News

IT industry spokeswoman Sureyya Cansoy has warned that a combination of ‘agile’ project management and localism risks “fragmenting” IT projects, leading to problems with system compatibility.

The NHS could host commercial advertising on its website in the near future, a deputy director at the Department of Health said on Monday at a seminar held by CSW in conjunction with the Post Office.

Permanent secretaries’ objectives are likely to be expanded, with responsibility for cross-cutting government agendas – such as encouraging economic growth – included in their appraisal systems, cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood has said. Meanwhile, Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude told CSW that permanent secretaries and ministers should be accountable to Parliament for the policies they helped to implement even when they have moved departments or retired.

When things go wrong in government, a ministerial scapegoat is often sought. Joshua Chambers examines the convention of ministerial responsibility – and asks whether it still holds the power to unseat secretaries of state.

£34

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Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London 

www.royalcourttheatre.com

Until 5 April

The IT industry likes the government’s direction of travel, its trade association’s public sector director Sureyya Cansoy tells Matt Ross – but businesses will be happier still when the coalition’s activity turns into real progress

The coalition has seized on the work of David Halpern and his Behavioural Insights Team with a vengeance. As Becky Slack finds out, the techniques of ‘nudge’ are set to change policymaking in every corner of government

Almeida Theatre, Islington

www.almeida.co.uk

Until 10 March

Different targets and better joint working between health and social care agencies would improve the ambulance service, says this week’s Frontliner

When I joined the CSW team in June 2010, the Efficiency and Reform Group had just been created, the civil service had 43,000 more employees, and IT contract renegotiations were but a glint in Francis Maude’s eye. Since then the civil service has – while developing a brand new set of policies – experienced wholesale reforms in fields such as pensions, redundancy pay, training and HR, and the ERG has delivered £8.75bn of savings. Even if you don’t agree with everything that’s being done, the pace of change is impressive.

Christopher Graham, the information commissioner, has criticised the “nonsense” from some civil servants who claim that the Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) threatens good government.

Vince Cable has ignored the advice of the Commons’ Business, Innovation and Skills Committee and appointed Professor Les Ebdon as director of fair access to higher education.

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) should introduce new legislation to make it easier for families to settle the affairs of missing relatives, the Justice Select Committee has said.

After nearly 22 months, the Commons select committees’ first elected chairs have had plenty of time to size up their Whitehall counterparts. Joshua Chambers asked them how the departments they watch have been performing

An online platform through which public sector organisations can purchase software was launched on Sunday.

First civil service commissioner Sir David Normington has called for the Treasury’s scoping review of tax arrangements across the senior civil service to be extended, to ascertain whether the people involved are full civil servants or interim managers.

Departmental select committee chairs have provided mixed reviews of the departments they scrutinise for a Civil Service World Special Report, which has found that 40 per cent of them are dissatisfied with departments’ responses to their reports.

The loss of a train construction contract overseas has left coalition ministers arguing that civil servants should hand more contracts to UK firms. Stuart Watson examines the room for manoeuvre available within EU rules.

66 Broadway, Westminster

London SW1H 1DB

British Waterways chief Robin Evans has spent years campaigning for the public corporation to become a charitable trust. He tells Matt Ross why our canals are set to thrive outside the illusory security of government ownership

The government has just published the submissions to its open data consultation. Mark Rowe learns about the many and varied pressures on the Cabinet Office's transparency team, charged with finding a way forwards

Civil service leaders must praise good work, support employee development and remain “visible and understanding” to address the problem that civil servants are becoming less proud of their organisation, according to civil service head Sir Bob Kerslake.

Subtlety is a rare but valuable characteristic. A little nuance never does any harm, while a gung-ho machismo can get you in all sorts of trouble.