The Ministry of Justice is at the forefront of the coalition’s moves towards both outsourcing of service provision, and payment by results – meaning that life isn’t always easy for its chief, Ursula Brennan. Matt Ross meets her

The transport department's Community Rail Ambassador Project won the Understanding and Engaging with Communities award in the Diversity and Equality Awards for their work encouraging disadvantaged groups to make better use of rail travel. Civil Service World finds out more

Under the coalition’s open data agenda, the trading funds are being encouraged to release more information without charge. But if they give away their biggest asset for free, how can they earn a living? Winnie Agbonlahor reports.

The government’s open data programme is going to transform what citizens know about individual civil servants. Joshua Chambers meets Paul Maltby, the government’s director of transparency, to find out more

In 2010, a CSW survey revealed civil servants’ feelings about their training. Three years on, post budget cuts and Civil Service Learning, we’ve asked them again – with quite different results. Suzannah Brecknell reports.

A geography teacher warns Marcus Liddell that Ofsted and the education department are pointing in different directions.

The Northern Ireland Executive has 12 departments – far more than the Scottish or Welsh Governments. Joshua Chambers examines the emerging plans to cut their number, and considers their chances

Since Derek Jones began working on Welsh governance, the country’s administration has largely shifted from London to Cardiff. And now more devolution is on the way, Wales’s new perm sec tells Suzannah Brecknell

While America’s Californian rappers battle their East Coast rivals, transport chief Philip Rutnam has his own West Coast struggle: the effort to restore his department’s reputation after its rail franchise failure. Matt Ross meets him

The government wants us to have more choice in public services. But as David Boyle explains to Jess Bowie, in reality there are numerous obstacles stopping disadvantaged people from choosing their preferred service provider

While the overall story of women in the civil service is a positive one, the number of female permanent secretaries has fallen dramatically in the last two years. Should we be concerned? Suzannah Brecknell investigates.

Decision-making in government has suffered since the loss of its chief social scientist in 2010, according to outgoing chief scientific adviser Sir John Beddington, who this week called for the post to be restored.

The National Security Council has improved Whitehall’s planning and coordination. But it’s been busiest where the bullets have been flying, and there are doubts over its scrutiny of less obvious dangers. Stuart Watson reports.

Janet Williams is a personal adviser in the Department for Work and Pensions, and winner of the Head of the Civil Service's Award. CSW spoke with her to find out why she won.

A nurse caring for patients in the community warns that fast-growing workloads are ratcheting up the pressure on her hard-pressed team. Winnie Agbonlahor reports.

The business department’s permanent secretary Martin Donnelly tells Suzannah Brecknell how his department is working to bring businesses and government together, creating strategies designed to kick start Britain's economic growth

To deliver public services through third parties, civil servants need to acquire better commercial skills. Mark Smulian attended a Civil Service World round table discussing how, and where, they should be developed

Efforts to share traditional back office services have been underway for years – but now Whitehall’s specialist units are beginning to sell services such as legal and payment work to their colleagues. Mark Rowe reports.

Most attempts to share services in Whitehall have been pretty disastrous. Joshua Chambers meets Paul Marriner, the man charged with demonstrating that shared services schemes don’t have to be expensive white elephants

In 2010, the Ministry of Justice outsourced its courts translation work – but the contractor struggled, and the system ground to a halt. As the probation outsourcing looms, Joshua Chambers looks at the lessons to be learned.

As governments worldwide wrestle with shrinking budgets, increased volatility and a tide of open data, Matt Ross learns how public service leaders from different countries are meeting the challenges of an ever-changing world

Chief vet Nigel Gibbens wants his colleagues to enjoy a variety of opportunities inside the civil service, but admits the spending climate may mean a fall in numbers. Matthew O’Toole reports

CSW recently brought a group of civil servants together to discuss the use of citizen data in reducing Fraud, Error and Debt (FED). Tim Gibson reports on the debate.

A university official charged with recruiting students tells Will Hazell of his fears that higher fees are cutting student numbers and reducing efficiency.