The Scottish Executive is the devolved government for Scotland. It is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Scotland, including health, education, justice, environment and rural affairs, and transport.
The work of the Scottish Executive is carried out by:
Executive departments - the mainstream civil service in Scotland.
Agencies - established by Ministers as part of Executive departments, or as departments in their own right, to carry out a discrete area of work. Agencies are staffed by civil servants.
Task Forces - advisory bodies established by Ministers to investigate and report on particular issues. Task Forces have a short lifespan, of a maximum of two years, and are abolished once they have reported
and Public Bodies