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
Government testing identifies accessibility issues on 99% of public sector websites
26 Jan 2022 Digital, Data & Technology
Government testing identifies accessibility issues on 99% of public sector websites
CDDO monitoring found that vast majority of sites did not wholly comply with regulations
Thousands of regional jobs saved in HMRC U-turn
26 Jan 2022 Government Tax Profession
Thousands of regional jobs saved in HMRC U-turn
HMRC had planned to move almost 3,000 jobs from Portsmouth and East Kilbride
White applicants to Fast Stream three times more likely to be successful than black candidates
25 Jan 2022 Civil Service Reform
White applicants to Fast Stream three times more likely to be successful than black candidates
Candidates from black backgrounds had a success rate of one in 143 compared to 1 in 44 for white applicants
Minister quits over BEIS and Treasury fraud failings
25 Jan 2022 Civil Service Reform
Minister quits over BEIS and Treasury fraud failings
Cross-government efficiency chief Agnew says he couldn’t get officials to "lift their game"
Met launches investigation into No.10 parties during Covid restrictions
25 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
Met launches investigation into No.10 parties during Covid restrictions
Police commissioner Cressida Dick said a number of events in government buildings had breached the threshold for criminal investigation
Partygate: Ex-Covid Taskforce DG could face sanctions over leaving drinks
25 Jan 2022 HR
Partygate: Ex-Covid Taskforce DG could face sanctions over leaving drinks
Sheffield City Council sets up panel to probe chief executive Kate Josephs’ admission about Cabinet Office gathering while pandemic restrictions were in place
Greensill report a 'cynical attempt to distract from real issues', Jeremy Heywood's widow says
24 Jan 2022 Commercial
Greensill report a 'cynical attempt to distract from real issues', Jeremy Heywood's widow says
In a new chapter of the late cabinet secretary's biography, Suzanne Heywood details her attempts to give evidence to the Boardman review
Northern Ireland Office seeks new civil service commissioner
24 Jan 2022 HR
Northern Ireland Office seeks new civil service commissioner
Secretary of state Brandon Lewis specifies “expertise and fresh thinking” for next member of three-strong panel
Unions slam 'reckless' demands for civil servants to return to offices
24 Jan 2022 HR
Unions slam 'reckless' demands for civil servants to return to offices
The Cabinet Office is asking departments to ensure offices return quickly to full occupancy
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – January 24
24 Jan 2022 HR
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – January 24
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People
Study on ‘Boris bridge’ to link Scotland and Northern Ireland cost £900k
21 Jan 2022 Finance
Study on ‘Boris bridge’ to link Scotland and Northern Ireland cost £900k
Report carried out at Boris Johnson's request showed the bill for a fixed link would be "impossible to justify"
DfT pledges ‘bonfire of the banalities’ for pointless train announcements
21 Jan 2022 Transport
DfT pledges ‘bonfire of the banalities’ for pointless train announcements
Crackdown comes despite reduction in passenger numbers and projected £20bn bill from coronavirus pandemic
PM's standards adviser to get bigger team after flat refurb row
21 Jan 2022 Civil Service Reform
PM's standards adviser to get bigger team after flat refurb row
Cabinet office perm sec Alex Chisholm confirms expansion following Geidt’s call for “greater authority and independence”
MPs slam DWP for ‘shameful shambles’ of £1bn pensions underpayments
21 Jan 2022 Digital, Data & Technology
MPs slam DWP for ‘shameful shambles’ of £1bn pensions underpayments
Department must understand opportunity cost of failing to keep IT systems up-to-date, report warns
Biggest civil service union sets out 10% pay demand
20 Jan 2022 HR
Biggest civil service union sets out 10% pay demand
PCS tells departments it also wants guarantee on “£5k minimum” London weighting
No.10 accused of seeking to ‘blackmail and intimidate’ MPs trying to topple PM
20 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
No.10 accused of seeking to ‘blackmail and intimidate’ MPs trying to topple PM
PACAC chair William Wragg says government had threatened to withdraw cash from constituencies of MPs suspected of plotting to remove Johnson over Partygate
DIT launches search for ‘next generation’ of trade negotiators
20 Jan 2022 Economy
DIT launches search for ‘next generation’ of trade negotiators
Post-Brexit programme offers up to £35k a year to latest wave of trainees
DHSC refuses plea to tackle health and social staff pay disparity
19 Jan 2022 Health & Social Care
DHSC refuses plea to tackle health and social staff pay disparity
Perm sec says the government cannot accurately compare jobs in the two sectors
‘Taking more control of IT strategy’ – HMRC to close in-house tech firm
19 Jan 2022 Digital, Data & Technology
‘Taking more control of IT strategy’ – HMRC to close in-house tech firm
Staff will either become civil servants or move over to commercial providers
Consultants still make up a quarter of test and trace workforce as bosses admit jobs 'less attractive' to civil servants
19 Jan 2022 Commercial
Consultants still make up a quarter of test and trace workforce as bosses admit jobs 'less attractive' to civil servants
Significant progress made on cutting consultant numbers, but short-term roles and secondments deter officials from applying
Cabinet Office wins court appeal over contract awarded to Cummings-linked firm
19 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
Cabinet Office wins court appeal over contract awarded to Cummings-linked firm
The Good Law Project, which brought the case, plans to appeal to the Supreme Court
HMRC expects to recoup only a quarter of £6bn lost to Covid fraud and error
18 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
HMRC expects to recoup only a quarter of £6bn lost to Covid fraud and error
Department revises down estimate of taxpayers’ money it could get back by March 2023
Treasury’s Darlington office could move to new site within three years
18 Jan 2022 Civil Service Reform
Treasury’s Darlington office could move to new site within three years
There are expected to be 1,500 new civil service staff in Darlington by 2025
Partygate scandal ‘damaging civil service's reputation’, warns union chief
18 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
Partygate scandal ‘damaging civil service's reputation’, warns union chief
Warning comes amid latest revelations of a “prosecco and crisps” get-together at the Home Office