'We are redoubling our efforts': Angela MacDonald on the Civil Service Pension Scheme recovery
26 Jun HR

'We are redoubling our efforts': Angela MacDonald on the Civil Service Pension Scheme recovery

Six months on from the disastrous transfer of the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita, Angela MacDonald, who was parachuted in to turn the crisis around, tells the inside story
by Tevye Markson
'Not just a policy department': Emran Mian on how the integration of Government Digital Service has transformed DSIT culture
25 Jun Digital, Data & Technology
'Not just a policy department': Emran Mian on how the integration of Government Digital Service has transformed DSIT culture
Read the summer 2026 issue of Civil Service World
23 Jun Civil Service Reform
Read the summer 2026 issue of Civil Service World
Ten years on from the vote to leave the EU, how has Brexit shaped the civil service?
23 Jun Civil Service Reform
Ten years on from the vote to leave the EU, how has Brexit shaped the civil service?
'This is a really big deal': Could ChatGPT change how civil servants work?
13 Jun 2023 Communications
'This is a really big deal': Could ChatGPT change how civil servants work?
From "radical efficiencies" to "hallucinations", we explore the implications for government officials of large language models like ChatGPT
'Here to stay' – the rising prominence of social value in public procurement
09 Jun 2023 Commercial
'Here to stay' – the rising prominence of social value in public procurement
Billed as the holy grail that can save public money as well as improving outcomes, social value has been a formal part of public sector procurement for a decade, but what do new procurement rules mean for its future?
Rage against the machine: behind the scenes of Australia's Robodebt crisis
07 Jun 2023 Digital, Data & Technology
Rage against the machine: behind the scenes of Australia's Robodebt crisis
An Australian royal commission is investigating how Australia’s use of an automated debt-raising tool that issued 500,000 incorrect debt notices – and led to the biggest class-action legal case in the country’s history – was allowed to cause so much damage. Beckie Smith looks at the story so far
Lunch with... former DLUHC digital chief Paul Maltby
06 Jun 2023 Digital, Data & Technology
Lunch with... former DLUHC digital chief Paul Maltby
The ex-government tech maven sits down to discuss digital reform, transparency and what makes a good minister
Revolution by retweet: The growing influence of social media on education policy
05 Jun 2023 Communications
Revolution by retweet: The growing influence of social media on education policy
Richard Willis analyses the impact of changing technology on education policymaking
Bowler-hatted union barons and naked mandarins: Looking back at the first national civil service strikes
02 Jun 2023 Civil Service Reform
Bowler-hatted union barons and naked mandarins: Looking back at the first national civil service strikes
A trip back to the 1970s reveals the parallels – and some big differences – between the first ever civil service strike and current walkouts
'The border must continually evolve': How Border Force is tackling new threats
01 Jun 2023 Justice & Home Affairs
'The border must continually evolve': How Border Force is tackling new threats
Border Force DG Phil Douglas shares some of the service's recent achievements and challenges
'It has felt increasingly hard to get things done': Why civil servants are leaving in droves
25 May 2023 HR
'It has felt increasingly hard to get things done': Why civil servants are leaving in droves
Departmental officials are voting with their feet and seeking new opportunities outside the civil service. Tevye Markson speaks to former staff to find out why they left, their advice for others and whether they would rejoin
'We want to equip government to deliver better': IfG director sets out vision for think tank's future
25 May 2023 Analysis
'We want to equip government to deliver better': IfG director sets out vision for think tank's future
Dr Hannah White, the director of the Institute for Government, offers her expert view on the current state of the civil service
'Engage, evolve, embed': Behind the policing science and tech strategy
25 May 2023 Digital, Data & Technology
'Engage, evolve, embed': Behind the policing science and tech strategy
Policing’s chief scientific adviser Paul Taylor shares how the new science and technology strategy was developed – and what will be needed for it to succeed
Braverman's missed PR move and 'terrifying' Sue Gray: Five things we learned at the IfG’s civil service impartiality summit
24 May 2023 Communications
Braverman's missed PR move and 'terrifying' Sue Gray: Five things we learned at the IfG’s civil service impartiality summit
The home secretary missed a trick by skipping her speed-awareness course, while Gus O’Donnell fears a crony takeover of Whitehall
'We've become much more flexible': Alex Chisholm on using MOG changes as a springboard for reform
19 May 2023 Civil Service Reform
'We've become much more flexible': Alex Chisholm on using MOG changes as a springboard for reform
Ahead of this year’s Civil Service Live, the civil service chief operating officer reflects on reforming government and learning from Brexit and Covid
Rethinking public policy: How universities can help policymakers keep up with the times Partner Content
15 May 2023 HR
Rethinking public policy: How universities can help policymakers keep up with the times
Ricky Kanabar, Associate Professor of Social Policy, University of Bath, on forming the next generation of policy leaders with the ability to distil research and develop effective strategies to ensure policy achieves its intended outcomes
One-off payment for civil servants was on the table but ‘fell apart in 24 hours’, says union chief
12 May 2023 HR
One-off payment for civil servants was on the table but ‘fell apart in 24 hours’, says union chief
FDA’s Dave Penman says Cabinet Office “promised” cost-of-living boost similar to NHS and teacher offers during pay talks
CCS defends Digital Marketplace closure and pledges to ‘reinstate transparency’
05 May 2023 Commercial
CCS defends Digital Marketplace closure and pledges to ‘reinstate transparency’
Suppliers and former officials have lamented the decision but procurement agency says platform could no longer "accommodate growing demands"
Government misses gender and ethnic-minority public appointment targets
28 Apr 2023 HR
Government misses gender and ethnic-minority public appointment targets
Stats also show rise in London-based appointments despite levelling up ambitions
'Our aim is always to protect children': How partnerships are helping the NCA close in on the worst kind of offenders
20 Apr 2023 Justice & Home Affairs
'Our aim is always to protect children': How partnerships are helping the NCA close in on the worst kind of offenders
Child sexual abuse is one of the most disturbing offences the National Crime Agency deals with. But as the NCA’s Dr Lauren Wilson explains, help from partners in the private sector has made a huge difference to the number of suspects arrested and to the safeguarding of children both nationally and internationally
'We’re doing lots of things for the first time': A guide to the international trade profession
18 Apr 2023
'We’re doing lots of things for the first time': A guide to the international trade profession
In this new series, CSW provides a guide to professions and functions across the civil service. Each briefing looks at a different group, offering a glimpse at what they do and how they work with other parts of government
Plan, record meetings and never overpromise: Lessons from a career in government finance
13 Apr 2023 Finance
Plan, record meetings and never overpromise: Lessons from a career in government finance
Former senior civil servant shares ideas, tips and strategies that can help you overcome the obstacles you may face in finance
Public bodies' handling of FoI requests can build or break trust in services. Here's how to do better
11 Apr 2023 Digital, Data & Technology
Public bodies' handling of FoI requests can build or break trust in services. Here's how to do better
Delays in the handling of Freedom of Information requests undermines the purpose of FoI legislation – but there are resources that can help
Defence spend analysis: A look at the 2023 Spring Budget Partner Content
11 Apr 2023 Commercial
Defence spend analysis: A look at the 2023 Spring Budget
The additional £5 billion allocated to Defence represents an attempt to match increased resources against policy priorities and security concerns within the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. Proxima’s Justin Reuter takes a look at what this means for commercial teams in the department
‘He may go down as the most influential chief scientific adviser we’ve had’: experts reflect on Patrick Vallance’s time in government
04 Apr 2023 Science & Engineering
‘He may go down as the most influential chief scientific adviser we’ve had’: experts reflect on Patrick Vallance’s time in government
As government chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance became a household name as the calm and rational presence at the daily Covid briefings. Beckie Smith takes a look at the man behind the TV screen
Time travel in Whitehall: Institutional amnesia and learning lessons from history
03 Apr 2023 Policy
Time travel in Whitehall: Institutional amnesia and learning lessons from history
Closing the gap between history and policy is a critical concern with relevance to contemporary debates about immigration, sentencing policy, childcare, to mention just a few
Why civil servants are leaving and other concerning scores: What we’ve learnt from the 2022 People Survey
31 Mar 2023 Civil Service Reform
Why civil servants are leaving and other concerning scores: What we’ve learnt from the 2022 People Survey
CSW digs into the latest Civil Service People Survey results