'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?
'Compassion is cost effective': How the third sector is driving success in high-profile government contracts
16 Apr 2025 Commercial
'Compassion is cost effective': How the third sector is driving success in high-profile government contracts
Major Kathy Betteridge shares what the church has learned from delivering the government's Modern Slavery Victim Care Contract for England and Wales
'Be humble': Why academics need to change their approach to the civil service
15 Apr 2025 Policy
'Be humble': Why academics need to change their approach to the civil service
King's College London's Michael Sanders talks to CSW about the need for better collaboration between the civil service and academia and why more lecturers should spend time in government
Man marking, Mr. Messy and West Side Story – Wes Streeting explains thinking behind NHS England-DHSC merger
11 Apr 2025 Health & Social Care
Man marking, Mr. Messy and West Side Story – Wes Streeting explains thinking behind NHS England-DHSC merger
The health secretary unpacked his U-turn on structural health reform in a grilling with MPs this week
'There will be 10 things going wrong. You’ve got time to deal with three a day': Lunch with... Simon Case
08 Apr 2025 Leadership
'There will be 10 things going wrong. You’ve got time to deal with three a day': Lunch with... Simon Case
The former cabinet secretary and head of the civil service on relations between ministers and officials, dealing with public criticism and his most enjoyable roles
Sir Jim Harra interview: Departing HMRC chief reflects on 40 years as 'the taxman'
02 Apr 2025 Government Tax Profession
Sir Jim Harra interview: Departing HMRC chief reflects on 40 years as 'the taxman'
Harra on HMRC's evolution, defending staff, his role as LGBT+ champion and his favourite podcasts
Read the spring 2025 issue of Civil Service World
01 Apr 2025
Read the spring 2025 issue of Civil Service World
We examine how the government can meet the goals of its safer streets mission and catch up with outgoing "taxman" Jim Harra
'I wouldn't have missed a moment': Departing MHRA chief June Raine reflects on four-decade career at regulator
31 Mar 2025 Health & Social Care
'I wouldn't have missed a moment': Departing MHRA chief June Raine reflects on four-decade career at regulator
The regulator's outgoing chief executive discusses opera, Covid and what makes a great leader
Delivery driver: What can we learn from the diaries of Sir Michael Barber?
28 Mar 2025 Operational Delivery
Delivery driver: What can we learn from the diaries of Sir Michael Barber?
A book that draws on the diaries of Sir Michael Barber, head of Tony Blair’s Delivery Unit, feels relevant and timely. Suzannah Brecknell speaks to author Michelle Clement to find out more
Could the latest attempt to tackle knife crime succeed where others have failed?
27 Mar 2025 Justice & Home Affairs
Could the latest attempt to tackle knife crime succeed where others have failed?
The government has declared war on knife crime and aims to halve it in a decade as part of its Safer Streets Mission. How can it turn tough talk into action?
'The boldest step yet': Can the government meet its ambition to halve violence against women and girls?
24 Mar 2025 Justice & Home Affairs
'The boldest step yet': Can the government meet its ambition to halve violence against women and girls?
Government’s mission to halve VAWG is ambitious and necessary. But it will need a new focus on the needs of victims – and much more emphasis on perpetrators
‘We need a sensible conversation about pay and career paths’: Expert panel discusses civil service recruitment and turnover
21 Mar 2025 HR
‘We need a sensible conversation about pay and career paths’: Expert panel discusses civil service recruitment and turnover
Top lines from an Institute for Government debate on attracting and retaining the right people
Mega drive: How government can rethink its approach to the biggest major projects
20 Mar 2025 Project Delivery
Mega drive: How government can rethink its approach to the biggest major projects
The National Audit Office sets out the case for introducing a new category of major projects: mega projects
'Really crude headcount cuts won't work': Experts debate the right size and shape of the civil service
14 Mar 2025 Civil Service Reform
'Really crude headcount cuts won't work': Experts debate the right size and shape of the civil service
Top lines from an Institute for Government webinar on the biggest changes and challenges faced by officials today
How can the new industrial strategy bring about meaningful change?
03 Mar 2025 Economy
How can the new industrial strategy bring about meaningful change?
With a 10-year strategy under development ahead of SR25, DBT perm sec Gareth Davies spells out his approach
Leading with purpose: Jonathan Freeman on his journey from senior official to head of Charity for Civil Servants
28 Feb 2025 Leadership
Leading with purpose: Jonathan Freeman on his journey from senior official to head of Charity for Civil Servants
The new boss of Charity for Civil Servants, Jonathan Freeman, talks to Susan Allott about community, keeping going through tough times, and wanting civil servants to feel loved
'Huge common sense is needed on WfH': 10 things we learnt from Chris Wormald’s PACAC hearing
26 Feb 2025 Civil Service Reform
'Huge common sense is needed on WfH': 10 things we learnt from Chris Wormald’s PACAC hearing
New cab sec sets out views on home working, mission government, grade hierarchy and more
Some things change, some stay the same: Sixteen years of the People Survey
24 Feb 2025 HR
Some things change, some stay the same: Sixteen years of the People Survey
CSW breaks down how responses to the Civil Service People Survey have changed since it was launched 16 years ago
Serve and protect: An interview with Trade Remedies Authority chair Nick Baird
20 Feb 2025
Serve and protect: An interview with Trade Remedies Authority chair Nick Baird
Cheaper imports for consumers or protection for domestic industries? Baird explains how he is guiding the new organisation through a dynamic but delicate policy area
Q&A: Civil service commissioner Atul Devani
18 Feb 2025 HR
Q&A: Civil service commissioner Atul Devani
Serial entrepreneur Atul Devani has been part of the Civil Service Commission for just over two years. He tells CSW about his background and role
Six things we've learned about the prisons capacity crisis this year
17 Feb 2025 Justice & Home Affairs
Six things we've learned about the prisons capacity crisis this year
Secure estate has £2.8bn maintenance backlog, while a contractor's demise will add £300m to the core building programme
Book review: The Mind of The Minister provides expert guidance on repairing relations between ministers and officials
14 Feb 2025 Civil Service Reform
Book review: The Mind of The Minister provides expert guidance on repairing relations between ministers and officials
Rich in insight and anecdote, the book shows politicians and officials are bound together – and sometimes thriving – whether they like it or not
From embassy to enterprise: Former Foreign Office perm sec Simon Fraser on founding a start-up
11 Feb 2025 Foreign Affairs
From embassy to enterprise: Former Foreign Office perm sec Simon Fraser on founding a start-up
Sir Simon Fraser, the founder of Flint Global, talks to CSW about moving from the civil service to the private sector, and the importance of being calm in a crisis
Why new Treasury rules on estimating fraud and error could help drive savings
07 Feb 2025 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
Why new Treasury rules on estimating fraud and error could help drive savings
New Treasury guidance requires that departments report on the total level of loss across their programmes. Here's why it matters and how the NAO can help
We ran England's first citizens' jury on assisted dying – here's what we learnt
07 Feb 2025 Social Research
We ran England's first citizens' jury on assisted dying – here's what we learnt
The Nuffield Council on Bioethics used a citizens’ jury to gather evidence on the increasingly politicised debate on assisted dying. Danielle Hamm explains