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
Defra announces closure of Newcastle office
15 May Energy & Environment
Defra announces closure of Newcastle office
Treasury appoints new second perm sec to support economic growth mission
15 May Economics
Treasury appoints new second perm sec to support economic growth mission
Civil servants 'are hungry for reform': Union boss urges ministers to set clear plan
14 May Civil Service Reform
Civil servants 'are hungry for reform': Union boss urges ministers to set clear plan
King Charles takes on civil service patron roles
17 May 2024 Culture
King Charles takes on civil service patron roles
Monarch becomes patron of the Charity for Civil Servants and the Civil Service Club
DHSC second perm sec hired as next chief exec of St John Ambulance
17 May 2024 Health & Social Care
DHSC second perm sec hired as next chief exec of St John Ambulance
Shona Dunn will leave civil service to take helm of first-aid charity in September
Second union to join G4S security-staff strike at DWP
17 May 2024 HR
Second union to join G4S security-staff strike at DWP
PCS members on DWP’s G4S contract vote to walk out after GMB strikes closed 70 jobcentres last week
HMRC gets £51m to improve helplines as NAO finds customers are ‘being let down’
16 May 2024 Government Tax Profession
HMRC gets £51m to improve helplines as NAO finds customers are ‘being let down’
Reducing HMRC helpline staff too early in digitalisation drive has left holes in customer service, watchdog says
Covid Inquiry: Sue Gray says siloed working 'worse in Northern Ireland than Whitehall'
16 May 2024 Coronavirus
Covid Inquiry: Sue Gray says siloed working 'worse in Northern Ireland than Whitehall'
Former Cabinet Office second perm sec tells panel devolved governments need to work more closely with Westminster on emergency responses
Just four major departments meet threshold for strike action in PCS pay ballot
16 May 2024 Civil Service Reform
Just four major departments meet threshold for strike action in PCS pay ballot
Departments which failed to meet threshold include Cabinet Office, DWP, HMRC and Treasury
Skills deficit leaves departments 'too reliant on suppliers' for major projects, MPs say
15 May 2024 Commercial
Skills deficit leaves departments 'too reliant on suppliers' for major projects, MPs say
A lack of project-management, technical and engineering skills is undermining projects, PAC report warns
DBT setting up 'emergency response function', perm sec says
15 May 2024 Coronavirus
DBT setting up 'emergency response function', perm sec says
Gareth Davies tells MPs work is part of broader learning from Covid support schemes
Defra seeks chief exec for Marine Management Organisation
15 May 2024 Brexit
Defra seeks chief exec for Marine Management Organisation
Department offers £120k to lead the 500-strong marine regulator
Lanyard decree missing from new EDI guidance
15 May 2024 Civil Service Reform
Lanyard decree missing from new EDI guidance
Proposal to ban lanyards that aren’t “standard design” not included in Cabinet Office guidance on equality, diversity and inclusion
DWP beats counter-fraud target by £50m
14 May 2024 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
DWP beats counter-fraud target by £50m
Update confirms plan to use temporary staff to fill 2,500 roles reviewing Universal Credit claims
Public confidence in ONS remains high as trust in civil service dips
14 May 2024 Statistics
Public confidence in ONS remains high as trust in civil service dips
Survey shows robust faith in official statistics but trust in civil service has fallen to 75%
GOV.UK 'brand refresh' to target 'broadest possible audience'
14 May 2024 Commercial
GOV.UK 'brand refresh' to target 'broadest possible audience'
GDS and commercial partners have begun a research process exploring ‘associations’ with proposed new designs
Border Force anti-strike law: PCS gets go-ahead for legal challenge
13 May 2024 HR
Border Force anti-strike law: PCS gets go-ahead for legal challenge
High Court grants permission for judicial review of minimum service levels regulations in the Border Force
'Insufficient investment' means government will miss clean-water targets, watchdog warns
13 May 2024 Energy & Environment
'Insufficient investment' means government will miss clean-water targets, watchdog warns
Just 12% of Environment Agency's £51bn costing for improvements has been confirmed, Office for Environmental Protection says
McVey announces 'common sense' plan to streamline equality and diversity work
13 May 2024 Civil Service Reform
McVey announces 'common sense' plan to streamline equality and diversity work
Esther McVey takes aim at “woke hobby horses”, external EDI spending and non-standardised lanyards
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – May 13
13 May 2024 HR
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – May 13
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via Dods People
Security guards' pay strike forced DWP to close dozens of jobcentres
10 May 2024 HR
Security guards' pay strike forced DWP to close dozens of jobcentres
Union accuses department and G4S of drafting in untrained agency staff to provide cover
UKHSA and DHSC accused of 'getting financial-management basics unacceptably wrong'
10 May 2024 Finance
UKHSA and DHSC accused of 'getting financial-management basics unacceptably wrong'
MPs flag weaknesses in agency's controls and health department's oversight
Excl: Civil service pay remit guidance delayed 'to align with other public services'
09 May 2024 HR
Excl: Civil service pay remit guidance delayed 'to align with other public services'
"We are taking a strategic approach to public sector pay in the round," chief people officer says
Civil service union chief blasts ministers over 'top-down, evidence-free micromanagement'
09 May 2024 HR
Civil service union chief blasts ministers over 'top-down, evidence-free micromanagement'
Dave Penman raps government for "Stalinist" headcount-reduction targets, media attacks and revolving door of political leaders
MPs pick new PACAC chair
09 May 2024 Politics & Constitution
MPs pick new PACAC chair
Jackie Doyle-Price will lead watchdog panel after William Wragg's resignation
Milestone-based reward trial for senior civil servants to begin in summer
09 May 2024 Civil Service Reform
Milestone-based reward trial for senior civil servants to begin in summer
John Glen announces pilot of long-awaited approach to reducing churn and driving up performance standards
Covid Inquiry: NICS head 'concerned' over lost ministerial messages
08 May 2024 Coronavirus
Covid Inquiry: NICS head 'concerned' over lost ministerial messages
Jayne Brady tells probe official phones and iPads were reset despite "explicit and clear" advice to perm secs