Admiralty
It evolved from *Admiralty Navy War Council, (1909–1912) which in turn became the Admiralty War Staff, (1912–1917) before finally becoming the Admiralty Naval Staff in 1917. It was the former senior command, operational planning, policy and strategy department within the British Admiralty. It was established in 1917 and existed until 1964 when the department of the Admiralty was abolished, and the staff departments function continued within the Navy Department of the Ministry of Defence until 1971 when its functions became part of the new Naval Staff, Navy Department of the Ministry of Defence.
Plans Division (Q) Royal Navy
Established in May 1943 the division originally started out as a specialist section within the Plans Division. Its responsibilities were primarily administrative and logistical planning it remained a distinct division of the naval staff until 1952 when its remit was changed and it was renamed the Administrative Planning Department. The new department then became part of the Fourth Sea Lords organisation. In December 1959 the departments name was changed to the Administrative Planning Division. When the Admiralty merged within the new Ministry of Defence in April 1964 this division continued until 1966 when it was replaced by the Directorate of Administrative Planning of the Naval Staff, Navy Department.