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
Unions raise 'extreme concern' about social distancing at BEIS HQ
05 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Unions raise 'extreme concern' about social distancing at BEIS HQ
Letter to perm sec Sarah Munby was written before it emerged business secretary Alok Sharma had travelled internationally after a colleague contracted coronavirus
Government brings nuclear warheads in house to enable investment in technology
04 Nov 2020 Security & Defence
Government brings nuclear warheads in house to enable investment in technology
AWE will become an arm’s-length body
Don't overburden NHS Test and Trace, chief medic warns
04 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Don't overburden NHS Test and Trace, chief medic warns
Speed of test turnarounds is critical, Chris Whitty says, as he also warns it would be "stupid" for scientists to interfere in minutiae of policy decisions
‘No longer world class’: Commission calls for civil service overhaul
04 Nov 2020 Civil Service Reform
‘No longer world class’: Commission calls for civil service overhaul
Report claims Whitehall skill gaps and “running policy sores” illustrate need for improvement
Chisholm pledges to curb use of consultants with plan to bolster in-house skills
03 Nov 2020 Civil Service Reform
Chisholm pledges to curb use of consultants with plan to bolster in-house skills
Lord Agnew "makes a really good point" about the need to increase specialist skills in the civil service and rely less on consultants, COO says
Move 50,000 civil servants to northern 'clusters' to break London 'stranglehold' on policymaking, think tank says
03 Nov 2020 Civil Service Reform
Move 50,000 civil servants to northern 'clusters' to break London 'stranglehold' on policymaking, think tank says
Manchester, Warrington and Liverpool among most promising locations for hubs of similar public organisations, says report on levelling-up agenda
MPs call on Sunak to reveal economic impact assessment of Covid-19 measures
03 Nov 2020 Analysis
MPs call on Sunak to reveal economic impact assessment of Covid-19 measures
Treasury Select Committee seeks data briefed to SAGE as Labour demands end to last-minute policy scrambles
NHS ‘improves accuracy’ of contact-tracing app as downloads near 20 million
03 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
NHS ‘improves accuracy’ of contact-tracing app as downloads near 20 million
Update will end ‘ghost notifications’, government claims
Latest civil service & public affairs moves — November 2
02 Nov 2020 HR
Latest civil service & public affairs moves — November 2
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People
England’s second lockdown could go beyond 2 December, says Michael Gove
02 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
England’s second lockdown could go beyond 2 December, says Michael Gove
Explaining move into a second national lockdown, the Cabinet Office minister says ‘the situation has been worse than any of us expected’
BEIS defends vaccine task force chair who named targets for government investment at $200-a-head event
02 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
BEIS defends vaccine task force chair who named targets for government investment at $200-a-head event
Department says officials signed off on Kate Bingham's presentation, which contained names of companies developing Covid-19 vaccines
Sunak urged to find cash to make pandemic-driven innovations permanent
02 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Sunak urged to find cash to make pandemic-driven innovations permanent
Spending Review should also stump up funding to deal with “huge” service backlogs, report says
DWP hits recruitment target for 4,500 extra work coaches
02 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
DWP hits recruitment target for 4,500 extra work coaches
Milestone will turn around department’s shrinking headcount as new hiring drive is set to launch
Vetting improvements will help civil servants switch jobs quicker, security chief says
30 Oct 2020 Security & Defence
Vetting improvements will help civil servants switch jobs quicker, security chief says
Dominic Fortescue says three year programme will ‘completely reimagine’ vetting for security-restricted roles
Truss vows 'Britain shaped' trade deals must boost levelling-up agenda
30 Oct 2020 Brexit
Truss vows 'Britain shaped' trade deals must boost levelling-up agenda
International trade secretary sets out vision for free trade as a “lean, green, value-creating machine”
Unions set for Cabinet Office talks on looming £95k cap on exit payments
29 Oct 2020 HR
Unions set for Cabinet Office talks on looming £95k cap on exit payments
Ministers told secondary legislation must not be implemented before “proper consultation”
GLD offers £180,000 for government's next top lawyer
29 Oct 2020 HR
GLD offers £180,000 for government's next top lawyer
Recruitment firm to get up to £45,000 to assist in search for Treasury solicitor to succeed Sir Jonathan Jones
Cabinet Office publishes employee and supplier personal info in data breach
29 Oct 2020 Digital, Data & Technology
Cabinet Office publishes employee and supplier personal info in data breach
Improperly redacted contract included names and mobile phone numbers – which remained publicly available four days after department had been notified of breach
Jonathan Slater: I learned PM wanted me to leave DfE via the press Exclusive
29 Oct 2020 Education
Jonathan Slater: I learned PM wanted me to leave DfE via the press
Education secretary told ex-perm sec his job wasn't under threat days before he was asked to leave, he tells CSW in exclusive interview
Government analysis function launches first-ever awards
28 Oct 2020 Analysis
Government analysis function launches first-ever awards
Civil servants are invited to put themselves forward for five categories, including impact and communication
DIT 'failing to demonstrate measurable progress' four years after inception
28 Oct 2020 Finance
DIT 'failing to demonstrate measurable progress' four years after inception
MPs also criticise lack of "strategic alignment" with UK Export Finance
Government facing calls to tighten Covid restrictions as deaths hit their highest level since May
28 Oct 2020 Coronavirus
Government facing calls to tighten Covid restrictions as deaths hit their highest level since May
Latest figures from government scientific advisers are ‘utterly bleak’, according to reports
Work begins on Peterborough hub as part of plans to move officials out of London
27 Oct 2020 Civil Service Reform
Work begins on Peterborough hub as part of plans to move officials out of London
Development forms part of government drive 'to spread jobs, growth and prosperity' across the country, Cabinet Office minister says
Government remains focused on levelling up despite Covid, insists minister
27 Oct 2020 Economy
Government remains focused on levelling up despite Covid, insists minister
Northern Conservative MPs write to PM urging the cost of Covid not to be paid for by downgrading the levelling-up agenda