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
Data black hole means government lacks grasp on two-thirds of local spending
04 May 2022 Analysis
Data black hole means government lacks grasp on two-thirds of local spending
Government does not understand why local authority performances vary due to £10bn data gap, think tank says
Home Office official found guilty of spiking pregnant lover’s drink with abortion pills
04 May 2022 HR
Home Office official found guilty of spiking pregnant lover’s drink with abortion pills
Deputy director Darren Burke joined the civil service in August 2020
Home Office’s secretive anti-extremism comms unit signs £1m media monitoring deal
03 May 2022 Communications
Home Office’s secretive anti-extremism comms unit signs £1m media monitoring deal
RICU facility signs two-year contract
Vaccine Taskforce boss drafted in to deal with HRT crisis
03 May 2022 Health & Social Care
Vaccine Taskforce boss drafted in to deal with HRT crisis
Madelaine McTernan will focus on resolving supply-chain issues affecting some products
Ex-civil service head questions plans for large-scale staff cuts
03 May 2022 Civil Service Reform
Ex-civil service head questions plans for large-scale staff cuts
Lord Kerslake says huge challenges require “right-sized” workforce as former civil service chief exec Manzoni issues caution over skills gaps
‘We did what we could as quickly as we could’: Treasury perm sec rejects Covid fraud complacency claims
29 Apr 2022 Commercial
‘We did what we could as quickly as we could’: Treasury perm sec rejects Covid fraud complacency claims
Tom Scholar told the Treasury Committee officials put together loan schemes under "exceptional circumstances"
'Our teams are working flat out': Rycroft intervenes in work-from-home row
29 Apr 2022 HR
'Our teams are working flat out': Rycroft intervenes in work-from-home row
Passport Office head's work location has "zero bearing" on delays at the agency, perm sec says
People Survey: Pay satisfaction falls and engagement stalls
29 Apr 2022 HR
People Survey: Pay satisfaction falls and engagement stalls
But just-published results reveal highest-ever work-life balance score among civil servants
Cabinet Office finally kicks off clearing house review eight months after announcing it
29 Apr 2022 Civil Service Reform
Cabinet Office finally kicks off clearing house review eight months after announcing it
Plans for in-house investigation of FoI unit published the night before critical PACAC report is released
MPs renew call for answers on Office of the Prime Minister plans
29 Apr 2022 Civil Service Reform
MPs renew call for answers on Office of the Prime Minister plans
Cabinet Office perm sec is asked again for details, more than two months after original queries
‘Substandard’: MPs tell Cabinet Office to ‘drive cultural shift’ on freedom of information
29 Apr 2022 Civil Service Reform
‘Substandard’: MPs tell Cabinet Office to ‘drive cultural shift’ on freedom of information
Inquiry criticises “mere baseline compliance” with FoI Act and failure to provide basic information on secretive clearing house
High Court challenge launched against Home Office’s Rwanda plans
28 Apr 2022 Justice & Home Affairs
High Court challenge launched against Home Office’s Rwanda plans
Civil service union says Priti Patel has failed to set out legal basis for sending asylum seekers to east Africa for “processing”
UK Health Security Agency blasted for ‘irresponsible’ job-cut plans
28 Apr 2022 Coronavirus
UK Health Security Agency blasted for ‘irresponsible’ job-cut plans
Union says plan to slash headcount by 40% is a bad move that is hammering morale
DLUHC calls in experts to address 'scarcity of senior talent' for Midlands HQ Exclusive
28 Apr 2022 HR
DLUHC calls in experts to address 'scarcity of senior talent' for Midlands HQ
Levelling up department hires recruitment specialists to help boost its "brand" in the region
Sunak cleared of ministerial code breach over tax affairs
28 Apr 2022 Government Tax Profession
Sunak cleared of ministerial code breach over tax affairs
Lord Geidt investigation clears chancellor as questions arise over Sajid Javid's past tax affairs
Unions slam PM’s ‘absurd’ threat to privatise Passport Office
27 Apr 2022 Civil Service Reform
Unions slam PM’s ‘absurd’ threat to privatise Passport Office
Home Office recruitment failures and poor management to blame for backlog, unions say
DHSC broke law by failing care home residents who died of Covid
27 Apr 2022 Coronavirus
DHSC broke law by failing care home residents who died of Covid
High Court says "irrational" policies failed to take into account the risk from asymptomatic transmission
Public trust in official stats up, despite concern over political interference in Covid figures
27 Apr 2022 Statistics
Public trust in official stats up, despite concern over political interference in Covid figures
79% surveyed said Covid stats were accurate, but only half said they were free from political meddling
Rees-Mogg sets out guidance for new ‘bonfire of the quangos’
27 Apr 2022 Civil Service Reform
Rees-Mogg sets out guidance for new ‘bonfire of the quangos’
Teams asked to identify minimum of 5% savings as PM eyes potential for outsourcing ALB functions
Prevent strategy 'will not survive' unless government counters critics, David Cameron says
26 Apr 2022 Communications
Prevent strategy 'will not survive' unless government counters critics, David Cameron says
Those who criticise the Home Office counter-radicalisation strategy are enabling terrorism, ex-PM says
Cab sec Simon Case warns PM against work-from-home 'scare tactics'
26 Apr 2022 HR
Cab sec Simon Case warns PM against work-from-home 'scare tactics'
Head of civil service tells Johnson that Jacob Rees-Mogg’s latest drive is “unwise”
A third of departments set to miss annual report deadline, Treasury says
26 Apr 2022 Economy
A third of departments set to miss annual report deadline, Treasury says
2021-22 reports will include statements on the impact of the pandemic on departmental goals plus a fraud-and-error analysis of Covid schemes
Union sets out plans for strike vote on 10% pay claim
26 Apr 2022 HR
Union sets out plans for strike vote on 10% pay claim
PCS says it is now formally in dispute with government and gearing up for conference-season ballot
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – April 25
25 Apr 2022 HR
Latest civil service & public affairs moves – April 25
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People