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 ‘struggling to keep pace’ with reducing violence against women and girls
16 May Justice & Home Affairs
Departments ‘struggling to keep pace’ with reducing violence against women and girls
DWP reverses ban on ChatGPT and other generative AI tools
16 May Digital, Data & Technology
DWP reverses ban on ChatGPT and other generative AI tools
CMA told to prioritise economic growth in priority 'reset'
16 May Economy
CMA told to prioritise economic growth in priority 'reset'
Home Office unlawfully seized 2,000 asylum seekers' phones, court rules
29 Mar 2022 Justice & Home Affairs
Home Office unlawfully seized 2,000 asylum seekers' phones, court rules
Almost 2,000 mobile phones were seized by the department under a blanket policy which the court ruled was unlawful and broke human rights
Met Police issues first 20 Partygate fines
29 Mar 2022 Coronavirus
Met Police issues first 20 Partygate fines
Boris Johnson among dozens sent interview questionnaires after Sue Gray probe into Covid rule-breaking
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – March 28
28 Mar 2022 HR
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – March 28
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People
Dstl kickstarts regional expansion with Newcastle office
28 Mar 2022 Digital, Data & Technology
Dstl kickstarts regional expansion with Newcastle office
Defence R&D lab is investigating opportunities to open more hubs around the UK
DHSC bought £122m PPE from Tory peer-linked firm 'for almost three times manufacturing fee'
28 Mar 2022 Commercial
DHSC bought £122m PPE from Tory peer-linked firm 'for almost three times manufacturing fee'
The 25 million gowns were never used after failing an inspection
Grenfell Inquiry: DCLG official played down risks of major tower-block fire
28 Mar 2022 Local & Devolved
Grenfell Inquiry: DCLG official played down risks of major tower-block fire
Probe hears HM chief fire and rescue adviser was told a Dubai-style cladding blaze could not happen in the UK
Spring Statement: Below-inflation civil service pay awards ‘seem a certainty’
25 Mar 2022 Economy
Spring Statement: Below-inflation civil service pay awards ‘seem a certainty’
Union chief says further restraint will be “catastrophic” for public sector workers
MPs renew call for government to create chief risk officer role
25 Mar 2022 Coronavirus
MPs renew call for government to create chief risk officer role
Senior officials “lack understanding” of the benefits a CRO would bring, despite pandemic experience, Public Accounts Committee says
DHSC failed to adequately document Randox Covid testing contract decisions – NAO
25 Mar 2022 Coronavirus
DHSC failed to adequately document Randox Covid testing contract decisions – NAO
The watchdog says it has not seen any evidence that the contracts with Randox were “awarded improperly", however
High Court sides with union in Home Office subs challenge
25 Mar 2022 HR
High Court sides with union in Home Office subs challenge
PCS calls for cross-government damages deal after multi-million-pound DWP settlement
Spring Statement: Sunak’s silence on departmental spending ‘signals new squeeze’
24 Mar 2022 Economy
Spring Statement: Sunak’s silence on departmental spending ‘signals new squeeze’
Institute for Fiscal Studies says lack of new cash chips 10% off Spending Review settlements
DLUHC to hire a dozen local levelling up directors on up to £144k each
24 Mar 2022 HR
DLUHC to hire a dozen local levelling up directors on up to £144k each
Partygate investigator Sue Gray will help to recruit the new regional chiefs
Ministers, officials and advisers should not use Whatsapp for important government business, think tank says
23 Mar 2022 Digital, Data & Technology
Ministers, officials and advisers should not use Whatsapp for important government business, think tank says
An inquiry into use of private mobile phones in government hears that officials use private devices on a "daily basis"
Progress with NICS cash-for-ash reforms dubbed ‘disappointing’
23 Mar 2022 Energy & Environment
Progress with NICS cash-for-ash reforms dubbed ‘disappointing’
Fewer than half of scandal inquiry’s recommendations have been implemented in full, says audit chief
New DCMS agency to oversee digital identity laws
23 Mar 2022 Digital, Data & Technology
New DCMS agency to oversee digital identity laws
Legislation to be passed to put digital IDs on same legal footing as physical documents
Civil servants show ‘strong’ support for strike action over 10% pay demand
22 Mar 2022 HR
Civil servants show ‘strong’ support for strike action over 10% pay demand
Whitehall’s biggest union says ballot results indicate four out of five members back industrial action
Former head of OBR picked as next UK Statistics Authority chair
22 Mar 2022 Statistics
Former head of OBR picked as next UK Statistics Authority chair
The planned appointment of Sir Robert Chote will now be scrutinised by the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Department for Levelling Up exposes civil servants' personal data in breach
22 Mar 2022 Digital, Data & Technology
Department for Levelling Up exposes civil servants' personal data in breach
Names and contact details of officials and supplier staff were clearly visible after contract was inadequately redacted
MoD's Ajax armed vehicle troubles 'may prove insurmountable', NAO warns
21 Mar 2022 Analysis
MoD's Ajax armed vehicle troubles 'may prove insurmountable', NAO warns
The National Audit Office says the department's approach to the £5.5bn programme was “flawed from the start”
New whistleblower claims FCDO senior officials 'intentionally' misled MPs over decision to evacuate dogs from Afghanistan
21 Mar 2022 Foreign Affairs
New whistleblower claims FCDO senior officials 'intentionally' misled MPs over decision to evacuate dogs from Afghanistan
Official claims staff have lost confidence in FCDO leadership
Treasury to crowdsource ideas from civil servants as part of £5.5bn waste cut plans
21 Mar 2022 Civil Service Reform
Treasury to crowdsource ideas from civil servants as part of £5.5bn waste cut plans
Winners will be selected this summer and the best ideas will become government policy
DVLA pledges ‘urgent investigation' over absenteeism claims
21 Mar 2022 Coronavirus
DVLA pledges ‘urgent investigation' over absenteeism claims
Privacy concerns hamper remote working at the agency, as licence-processing backlogs continue
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – March 21
21 Mar 2022 HR
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – March 21
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People
FCDO gets joint perm sec in major personnel shakeup
18 Mar 2022 Security & Defence
FCDO gets joint perm sec in major personnel shakeup
Africa DG Moazzam Malik “declines role in revised structure”, staff are told