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
MacNamara: Whitehall processes 'bent out of shape' by Brexit work ahead of pandemic
02 Nov 2023 Brexit
MacNamara: Whitehall processes 'bent out of shape' by Brexit work ahead of pandemic
Former official says Brexit preparations led to the centre holding too much power, with departments "disempowered"
Ofqual chair named as interim replacement for Jo Saxton
02 Nov 2023 Education
Ofqual chair named as interim replacement for Jo Saxton
Ian Bauckham will serve as chief regulator at qualifications watchdog from January
Helen MacNamara: 'Extraordinarily difficult' to provide Covid inquiry evidence after Cabinet Office wiped work phone
01 Nov 2023 Coronavirus
Helen MacNamara: 'Extraordinarily difficult' to provide Covid inquiry evidence after Cabinet Office wiped work phone
Former deputy cabinet secretary also said government 'hadn't done any proper planning' just days before lockdown
DWP 'too slow to fix mistakes' as it pays out £74m in disability-benefit arrears
01 Nov 2023 Finance
DWP 'too slow to fix mistakes' as it pays out £74m in disability-benefit arrears
Department has reviewed just under a quarter of cases affected by a court judgment since 2021
Case did not want cab sec job, Cummings claims
01 Nov 2023 Coronavirus
Case did not want cab sec job, Cummings claims
Simon Case took the job “to forestall a disaster” after others turned it down, ex-spad tells Covid Inquiry
Covid Inquiry: Cummings lets rip at ‘dumpster fire’ Cabinet Office
01 Nov 2023 Coronavirus
Covid Inquiry: Cummings lets rip at ‘dumpster fire’ Cabinet Office
Former chief adviser bemoans “bloated” and “opaque” heart of government with “a lot of the wrong people in the wrong job”
Lee Cain: Comms professionals 'were shaping Covid policy because no one else was'
31 Oct 2023 Communications
Lee Cain: Comms professionals 'were shaping Covid policy because no one else was'
Former No.10 comms director tells inquiry the Covid pandemic was the "wrong crisis" for Boris Johnson’s "skill set"
MPs launch inquiry into critical national infrastructure cyber resilience
31 Oct 2023 Security & Defence
MPs launch inquiry into critical national infrastructure cyber resilience
UK is world's third most cyberattack-targeted country globally, committee says
Case said Johnson 'cannot lead' on Covid and slammed 'weak' ministers and perm secs
31 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
Case said Johnson 'cannot lead' on Covid and slammed 'weak' ministers and perm secs
“A weak team… cannot succeed in these circumstances,” said Case, who was "at the end of [his] tether" with PM
Martin Reynolds: Cabinet Office failed to get on top of Covid crisis in early 2020
30 Oct 2023 Coronavirus
Martin Reynolds: Cabinet Office failed to get on top of Covid crisis in early 2020
Boris Johnson's ex- PPS also admits to setting messages in key WhatsApp group to delete after seven days
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – October 30
30 Oct 2023 HR
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – October 30
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via Dods People
Essential public services breaking down, report warns
30 Oct 2023 Health & Social Care
Essential public services breaking down, report warns
Performance tracker highlights “dire state” of public services, amid predictions they are set to decline further
Civil servants ‘deeply frustrated’ with Whitehall’s flaws and eager for change, research finds
30 Oct 2023 HR
Civil servants ‘deeply frustrated’ with Whitehall’s flaws and eager for change, research finds
Interviews with policy professionals uncover reduced faith in senior leadership and shift in relationship with ministers
Gaza crisis: Border Force officials deployed to Egypt
27 Oct 2023 Foreign Affairs
Gaza crisis: Border Force officials deployed to Egypt
Prime minister confirms teams are poised to help bring trapped Britons home
Home Office plan to clear asylum backlog risks shifting problems elsewhere, MPs warn
27 Oct 2023 Justice & Home Affairs
Home Office plan to clear asylum backlog risks shifting problems elsewhere, MPs warn
Public Accounts Committee says Home Office “does not understand” impact its reforms will have on the wider system
Civil service pay strike set to cause ‘significant disruption’ in Northern Ireland
27 Oct 2023 HR
Civil service pay strike set to cause ‘significant disruption’ in Northern Ireland
Department warns statutory services cannot be guaranteed ahead of five-day action targeting ports, meat plants and veterinary services
Partygate: Chisholm to face grilling over sign-off for Johnson’s legal bill Exclusive
27 Oct 2023 Politics & Constitution
Partygate: Chisholm to face grilling over sign-off for Johnson’s legal bill
Cabinet Office perm will be questioned on approval process for £265k fund to support ex-PM through Privileges Committee hearings
Levelling up director hopefuls waited a year before being told jobs scrapped
26 Oct 2023 HR
Levelling up director hopefuls waited a year before being told jobs scrapped
MPs back new rules for fixing on-the-record mistakes
26 Oct 2023 Politics & Constitution
MPs back new rules for fixing on-the-record mistakes
Vote expands corrections process, which was previously only open to ministers
Insolvency Service ‘£8m out of pocket’ over Carillion proceedings
26 Oct 2023 Finance
Insolvency Service ‘£8m out of pocket’ over Carillion proceedings
Disqualification case against former non-execs of failed outsourcer was dropped this month
Fast Stream hits 50% STEM grads recruitment target
26 Oct 2023 Digital, Data & Technology
Fast Stream hits 50% STEM grads recruitment target
Jeremy Quin says target is part of plan to "put innovation at the very core of policy making"
ONS statistician honoured for lifesaving pandemic work  
25 Oct 2023 Health & Social Care
ONS statistician honoured for lifesaving pandemic work  
Vahé Nafilyan "wasn’t afraid to put novel ideas forward" when Covid hit, national statistician says
AWE staff vote to strike over ‘done deal’ 6% pay award
25 Oct 2023 HR
AWE staff vote to strike over ‘done deal’ 6% pay award
Prospect union blasts "disappointing lack of proper engagement from the employer"
NAO flags ‘weaknesses’ in £7.8bn Cabinet Office savings figures
25 Oct 2023 Finance
NAO flags ‘weaknesses’ in £7.8bn Cabinet Office savings figures
Public-spending watchdog says some efficiencies attributed to the work of functions could be “overstated”