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
HMRC 'could have done more' to prevent furlough fraud, NAO says
26 Oct 2020 Economics
HMRC 'could have done more' to prevent furlough fraud, NAO says
Watchdog also urges tax agency to ensure fewer people miss out on support under future schemes
Government has ‘misread the mood of the country’ on free school meals says ex-PACAC chair
26 Oct 2020 Education
Government has ‘misread the mood of the country’ on free school meals says ex-PACAC chair
Bernard Jenkin says PM’s refusal to extend scheme had become ‘a touchstone of how little faith a lot of people now have in the government's conduct’
HM Land Registry offers £120k for digital chief to lead transformation
26 Oct 2020 Digital, Data & Technology
HM Land Registry offers £120k for digital chief to lead transformation
Tech leader will oversee digitisation of platforms and infrastructure upgrades
Chisholm ‘open’ to the idea of creating a centralised civil service HR function
26 Oct 2020 Civil Service Reform
Chisholm ‘open’ to the idea of creating a centralised civil service HR function
Cabinet Office perm sec tells MPs he would be very willing to look into the case for a comms-style reorganisation of departmental personnel teams
Latest civil service & public affairs moves — October 26
26 Oct 2020 HR
Latest civil service & public affairs moves — October 26
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People
New cabinet secretary Simon Case acknowledges ‘gaps’ in his Whitehall CV
23 Oct 2020 HR
New cabinet secretary Simon Case acknowledges ‘gaps’ in his Whitehall CV
But nation’s top civil servant tells MPs he is satisfied he has the experience to stand up to ministers
Ministers and departments will be moved to 'great northern cities', PM says
23 Oct 2020 Commercial
Ministers and departments will be moved to 'great northern cities', PM says
Boris Johnson promises to "build back stronger, build back faster" as he says north faces greater "sacrifices and hardships" than elsewhere
Maude: It’s ‘a myth’ that the UK has the best civil service in the world
23 Oct 2020 Civil Service Reform
Maude: It’s ‘a myth’ that the UK has the best civil service in the world
Former Cabinet Office minister says service is a “deeply flawed institution” but accepts it has some great civil servants
Sunak sets out ‘significantly’ boosted job-support package as local lockdowns spread
22 Oct 2020 Coronavirus
Sunak sets out ‘significantly’ boosted job-support package as local lockdowns spread
Chancellor’s £4.1bn pandemic aid proposals come one week after HM Treasury said existing measures “covered all bases”
Anger as Cabinet Office knocks back petition for 10% civil service pay rise
22 Oct 2020 Finance
Anger as Cabinet Office knocks back petition for 10% civil service pay rise
Union dubs response “insulting and misleading” as ministers point to 3.7% rise in public-sector pay compared with 1.2% decrease in private sector
Boris Johnson's spad reforms 'disempowering ministers and weakening government'
22 Oct 2020 HR
Boris Johnson's spad reforms 'disempowering ministers and weakening government'
IfG calls for No.10 to relinquish some power over hiring and firing, and for increased scrutiny of high-profile advisers
Joint Biosecurity Centre partners with stats and machine-learning experts to inform Covid response
22 Oct 2020 Coronavirus
Joint Biosecurity Centre partners with stats and machine-learning experts to inform Covid response
The Alan Turing Institute and Royal Statistical Society to set up virtual lab
MoJ launches review that could lead to Parole Board overhaul
22 Oct 2020 Justice & Home Affairs
MoJ launches review that could lead to Parole Board overhaul
Review is the “culmination of work to examine and reform the parole system" that followed Worboys case
Comprehensive Spending Review halted as Treasury prioritises certainty – and reiterates pay restraint warning
21 Oct 2020 Economics
Comprehensive Spending Review halted as Treasury prioritises certainty – and reiterates pay restraint warning
Sunak says now is not the time for a full review
Cummings lockdown trip 'undermined' government's Covid messages, Sedwill says
21 Oct 2020 Communications
Cummings lockdown trip 'undermined' government's Covid messages, Sedwill says
Sedwill says spad's trip to Durham was a "mistake"
Officials win plaudits for statistical excellence
21 Oct 2020 Communications
Officials win plaudits for statistical excellence
MHCLG, the Scottish Fiscal Commission, Ofsted and ONS teams lauded for work with data
Treasury perm sec Scholar tight-lipped on impact analysis for Covid-19 tiers
21 Oct 2020 Analysis
Treasury perm sec Scholar tight-lipped on impact analysis for Covid-19 tiers
Treasury perm sec grilled by MPs demanding figures for effect on businesses of new localised restrictions
HMRC told to examine whether Making Tax Digital is ‘reasonable and affordable’ before further rollout
20 Oct 2020 Digital, Data & Technology
HMRC told to examine whether Making Tax Digital is ‘reasonable and affordable’ before further rollout
PAC tells department it is "not convinced" the scheme will deliver its expected benefits
Civil servant arrested in probe over ambassador's leaked Trump comments
20 Oct 2020 Security & Defence
Civil servant arrested in probe over ambassador's leaked Trump comments
Kim Darroch quit British Embassy in Washington after cables showed he called US president “inept”, “insecure” and “incompetent”
Policy Exchange recruits heavy-hitters to take on civil service reform
19 Oct 2020 Civil Service Reform
Policy Exchange recruits heavy-hitters to take on civil service reform
Reform of Government Commission will "go back to first principles and ask: what sort of civil service do we want?"
PM says it's 'time to get ready' for no-deal Brexit ahead of talks with EU
19 Oct 2020 Brexit
PM says it's 'time to get ready' for no-deal Brexit ahead of talks with EU
Before Michel Barnier arrives in London today, Boris Johnson accused the EU of having failed to negotiate "seriously"
Latest civil service & public affairs moves — October 19
19 Oct 2020
Latest civil service & public affairs moves — October 19
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People
Truss names preferred candidate to chair Equality and Human Rights Commission
19 Oct 2020 HR
Truss names preferred candidate to chair Equality and Human Rights Commission
Former Lib Dem peer Baroness Kishwer Falkner’s appointment is subject to a pre-appointment scrutiny hearing in parliament next month
Tips for the top: Are you a civil service star, a sector sage or an ALB aficionado?
19 Oct 2020 Culture
Tips for the top: Are you a civil service star, a sector sage or an ALB aficionado?
Report offers wannabe public-sector chiefs a guide to the galaxy of arm’s length body opportunities