With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Met Office chief executive Rob Varley takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Charity Commission chief executive Paula Sussex ​ takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Melanie Dawes, permanent secretary of the Department for Communities and Local Government, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Ruth Owen, head of the government's Operational Delivery Profession​, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Mark Lowcock, permanent secretary of the Department for International Development, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

What skills and capabilities are required for overseeing major government projects – and is there a clear enough career path for project managers in the civil service? Colin Marrs reports from a recent CSW round table

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Mark Sedwill, permanent secretary of the Home Office, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Dame Sally Davies, chief medical officer for England, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Stephen Lovegrove, permanent secretary of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc), takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) chief executive Lin Homer takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Department for Culture, Media and Sport permanent secretary Sue Owen, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Rowena Collins Rice, director-general of the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Leslie Evans, permanent secretary of the Scottish Government, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Jon Thompson, Ministry of Defence permanent secretary, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Dr Malcolm McKibbin, Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Ordnance Survey chief executive Nigel Clifford takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

The Cabinet Office’s “Cloud First” agenda has led to an explosion in the number of public sector organisations embracing public cloud services. But what are the challenges – and how can the risks be mitigated? Gill Hitchcock reports from a recent Civil Service World round table

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Richard Heaton, Ministry of Justice permanent secretary and civil service-wide Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) champion, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. HM Chief Inspector of Schools, Sir Michael Wilshaw, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Jeff James, Chief Executive and Keeper at The National Archives, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Clare Moriarty, permanent secretary of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Alison Saunders, director of public prosecutions, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Stephen Foreshew-Cain, executive director of the Government Digital Service, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Sir Amyas Morse, Comptroller and Auditor General at the National Audit Office spending watchdog, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs round-up series...