Jargon and Acronym Buster (JAB)

Non Departmental Public Body

The government’s presumption is that if a public function is needed then it should be undertaken by a body that is democratically accountable at either national or local level. A body should only exist at arm’s length from government if it meets one of 3 tests:

• it performs a technical function
• its activities require political impartiality
• it needs to act independently to establish facts