The Central Office of Information (COI) is a government department. It was also established as an Executive Agency on 5 April 1990 and then as a Trading Fund on 1 April 1991, in accordance with the Government Trading Funds Act 1973, as amended.

COI's Framework Document outlines the formal status and governance of the organisation and is revised as necessary. The Framework Document was due for renewal following the Quinquennial review. However, this was delayed to await the outcome of the Independent Review of Government Communications. It is now awaiting approval. In the meantime the previous Framework Document dating from 1998 is available for download: