DWP annnounces 60% in-office rule across all grades from September
09 May HR

DWP annnounces 60% in-office rule across all grades from September

PCS says the decision is "a backward step" and that trusting staff to work from home "has been shown to improve productivity"
by Tevye Markson
Sir Ian Diamond steps down as UK’s national statistician
09 May HR
Sir Ian Diamond steps down as UK’s national statistician
Union anger as ex-cabinet minister accuses officials of being Putin-appeasers
09 May Foreign Affairs
Union anger as ex-cabinet minister accuses officials of being Putin-appeasers
Agentic AI ‘could boost government productivity by 20-30%’, former lead NED says
09 May Digital, Data & Technology
Agentic AI ‘could boost government productivity by 20-30%’, former lead NED says
Union intensifies strike action at DVLA
08 Jun 2021 HR
Union intensifies strike action at DVLA
PCS says 800,000 documents are still to be processed as backlog grows by tens of thousands a day
DHSC seeks adviser to develop 'reputation and influence' of new health agency
07 Jun 2021 Health & Social Care
DHSC seeks adviser to develop 'reputation and influence' of new health agency
Applicants for £117,000-a-year job must be able to work under "pressure, scrutiny and ambiguity"
Ministers impose 1% pay offer on Northern Ireland Civil Service
07 Jun 2021 HR
Ministers impose 1% pay offer on Northern Ireland Civil Service
Trade union says members will be 'frustrated and angry' about offer that will see pay rise by 1% in 2021-22
Confidential civil service documents ‘set for new life as toilet paper’
07 Jun 2021 Energy & Environment
Confidential civil service documents ‘set for new life as toilet paper’
Belfast social enterprise wins contract to recycle thousands of bags of restricted papers every month
Schools funding row is ‘shape of things to come’, IFS warns
07 Jun 2021 Finance
Schools funding row is ‘shape of things to come’, IFS warns
Think-tank says spats over Treasury “stinginess” are likely to be a regular feature of debates over the coming years
New procurement rules: don’t simply award contracts to the lowest bidder, departments told
04 Jun 2021 Brexit
New procurement rules: don’t simply award contracts to the lowest bidder, departments told
Post-Brexit guidance sets out how public spending should drive wider benefits like jobs and environmental protection
Cabinet Office ‘in listening mode’ on post-lockdown return to the office
04 Jun 2021 Coronavirus
Cabinet Office ‘in listening mode’ on post-lockdown return to the office
But civil service unions fear ministerial posturing and a repeat of last year’s target for 80% of departmental staff to get back to their desks
HMPPS notches up recruitment record for probation officers
04 Jun 2021 HR
HMPPS notches up recruitment record for probation officers
Service hires more than 1,000 new trainees in a single year as disastrous reforms are reversed
HMRC to offer free period products to staff
03 Jun 2021 HR
HMRC to offer free period products to staff
Department says move is “another positive step” to make sure workers are treated with dignity, empathy and respect
Education catch-up commissioner quits over 'inadequate' Covid funding for schools
03 Jun 2021 Coronavirus
Education catch-up commissioner quits over 'inadequate' Covid funding for schools
Departure comes after government unveils funding package around one-tenth of recommended amount
DWP data unit ‘helped 540,000 unpaid carers get early vaccinations’
03 Jun 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
DWP data unit ‘helped 540,000 unpaid carers get early vaccinations’
Department made first bulk data transfer to NHS England in February
BEIS seeks chief for research agency championed by Cummings
02 Jun 2021 Science & Engineering
BEIS seeks chief for research agency championed by Cummings
Head of Aria will ‘build and design an organisation that is truly unique and unprecedented in the UK’, application pack says
International trade watchdog becomes arm’s-length body
02 Jun 2021 Brexit
International trade watchdog becomes arm’s-length body
Trade Remedies Authority gets independence three years after it was founded
Former GSK chief appointed to lead Antivirals Taskforce
02 Jun 2021 Coronavirus
Former GSK chief appointed to lead Antivirals Taskforce
Eddie Gray will head team hunting for at-home treatments to counter Covid-19
Latest civil service & public affairs moves — June 1
01 Jun 2021 Leadership
Latest civil service & public affairs moves — June 1
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People
Civil servants ‘insufficiently supported’ Boris Johnson on flat refurb, says ministerial code adviser
01 Jun 2021
Civil servants ‘insufficiently supported’ Boris Johnson on flat refurb, says ministerial code adviser
But review concludes prime minister acted "unwisely" over funding arrangements for Downing Street works
No.10 steams ahead with plans for new national flagship
01 Jun 2021 Brexit
No.10 steams ahead with plans for new national flagship
Johnson says successor to Royal Yacht Britannia will give British business a ‘new global platform’
MHCLG confirms details of its new Wolverhampton HQ
01 Jun 2021 HR
MHCLG confirms details of its new Wolverhampton HQ
Department is already hiring staff for “ground-breaking” West Midlands base
PM’s new standards adviser ‘blocked’ from answering questions
28 May 2021 HR
PM’s new standards adviser ‘blocked’ from answering questions
Cabinet secretary asked why department intervened to stop Lord Geidt from responding to MPs’ questionnaire
Treasury plans pandemic-driven update of spending control bible
28 May 2021 Coronavirus
Treasury plans pandemic-driven update of spending control bible
Managing Public Money refresh will add guidance on emergency-related risk and more case studies
Calls for full Covid inquiry to begin now after Cummings hearing
28 May 2021 Coronavirus
Calls for full Covid inquiry to begin now after Cummings hearing
Demands come as health secretary Matt Hancock denies he lied during pandemic planning
DWP refuses to shut jobcentres in areas hit by new Covid variant
27 May 2021 Coronavirus
DWP refuses to shut jobcentres in areas hit by new Covid variant
Union says “incompetent” decision flies in the face of stricter guidance for residents in eight worst-affected boroughs
‘Like a scene from Independence Day’: Dominic Cummings' timeline of the ‘crucial week’ in the government’s coronavirus response
27 May 2021 Coronavirus
‘Like a scene from Independence Day’: Dominic Cummings' timeline of the ‘crucial week’ in the government’s coronavirus response
Dominic Cummings has given a blow-by-blow account of the Downing Street operation in the “crucial week” of Covid-19 decision making pre-lockdown
Cummings: ‘I brought Simon Case back into government because PM wasn’t listening to me’
27 May 2021 Coronavirus
Cummings: ‘I brought Simon Case back into government because PM wasn’t listening to me’
Former No.10 top adviser calls for civil service recruitment changes, including opening up more senior roles to external candidates