Ministerial directions and a 'powerful' board: Think tank's 'draft bill' sets out vision for statutory civil service
13 May Civil Service Reform

Ministerial directions and a 'powerful' board: Think tank's 'draft bill' sets out vision for statutory civil service

Cab sec would have responsibility for appointment and performance management of perm secs under IfG proposals
by Tevye Markson
Departments have underestimated threat posed by cyberattacks, MPs warn
13 May Security & Defence
Departments have underestimated threat posed by cyberattacks, MPs warn
Fact checker defends ex-perm sec over pension-reform claims
13 May Communications
Fact checker defends ex-perm sec over pension-reform claims
Call for 'bold investment decisions' to address prison crisis
12 May Justice & Home Affairs
Call for 'bold investment decisions' to address prison crisis
Government’s short-term cash injection to rebuild public services hit by inflation, warns IFS
27 Mar Civil Service Reform
Government’s short-term cash injection to rebuild public services hit by inflation, warns IFS
Think tank also says fiscal headroom created by cuts to civil service and welfare budget could be wiped out by bigger OBR downgrade in next six months
Reeves: Planning reforms to deliver 'biggest growth impact for policy with no fiscal cost'
27 Mar Planning
Reeves: Planning reforms to deliver 'biggest growth impact for policy with no fiscal cost'
According to OBR, Labour's planning reforms will permanently increase the level of real GDP by 0.2 per cent by 2029-30 and by 0.4 per cent of GDP within the next 10 years
Welfare cuts will push 250,000 people into poverty, DWP impact assessment finds
27 Mar Policy
Welfare cuts will push 250,000 people into poverty, DWP impact assessment finds
Chancellor Rachel Reeves rejects the findings
Civil Service Muslim Network had no case to answer, probe into 'political activism' finds
27 Mar HR
Civil Service Muslim Network had no case to answer, probe into 'political activism' finds
Investigators were unable to identify “any specific wider general learning” from their inquiry, according to a document released under FOI
Spring Statement: HMRC gets £180m to help close tax gap
26 Mar Finance
Spring Statement: HMRC gets £180m to help close tax gap
Funding includes £100m to hire 500 additional compliance officers from next month
New £3.25bn transformation fund to cover voluntary exits and digital reform
26 Mar Civil Service Reform
New £3.25bn transformation fund to cover voluntary exits and digital reform
Reeves announces transformation fund at Spring Statement to make government "leaner, more productive and more efficient"
Spring Statement: DWP gets £400m to implement welfare cuts
26 Mar Civil Service Reform
Spring Statement: DWP gets £400m to implement welfare cuts
Rachel Reeves confirms costing of reforms that will cut benefits including PIP and Universal Credit
PACAC seeks urgent clarity on appointment of interim Acoba chair
26 Mar HR
PACAC seeks urgent clarity on appointment of interim Acoba chair
Eric Pickles exiting as chair of the watchdog at end of month, with government planning to initially appoint an interim replacement
Government needs ‘ruthless focus’ not ‘everythingism’, think tank argues
26 Mar Civil Service Reform
Government needs ‘ruthless focus’ not ‘everythingism’, think tank argues
Reform says belief that all projects and policies can aid all objectives is crippling delivery
Tech high fliers join Defra board
26 Mar Digital, Data & Technology
Tech high fliers join Defra board
The environment department has announced the addition of two new non-execs: a pair of senior managers, whose previous postings include Amazon and Sky, as well as Ofcom and Innovate UK
Home Office set to dump major asylum-accommodation provider
25 Mar Commercial
Home Office set to dump major asylum-accommodation provider
Department will end £2bn-a-year contract with Napier Barracks operator Stay Belvedere Hotels
Former No.10 economic-policy director gets lobbying rules ‘discount’
25 Mar Economy
Former No.10 economic-policy director gets lobbying rules ‘discount’
Tim Pitt started as Bank of America’s UK head of public policy in January after leaving government in May 2024
MPs ask government to rethink rejection of ‘essential’ Horizon scheme changes
25 Mar Finance
MPs ask government to rethink rejection of ‘essential’ Horizon scheme changes
Business and Trade Committee says government's rejection of its call to transfer administration of Horizon compensation scheme to DBT is a "mistake"
Public sector leaders must advocate for ‘speak-up’ culture – standards watchdog
25 Mar Civil Service Reform
Public sector leaders must advocate for ‘speak-up’ culture – standards watchdog
Committee on Standards in Public Life report says "open” and “curious” approach can enable improvements that could potentially avert disaster
Senior civil servant to become combined authority chief exec
24 Mar HR
Senior civil servant to become combined authority chief exec
Former Civil Contingencies Secretariat director Katharine Hammond starts £220k South Yorkshire role in May
Great British Energy sets out first major project
24 Mar Energy & Environment
Great British Energy sets out first major project
DESNZ-owned company will install hundreds of solar panels on schools and hospitals
Reeves: 10,000 civil service jobs to go in admin cost-cutting drive
24 Mar Civil Service Reform
Reeves: 10,000 civil service jobs to go in admin cost-cutting drive
Civil service unions call for honesty about impact of cuts on public services
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – March 24
24 Mar HR
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – March 24
Appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs in the last week, via Dods People
Simon Armitage publishes ode to probation work to bolster HMPPS recruitment
21 Mar HR
Simon Armitage publishes ode to probation work to bolster HMPPS recruitment
The poet laureate - and onetime probation service employee - teams up with his old employer after HMPPS research shows low awareness of probation officer roles
Treasury sets out plans for overhaul of spending and performance data
21 Mar Digital, Data & Technology
Treasury sets out plans for overhaul of spending and performance data
Ministers will be able to access live data showing departmental delivery and financial performance at programme and project level
Small dip in civil service headcount
20 Mar HR
Small dip in civil service headcount
Latest ONS stats show 1,000 decrease in civil service staffing numbers (FTE)
Union chief pledges to work with PM on civil service reform
20 Mar Civil Service Reform
Union chief pledges to work with PM on civil service reform
However, Prospect general secretary Mike Clancy says officials should not be characterised as “blockers” and pay frameworks must be reviewed
DfT perm sec Bernadette Kelly to stand down
20 Mar HR
DfT perm sec Bernadette Kelly to stand down
Top official will retire from civil service after 39 years working in government
‘We listen impartially and objectively to all voices’: ONS responds to ‘activism’ critique
20 Mar Statistics
‘We listen impartially and objectively to all voices’: ONS responds to ‘activism’ critique
Report calls for UK Statistics Authority to “consider review of activism and impartiality within the civil service" in relation to statistics production