Regulation
The Office of the Third Sector is a division within the Cabinet Office dedicated to leading and co-ordinating work across government that relates to the sector.
The OTS was created in May 2006 in recognition of the increasingly important role the third sector plays in both society and the economy. It claims that its work helps the sector to campaign for change, deliver public services, promote social enterprise and strengthen communities.
It also dishes out the government’s funding to the sector and during the 2008-9 year is overseeing a £515m funding programme. Some 45 civil society organisations are strategic partners to the OTS and receive an annual grant.
The OTS is led by the minister for the third sector, currently Angela E Smith MP.