT and ministers.

The committee is advisory and will make recommendations to ministers and to the Principal Accounting Officer. It does not have a role in deciding individual cases (for example, the level of reward for senior executives).

Nominations Committee members

Executive and Non-Executive Meeting (ENEM)

ENEM is an advisory committee whose central purpose is to support and advise the Executive Committee on the most important issues facing DfT.

ENEM members

Executive Committee (ExCo)

ExCo meets weekly to steer DfT’s strategic vision and maintain strategic oversight, provide scrutiny of DfT policies and delivery commitments and take significant management decisions across DfT.

Strategic Priority boards that report to ExCo oversee DfT’s priorities to grow and level up the economy, reduce environmental impacts, improve transport for the user and increase our global impact.

ExCo members

Shadow Executive Committee

The Shadow Executive Committee acts as a scrutiny forum for ExCo, offering challenge and advice to senior leaders in the decision-making process. Shadow ExCo reviews the same papers as ExCo and offers advice and feedback to presenters and the Chair.

Shadow ExCo is chaired by deputy directors and is comprised of members from each group within DfT. Members are below Senior Civil Service (SCS) grade. There are 2 cohorts of the committee who alternate attendance at the weekly meetings.

Group People Committee

The Group People Committee is a subcommittee of ExCo. The committee meets once every 3 months to steer the development of DfT’s people strategy at a group level and gain shared business insight from across the whole organisation to inform people issues.

People Committee

The People Committee is a subcommittee of ExCo. The committee meets every 8 weeks and acts with delegated authority on behalf of ExCo to take people-related decisions for DfT central focusing on grades SCS1 (deputy director) and below.

Legislation Board

The Legislation Board is a board of ExCo. The Legislation Board was introduced in 2019 and meets quarterly. It is responsible for oversight of DfT’s legislative programme and leads on the management and prioritisation of primary and secondary legislation, ensuring all requirements are met.

Risk Committee

The Risk Committee is a subcommittee of ExCo and was introduced in 2019 as a formal subcommittee of ExCo. Through recommendations and advice, it supports ExCo, giving assurance on risk management and assistance in strengthening DfT’s risk management maturity across the whole department.

DfT National Security Board

The DfT National Security Board is a subcommittee of ExCo. The committee provides strategic direction on security and resilience issues affecting the transport sector and DfT’s responsibilities.

DfT annual report and accounts

DfT annual report and accounts, 2021 to 2022 (page 84) describes DfT’s system of corporate governance, management and internal control.

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