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WHITAKER’S is the ultimate single-volume
reference source packed with thousands of
facts, figures, overviews and statistics relating
to the UK and the world.
Using Whitaker’s you can find out about
• The Scottish referendum
• Government spending
• MP’s pay and allowances
• Astronomical phenomena
• Sporting world records
• The order of succession
...and much, much more!
Contents include
CURRENT AFFAIRS
• Monthly summaries of the year's news
• Reviews of the year 2013-14 covering
the arts, science, politics and sport
COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD
• In-depth profiles of each country
• Maps and flags
• Air distances between international airports
• UK overseas territories
GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
• Complete UK results from the European
Parliament election
• National and local government
infrastructure
• MPs, government departments and
public bodies
LAW AND ORDER
• Courts, judges and tribunals
• Police and prison services
• A guide to UK law covering births, deaths
and marriages, divorce, wills, human rights
and jury service
TIME AND SPACE
• Calendar information
• Astronomical data for the year 2015
• Details of the first major solar eclipse
visible in the UK since 2003
• Tides and tidal predictions
(continued on the inside thick cover)
This book is provided for use in the
Reference Department only. It must not be
taken away.
Books should be used with great care, and
not injured or defaced in any way.
Location Accession
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The traditional design of the title page for Whitaker's Almanack which has appeared in each edition since 1868
BLOOMSBURY
LONDON • NEW DELHI • NEW YORK • SYDNEY
Bloomsbury Publishing Pic. WHITAKER’S, the ‘W’ Trident logo and the Diana logo
50 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3 DP are trademarks of Bloomsbury Publishing Pic.
Whitaker’s Almanack published annually since 1868 Whitaker’s was compiled with the assistance of Amnesty
147th edition © 2014 Bloomsbury Publishing Pic. International; HM Revenue and Customs; Keesing’s
Worldwide; Oxford Cartographers; Press Association;
www.bloomsbury.com Transparency International: the global coalition against
Bloomsbury Publishing, London, New Delhi, New York corruption; UK Hydrographic Office; and WM/Reuters.
and Sydney
Material was reproduced from (in addition to that
STANDARD EDITION
indicated): CIA World Factbook 2014; Human Development
Cloth covers
Indicators 2013 published by the UN Development
978-1-4729-0929-9
Programme and UN Statistics published by UN Data;
World Economic Outlook Database 2013 © International
CONCISE EDITION
Monetary Fund; World Development Indicators 2014
Paperback
published by The World Bank; Stockholm International
978-1-4729-0931-2
Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) 2014; Press Freedom
Score 2014 © Reporters Without Borders. Crown
JACKET PHOTOGRAPHS
copyright material is reproduced with the permission of
Main image: Crowds of ‘No’ campaigners attend a 'Better
the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.
Together’ rally in Trafalgar Square, London ahead of the
Scottish independence referendum. © Jonathan Brady/PA
Wire/Press Association Images Government cabinet lists and embassy details are sourced
Spine: The Whitaker’s trident, Whitaker's Almanack 1869 from People in Power©, Cambridge International Reference
Top, from left to right: on Current Affairs Ltd (W www.circaworld.com). People
1. Nelson Mandela during a state visit to Sweden in in Power provides a constantly updated service at
1999. ©Jan Collsioo/TT News Agency/Press Association www.peopleinpower.com
Images
2. FIFA World Cup 2014: In the Uruguay v England The publishers make no representation, express or implied,
match, Uruguay’s Luis Suarez (centre) celebrates scoring with regard to the accuracy of the information contained in
their first goal of the game with team mates. © EMPICS this book and cannot accept legal responsibility for any
Sport/Press Association Images errors or omissions that take place.
3. Russian President Vladimir Putin holds a globe presented
to him during a visit to a youth educational forum at a
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the
youth camp near Lake Seliger, Russia on 29 August 2014.
British Library.
© Mikhail Klimentyev/AP/Press Association Images
4. Syrian People’s Protection Units fight against Islamic
State (IS) in Rabia, Mosul, Iraq on 6 August 2014. © AA / EDITORIAL STAFF
TT/TT News Agency/Press Association Images Executive Editor: Ruth Northey
Senior Project Editor/Infographic Design: Oli Lurie
Typeset in the UK by RefineCatch Ltd, Bungay, Suffolk Editorial Assistants: James McCall (International); Rachel
NR35 1EF Nickolds; Lydia Wassan
Head of Yearbooks: Katy McAdam
Printed and bound in Italy by L.E.G.O. S.p.A.
Thanks to Omer Ali, Lucy Beevor; John Bromham; Rob
Hardy; Stephen Kershaw; Elizabeth Kingston; Peter
MIX
Macdonald; Hilary Marsden; Graham Relf
Paper from
responsible sources
FSC Special thanks to Gordon Taylor
FSC® C023419
www.fsc.org
CONTRIBUTORS (where not listed)
Sheridan Williams (Astronomy); Anthea Lipsett, Caroline
Macready (Education); Clive Longhurst (Insurance);
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE
Graham Bartram (Flags); Duncan Murray, Chris Priestley
(Legal Notes); Matthew Chorley (Sport); Jill Papworth
LIBRARIES
(Taxation); and Philip Eden (Weather)
C 03 0252418
Askews & Holts 13-Nov-2014
032.02 £50.00
WESDU
3
CONTENTS
PREFACE English County Councils 263
London Borough Councils 263
THE YEAR 2015 District Councils 264
Metropolitan Borough Councils 267
2015 Calendar 8 Unitary Councils 268
2016 Calendar 9 London 270
Forthcoming Events 10 The City Guilds 272
Centenaries 12 Wales 275
Scotland 278
UNITED KINGDOM
Northern Ireland 283
Isle of Man 285
The UK in Figures 15 Channel Islands 286
The National Flag 19
LAW AND ORDER 288
THE ROYAL FAMILY 20
Law Courts and Offices 288
Private Secretaries 24
Scottish Judicature 295
Finance 26
Northern Ireland Judicature 297
Military Ranks and Titles 28 Tribunals 299
Kings and Queens 31 Ombudsman Services 305
The House of Windsor 35 Police 308
Descendants of Queen Victoria 36 Prisons 312
PRECEDENCE 38
DEFENCE 316
Salaries 325
PEERAGE 40
Pensions 327
Hereditary Peers 41
Life Peers 60
EDUCATION 328
Lords Spiritual 69
The Education System 328
Courtesy Titles and Peers’ Surnames 70
Universities 346
Orders of Chivalry 76
Professional Education 356
Baronetage and Knightage 79
Independent Schools 365
The Order of St John 104
National Academies 374
Dames 105
Research Councils 376
Decorations and Medals 109
Chiefs of Clans in Scotland 112 HEALTH 379
Privy Council 113
National Health Service 379
PARLIAMENT 117
SOCIAL WELFARE 385
Members of Parliament 128
Social Services 385
General Elections Results 135
National Insurance 386
By-election Results 173
Pensions 387
THE GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC War Pensions 390
BODIES 175 Tax Credits 391
Benefits 392
The Cabinet 175
Government Departments 178
UTILITIES AND TRANSPORT 399
Executive Agencies 189
Water 399
Non-ministerial Government Departments 193
Energy 402
Public Bodies 197
Transport 407
REGIONAL GOVERNMENT 217
RELIGION 416
London 217
Wales 221 Religion in the UK 416
Scotland 226 Churches 422
Referendum 236
COMMUNICATIONS 443
Northern Ireland 237
Postal Services 443
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT 242 Telecommunications 444
Internet 446
LOCAL GOVERNMENT 245
Political Composition of Councils 251 THE ENVIRONMENT 448
England 256 Conservation and Heritage 448
Principal Cities 257 World Heritage Sites 457
4
HERITAGE 459 Countries of the World A-Z 634
Historic Buildings and Monuments 459 The North and South Poles 928
Museums and Galleries 467 UK Overseas Territories 931
Sights of London 475
Hallmarks 482 THE YEAR 2013-14
BANKING AND FINANCE 484 Events 943
British Currency 484 UK Affairs 943
Banking and Personal Finance 488 Arts and Media 945
Financial Services Regulation 491 Crimes and Legal Affairs 948
National Savings 493 Environment and Science 950
National Debt 494 Sport 951
London Stock Exchange 495 International Affairs 954
Economic Statistics 496 Obituaries 965
Cost of Living 498 Archaeology 967
Insurance 500 Architecture 971
Art 977
TAXATION 504 Business and Finance 980
Income Tax 504 Conservation 983
Value Added Tax 517 Natural Environment 983
Stamp Duty 518 Built Heritage 986
Dance 988
LEGAL NOTES 520 Film 992
Intellectual Property 545 Literature 995
The Media 999
THE MEDIA 547 Television 999
Broadcasting 547 Radio 1000
Television 547 The Press 1001
Radio 550 Internet 1002
The Press 552 Classical Music and Opera 1004
Newspapers 552 Pop Music 1010
Periodicals 556 Parliament 1013
Acts of Parliament 1018
ORGANISATIONS 561 Science and Discovery 1020
Trade and Professional Bodies 561 Sports Results 1025
Trade Unions 565 Sports Records 1050
Sports Bodies 569 Theatre 1053
Clubs 574 Weather 1057
Charities and Societies 576
TIME AND SPACE
THE WORLD
Astronomy 1065
The World in Figures 591 Time Measurement and Calendars 1123
Air Distances 598 Tidal Predictions 1137
Travel Overseas 599
European Union 601 Abbreviations 1144
International Organisations 611 Index 1148
5
PREFACE
At the start of 2014, when the process of updating Whitaker’s was already well
underway, the Scottish referendum on independence seemed an awfully long way
off, and all thoughts (and hopes) were firmly on the World Cup in Brazil. Despite
England’s 2-1 defeat by Italy, nobody really thought they would be out in the group
stage and the mood was confident prior to their match against Uruguay, particularly
as the weather was forecast to be rainy and 16°C! However, it was not to be, and it
seemed that while everyone’s focus had been on the world sporting arena the ‘yes’
campaign for an independent Scotland had gathered a considerable amount of
momentum.
Internationally, the political landscape was also changing rapidly. Following
internal civil unrest in the Ukraine at the start of the year, events took an unexpected
turn when Russia annexed Crimea on 18 March; amid signs of a build-up of Russian
forces on Ukraine’s eastern border, US President Barack Obama urged Moscow to
‘move back its troops’ and lower tensions. In Syria, the civil war moved to a new level
as Islamic State (IS) increased their campaign of terror causing prime minister David
Cameron to raise the UK security threat level to ‘severe’ on 29 August, while US-led
strikes on IS targets extended from Iraq into Syria on 22 September.
In the end, the result of the Scottish referendum was a ‘no’ to independence, but
the ‘yes’ campaign had an unexpected level of support, forcing the ‘Better Together’
campaigners to pull out all the stops in the weeks leading up to polling day. When
the no result was declared on 19 September the Scottish National Party leader Alex
Salmond felt he had no option but to resign as first minister and step down from the
leadership of the SNP. Nevertheless, the referendum has changed the UK’s political
thinking, with serious questions already being raised about further devolving powers
to the regions.
The Whitaker’s team has worked very hard as always to bring you this fully
updated 147th edition, spending many thousands of hours gathering the information,
checking facts and qualifying data. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome
our new astronomy contributor Sheridan Williams on board and draw attention to
the new page in the astronomy chapter detailing the solar eclipse which will take
place on 20 March 2015. I would also like to say a special thank you to Sheridan’s
predecessor, Gordon Taylor, for his lengthy contribution to Whitaker’s.
Ruth Northey
Executive Editor
