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
CMA chief exec announces plan to step down
10 Jan 2022 Economy
CMA chief exec announces plan to step down
Andrea Coscelli will leave regulator at the end of July after six years as CEO
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – January 10
10 Jan 2022 HR
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – January 10
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People
Home Office appoints panel to advise on 'scientific' ways to verify age of asylum seekers
07 Jan 2022 Digital, Data & Technology
Home Office appoints panel to advise on 'scientific' ways to verify age of asylum seekers
Ethical concerns have been raised over the plans for medical age assessment
'Jury out’ on whether Geidt should have quit over PM's flat refurb probe, says union chief
07 Jan 2022 HR
'Jury out’ on whether Geidt should have quit over PM's flat refurb probe, says union chief
Latest Downing Street flat refurb revelations prompt renewed calls for ethics adviser to have freedom to launch investigations without PM’s go-ahead
Tory peer ‘secretly involved’ with firm that won £200m in PPE contracts after she referred it to ‘VIP lane’
07 Jan 2022 Commercial
Tory peer ‘secretly involved’ with firm that won £200m in PPE contracts after she referred it to ‘VIP lane’
Companies in the fast-track lane were 14 times more likely to win contracts than other suppliers, according to the NAO
Downing Street flat probe: ‘Grave concern’ over Cabinet Office failings
07 Jan 2022 HR
Downing Street flat probe: ‘Grave concern’ over Cabinet Office failings
Johnson pledges independent standards adviser will get better support and more powers after debacle over undisclosed messages
HMRC ‘doesn't understand’ problems with new border IT
06 Jan 2022 Brexit
HMRC ‘doesn't understand’ problems with new border IT
Lorries unable to enter UK as department acknowledges “error issues” with Goods Vehicles Movement System
Cabinet Office rejects claim 6,000 civil service jobs were axed in Scotland
06 Jan 2022 HR
Cabinet Office rejects claim 6,000 civil service jobs were axed in Scotland
UK government describes SNP figures as “misleading” and says proportion of headcount reductions has been lower than in other home nations
Don’t ignore other areas of care when tackling Covid backlog, DHSC told
06 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
Don’t ignore other areas of care when tackling Covid backlog, DHSC told
MPs also warn against a "targets culture" of focusing solely on reducing numbers
Blair feared ‘regulation nightmare’ from Home Office race equality drive
05 Jan 2022 HR
Blair feared ‘regulation nightmare’ from Home Office race equality drive
Shelved white paper would have called on departments to put race equality “at the heart” of departmental policymaking
Departments hunt for new comms chiefs
05 Jan 2022 Communications
Departments hunt for new comms chiefs
HMRC offers up to £130k a year for next top dog but Home Office sets £120k limit
Whitty knighted in New Year's Honours celebrating government scientists and medics
04 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
Whitty knighted in New Year's Honours celebrating government scientists and medics
UKHSA and MHRA heads also recognised, along with new Scottish Government perm sec
DHSC buys £700k software to monitor death threats against ‘high-profile individuals’ in vaccine rollout
04 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
DHSC buys £700k software to monitor death threats against ‘high-profile individuals’ in vaccine rollout
The technology tools can also flag “foreign interference” conducted on social media by hostile foreign governments
PM ‘set to be cleared’ of misleading independent adviser over flat refurb
04 Jan 2022 HR
PM ‘set to be cleared’ of misleading independent adviser over flat refurb
Johnson failed to tell Christopher Geidt about messages with Tory donor who part-funded Downing Street work
Two-thirds of departments wipe phones after repeated password failures
04 Jan 2022 Digital, Data & Technology
Two-thirds of departments wipe phones after repeated password failures
Concerns as FOI research reveals Treasury practice which was exposed in Greensill probe is widespread
DCMS body flags need for artificial-intelligence work to be audited
24 Dec 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
DCMS body flags need for artificial-intelligence work to be audited
AI assurance will help build trust in technology, says Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation
HMRC hits departments with £120m bill for contract-worker failings
23 Dec 2021 Finance
HMRC hits departments with £120m bill for contract-worker failings
Ministry of Justice also faces a £15m fine for “careless” approach to tax rules on off-payroll staff
Senior civil service pay guidance flags ‘affordability’ fears
23 Dec 2021 HR
Senior civil service pay guidance flags ‘affordability’ fears
Cabinet Office minister says fair pay for public-sector workers must be balanced with protecting frontline services
Cabinet Office calls in headhunters for £145k CDIO job
23 Dec 2021 Digital, Data & Technology
Cabinet Office calls in headhunters for £145k CDIO job
Recruitment campaign follows repeated attempts to find top digital leaders
HMPPS spent almost £100m on software, only to scrap it
22 Dec 2021 Fraud, Error Debt & Grants
HMPPS spent almost £100m on software, only to scrap it
Case-management system was meant to be ready in 2015 but has now been abandoned
Minister ‘needs to correct parliamentary record’ over cab sec’s party probe
22 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Minister ‘needs to correct parliamentary record’ over cab sec’s party probe
Labour call follows Simon Case’s decision to step back from investigations into Downing Street events
Home Office looks to hire post-Windrush independent complaints examiner
21 Dec 2021 HR
Home Office looks to hire post-Windrush independent complaints examiner
Department offers £95K a year for part-time watchdog who will report directly to permanent secretary
199 Problems: DCMS tightens security after theft of nearly 200 laptops
21 Dec 2021 Culture
199 Problems: DCMS tightens security after theft of nearly 200 laptops
Devices worth £319k were taken from the department last year, its annual report reveals
FCDO job cuts 'at odds with Global Britain ambitions', warn MPs and peers
21 Dec 2021 Security & Defence
FCDO job cuts 'at odds with Global Britain ambitions', warn MPs and peers
Joint committee also flags concerns over government’s “relaxed approach to national security”