As MPs went round in circles on Chilcot and the EU referendum, the FDA general secretary Dave Penman wondered how Sir Jeremy Heywood maintained his calm, settled demeanour

Opinion: By dictating the conversation about money, HM Treasury exerts an enormous influence over how Whitehall thinks about answering problems

The prime minister has promised a bill to repatriate EU law to the UK. But, writes George Peretz QC of Monckton Chambers, there is a serious risk that swathes of legislation, drafted in a hurry by overworked civil servants, will be waived through without proper parliamentary scrutiny

The EA’s gender champion and executive director of evidence shares her thoughts on why switching sectors or retraining is nothing to be afraid of

If government were to explore how UK tax policies impact on developing countries, it is entirely possible that it would identify ‘win-win’ situations, says Richard Gledhill of the Independent Commission on Aid Impact

Digital technology presents charities with huge opportunities — and GDS has shown the importance of a user-centred approach to digital transformation

Bernard Jenkin, the Public Administraton and Constitutional Affairs Committee chairman,  offers his verdict on the recently published Civil Service Workforce Plan

As David Cameron announces his departure from parliament, Jane Dudman calls for Theresa May – no stranger to confronting public officials – to take a different tack with the civil service

Civil servants are famed for their analytical skills, but debts, deficits and downturns can still be perplexing concepts. David Tyrrall from the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy offers a handy primer on the basics of national accounting – and busts a few myths on the way

We must challenge the assumption that every civil servant wants the same bundle of rewards or a career for life

There's a wealth of data out there on student engagement, says Emilie Sundorph of the Reform think tank – measuring it should be a compulsory part of the government's new Teaching Excellence Framework

The civil service can deliver the best outcome possible from exiting the EU, says the FDA union's general secretary – but only if it is given clear political direction as well as the required capability and capacity

Whitehall can do more to boost the representation of BAME staff in its top ranks – but, says Angela Seesurrun of Civil Service Resourcing, there are already signs of positive change

The voluntary sector should be well placed to help deliver services in the devolution era. But, as Patrick Murray of charity think tank the New Philanthrophy Capital writes, many fear that fragmentation of services and opaque contracting arrangements could shut them out

Simon MacDowall, a former communicationss director in three departments, argues that true success lies not in spinning media lines but in putting citizens’ needs first

The GDS's new leader Kevin Cunnington now has the opportunity to complete the cultural shift from confrontation to collaboration with departments, says digital inclusion specialist Matthew Trimming​

The referendum campaign revealed the gap that has opened up between businesses and their consumers – so it's vital that the consulting industry shows it can be trusted

The big leadership changes in government digital seem like a triumph for those who believe a government organised along Victorian lines is still fit for fixing today’s problems, argues former senior civil servant Andrew Greenway

Prejudice and discrimination can rise at a time of heightened insecurity, says Dr Marc Verlot of the Equality and Human Rights Commission – and it's not just the job of the police to tackle it

Climate sceptics were jubilant when Theresa May announced the end of a dedicated climate change department. But, as Professor Sam Fankhauser of the Grantham Research Institute argues, bringing together the teams working to cut carbon with those drawing up industrial policy could be a smart move 

While steps to improve data on whistleblowing are welcome, civil servants need more reassurance that they won't be penalised for challenging wrongdoing, says Tom Casey of the independent whistleblowing charity​ Public Concern At Work

Jobcentres have won praise for getting people into work at a time of economic crisis. But ensuring they're fit for the digital age will need ministerial resolve as well as technical know-how, argues William Mosseri-Marlio of the Reform think tank

A lack of planning, a breakdown of cabinet government, the sidelining of civil service advice – the parallels between the Iraq debacle and the aftermath of the Brexit vote are striking, argues Sue Cameron

Jo Hopkins, chair of the Home Office women’s network and senior sponsor of the Gender Equality Network, welcomes the steps being taken to encourage women from all backgrounds to join the civil service – and says the barriers women face are not just around gender but also race, ethnicity, sexuality, faith, age and background