As departments seek to make more use of payment by results contracts, a panel of experts at Civil Service Live discussed the elements which will decide whether they're a success. Suzannah Brecknell listened carefully.

The National Security Council's first big test was the Arab spring, which – according to FCO director Dr Liane Saunders – changed the demands on both the council and the Foreign Office itself. Joshua Chambers reports.

Seven officials have been appointed as crown commercial representatives, and asked to oversee cross-Whitehall relationships with a set of key suppliers. Martin Bennett interviews them, and assesses the significance of the initiative.

Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude has fought many political battles in his long career – and now he’s picking up a familiar set of themes for a reformist tussle with the civil service. Matt Ross catches up with him.

Ministry of Justice permanent secretary Suma Chakrabarti has achieved big savings while focusing on evidence-based policy and payment-by-results – but now a political squal has upset his plans. Matt Ross meets him.

Leadership guru Steve Radcliffe has spent years coaching the cabinet secretary, and is now working with several permanent secretaries while planning a series of free lectures for civil servants. Ben Willis catches up with him.

A university lecturer discusses the importance of good decision-making and a holistic education

Phil Bartlett is leading the formation of the coalition’s first joint-venture mutual. With ministers keen for others to follow suit, he tells Joshua Chambers how his civil service organisation will shortly be leaving the public sector.

After a year of frantic reform and restructuring, cabinet secretary Gus O'Donnell tells Suzannah Brecknell that he wants civil servants to focus on developing skills for the future, staying creative, and learning from failures.

This week’s interviewee says the coach of NHS reform is heading broadly in the right direction, but wishes the driver would take more care

Changing the face of the civil service to reflect British diversity has been a key priority for civil service leaders recently – but cuts and job losses present a real threat to the progress made so far. Suzannah Brecknell reports.

Like his secretary of state Iain Duncan Smith, DWP permanent secretary Robert Devereux has a quiet manner. This cannot, however, conceal the vast scale and ambition of the organisational change and policy delivery projects that he’s pursuing. Matt Ross meets him.

As chief executive of the National Archives, Oliver Morley stores many government records – and publishes many more. He talks to Joshua Chambers about transparency, revenue generation, and the connections between them.

A college business manager complains that government endlessly changes the rules

Last month, the government’s green champions won an interdepartmental struggle – and set a challenging carbon budget that departments are obliged to meet. Matt Ross reports on the implications for Whitehall leaders.

Paying off the public debt may avert more misery, but what will make us happier? Colin Marrs reports on plans to measure public wellbeing, as they do in Bhutan, Canada and France, and use the results to shape policy.

As government tries to turn the civil service into a civic service, Suzannah Brecknell examines the results of a a Civil Service World survey of 2,500 officials. How many currently volunteer – and how many would like to?

To fit budget of the Crown Prosecution Service into its spending review settlement, its chief executive Peter Lewis tells Joshua Chambers that he is dragging the justice system into the 21st century.

In her role as chair of the environmental audit committee, Joan Walley MP is responsible for scrutinising cross-departmental work on sustainability. Edward Davie hears her take aim at the coalition's green performance.

This week’s interviewee works for a council, helping people to find their way around the benefits system

Cabinet Office efficiency chief Ian Watmore, who enforces the ‘tight’ bit of the tight-loose agenda, returned to Whitehall last May after a spell at the FA. These are tough times, he tells Matt Ross – but it’s still great to be back.

The health select committee chair – and former health secretary – Stephen Dorrell has been instrumental in delaying the coalition’s NHS reforms. Speaking to Joshua Chambers, he sets out his own plans for healthcare.

Tuition fee and student visa policies are creating dangerous uncertainty, a lecturer argues

The Institute for Government’s recent report on policymaking called for civil servants to be more robust in stepping forward to challenge flawed policies. Mark Rowe bounces its ideas off a set of former ministers.