Transport, Department for

UK government department, first established in 1975. It merged with the Department of the Environment in 1997 to form the Department of the Environment, Transport, and the Regions and in 2001 became the Department for Transport, Local Government, and the Regions. In May 2002 its responsibilities for local government and regions, housing, and regeneration were transferred to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, and it has since been known as the Department of Transport. The DfT is focused on delivering the government's transport strategy and includes six executive agencies: the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA); the Driving Standards Agency; the Highways Agency; the Maritime and Coastguard Agency; the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency; and the Vehicle Certification Agency. The secretary of state, from June 2007, is Ruth Kelly. There are two ministers of state and one parliamentary undersecretary.