Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service (GCHQ) is a British intelligence agency that provides signals intelligence to the British government and armed forces. Prior to 1983 its existence was not acknowledged, despite the fact that it openly recruited graduates. Following a spy scandal in 1983, the organisation became known to the public, and the government of Margaret Thatcher decided a year later that employees would not be allowed to join a trade union for national security reasons. The Minister for the Civil Service is a position held "ex officio" by the Prime Minister. This was done through an Order in Council, an exercise of the Royal
Minister for Civil Society Minister for Civil Society The Minister for Civil Society was a position within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in the government of the United Kingdom. It concerned and directly supported charities, volunteering, social enterprise and the Big Society manifesto-committed agenda of the First Cameron Ministry (2010-2015) and short-lived Second Cameron Ministry. Before the new commitments and Cabinet reshuffle on formation of the May Ministry in 2016 the Office for Civil Society supporting the Minister was part of the Cabinet Office The post was merged with Minister of Sport to become Minister for Sport and Civil Society after the