Like our armed forces, the civil service’s battle against waste is split between three commands. Joshua Chambers examines the Institute for Government’s ideas for turning these scattered forces into an effective fighting force

The Committee on Standards in Public Life was established to keep our politicians and public employees honest. Its chair Lord Bew admits to Joshua Chambers that it’s losing both staff, and its remit to comment on current events

A therapist discusses the funding cuts and incessant policy changes that have exhausted NHS staff

Sir Paul Jenkins has spent his time as Treasury solicitor creating a shared legal service, and tackling discrimination. As this very unusual barrister retires, he gives Matt Ross his final, divergent verdicts on the progress in both fields

These days, libraries lack books and students lack learning, a university librarian tells Adam Branson

With the environment department badly hit in the Spending Review, many of its agencies saw hefty cuts. Joshua Chambers speaks to Dave Webster, chief executive of Natural England, on how the quango wielded its secateurs.

In cookery, chefs combine ingredients to make their dishes more tasty and nutritious; but most local services are consumed individually. Adam Branson tastes the stew being cooked up by the Community Budgets project

Even after years of public sector outsourcing, many departments still struggle to attract a wide range of bidders for new contracts. Joshua Chambers explores how government could create more diverse and thriving markets

The Care Quality Commission exists to inspect quality in our health and care services – but when chief executive David Behan joined it in 2012, its own services were in turmoil. He tells Matt Ross what he’s doing to turn it around.

Extreme rain, storms and tides have combined to overwhelm our flood defences – but defences can only ever be a backstop. Stuart Watson explores how public agencies could work together to minimise the danger of floods.

More than three years after its launch, the government’s Fraud, Error and Debt agenda is now moving fast – leading to much more coordinated action across government. Suzannah Brecknell reports on progress

Permanent secretaries’ annual performance targets, published for the second time at the end of last year, include a huge range of metrics, aspirations and aims. Mark Rowe hears the reaction to a very varied field of objectives

A quality and audit lead at a hospice tells Jon Stone about jumping through CQC hoops, and the joys of unfunded central policies.

The new Competition & Markets Authority will referee our markets, boosting competition to support both economic growth and government outsourcing projects. Chief executive Alex Chisholm talks to Suzannah Brecknell

The Public Accounts Committee chair sits right at the heart of Westminster, with the power to examine public spending across government. But as Margaret Hodge tells Matt Ross, she’s always felt like an outsider

The G-Cloud promises to bring efficiencies and cost savings to central government. But how easy is it to buy from the cloud? A recent roundtable explored the issue, as Tim Gibson reports.

Justice secretary Chris Grayling’s ambitious probation outsourcing is being pushed through at breakneck pace. But many criminal justice professionals remain unconvinced that the changes have been properly tested and planned

An NHS administrator at an urban community health trust explains the pros and cons of having managers, rather than clinicians, running the NHS

The Public Administration Select Committee wants the creation of an independent commission into the civil service. The PM has so far given a firm ‘no’ – but its chair, Bernard Jenkin, won’t let up. Joshua Chambers meets him

Chief procurement officer Bill Crothers, having reviewed 28 Serco and G4S contracts, is strengthening his team’s ability to spot and rescue sinking outsourcing projects across Whitehall. Winnie Agbonlahor examines his plans.

Sue Owen might be enjoying more evenings out as the new permanent secretary at DCMS, but her days are spent demonstrating and improving the value of culture, media and sport to the UK. Suzannah Brecknell meets her

In the wake of a series of scandals around government procurement, CSW held a round table on how to minimise the risks involved in contracting out public sector activity. Colin Marrs reports on a bid to fashion Outsourcing 2.0

When 1984 arrived, it didn’t neatly fit George Orwell’s vision of a cowed population kept in line by the feared Thought Police. But as Joshua Chambers discovers in that year’s Cabinet Papers, it’s not hard to find parallels.

Ed Lester

Chief Executive of the Land Registry