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
Academic whose research led to What Works Network calls for independent review
14 Sep 2020 Policy
Academic whose research led to What Works Network calls for independent review
Review call comes as former cabinet secretary Lord Gus O’Donnell says progress on What Works Centres has stalled
Bright ideas: Civil Service Awards opens for nominations
14 Sep 2020
Bright ideas: Civil Service Awards opens for nominations
Celebration of excellence in public service marks 15th birthday with its biggest-ever category range
Delays to inspection reports 'undermines' immigration watchdog's work, Home Office told
14 Sep 2020 Justice & Home Affairs
Delays to inspection reports 'undermines' immigration watchdog's work, Home Office told
Outgoing chief inspector David Bolt says department's failure to publish transparency reports quickly undermine his credibility and influence
DWP rapped for coronavirus health and safety failings at Leeds office
11 Sep 2020 Coronavirus
DWP rapped for coronavirus health and safety failings at Leeds office
Inspector dubs return-to-work targets “ambitious and unrealistic” after finding social-distancing rules being breached
‘Notwithstanding the breach of international law’: government lawyers told internal market bill within civil service rules
11 Sep 2020 Brexit
‘Notwithstanding the breach of international law’: government lawyers told internal market bill within civil service rules
Message from Jonathan Jones – who has resigned over the plans – relays Simon Case’s view to officials
Rycroft reveals revised Twitter guidelines after Home Office’s ‘activist lawyers’ post
11 Sep 2020 Communications
Rycroft reveals revised Twitter guidelines after Home Office’s ‘activist lawyers’ post
Perm sec says additional layers of assurance have been introduced following the tweet, which he previously said ‘should not have been used on an official government channel’
Cummings never forecast a 'hard rain' for Whitehall, Gove claims
11 Sep 2020 Civil Service Reform
Cummings never forecast a 'hard rain' for Whitehall, Gove claims
Cabinet Office minister tells MPs No.10 chief adviser's weather warning was misheard
Perm secs churn is not evidence of civil service politicisation, Sedwill insists
10 Sep 2020 HR
Perm secs churn is not evidence of civil service politicisation, Sedwill insists
Outgoing cab sec waves aside concerns as IfG sets out challenges for his successor
Cabinet Office urged to rethink ‘irresponsible’ back-to-work plans for civil servants
10 Sep 2020 Coronavirus
Cabinet Office urged to rethink ‘irresponsible’ back-to-work plans for civil servants
Union calls on perm sec Alex Chisholm to shelve 80% target amid “growing concern” over second wave of Covid-19
HMRC planned only 30% office return before Cabinet Office set 80% target, perm sec reveals
09 Sep 2020 Coronavirus
HMRC planned only 30% office return before Cabinet Office set 80% target, perm sec reveals
Jim Harra says department currently has capacity for around 30% of the department’s staff to come into offices
New cab sec: 'We need to pull out all the stops to deliver what the public expects'
09 Sep 2020 Civil Service Reform
New cab sec: 'We need to pull out all the stops to deliver what the public expects'
In his first message to officials, Simon Case says he wants to "modernise" the civil service
Jonathan Jones quits: Ex-ambassador Darroch ‘not surprised’ as fallout continues
09 Sep 2020 Brexit
Jonathan Jones quits: Ex-ambassador Darroch ‘not surprised’ as fallout continues
Comments come as government prepares to publish legislation NI secretary Brandon Lewis has said would break international law “in a very specific and limited way"
FCDO creation puts scores of former DfID staff in limbo, warns union
09 Sep 2020 Foreign Affairs
FCDO creation puts scores of former DfID staff in limbo, warns union
PCS says new department’s policy on fixed-term contracts is also unfair to underrepresented groups
MHCLG 'needs new regulator' to oversee council audit work
09 Sep 2020 Finance
MHCLG 'needs new regulator' to oversee council audit work
Call from independent Redmond Review comes after Audit Commission was scrapped by the coalition government
Hancock: New social gathering restrictions ‘absolutely vital to protect life’
09 Sep 2020 Coronavirus
Hancock: New social gathering restrictions ‘absolutely vital to protect life’
‘We need everyone to see the new rules and read them,’ says Matt Hancock
HMRC targets furlough fraudsters after up to £3.5bn wrongly paid out via scheme
08 Sep 2020 Coronavirus
HMRC targets furlough fraudsters after up to £3.5bn wrongly paid out via scheme
Perm sec Jim Harra tells MPs the scheme's fraud and error rate "could be between 5% and 10%" of £35.4bn bill
Hollywood beckons for nuclear power station’s sci-fi control desk, decommissioning agency says
08 Sep 2020 Commercial
Hollywood beckons for nuclear power station’s sci-fi control desk, decommissioning agency says
Decommissioning contractors sell Magnox hardware to Harry Potter film studio
Government legal chief Jonathan Jones resigns in row over Brexit deal changes
08 Sep 2020 Leadership
Government legal chief Jonathan Jones resigns in row over Brexit deal changes
Government Legal Department head to leave civil service after government prepares to set out legislation that could amend Brexit deal
PM says no-deal Brexit would be a 'good outcome' and sets October 15 deadline for talks
07 Sep 2020 Brexit
PM says no-deal Brexit would be a 'good outcome' and sets October 15 deadline for talks
Boris Johnson says government is "preparing at our borders and our ports" in case no agreement is reached
Perm secs told to get 80% of civil servants into the office by the end of September
07 Sep 2020 Coronavirus
Perm secs told to get 80% of civil servants into the office by the end of September
Union bosses slam target after Sir Mark Sedwill and Alex Chisholm tell department chiefs to "move quickly"
Latest civil service & public affairs moves — September 7
07 Sep 2020 HR
Latest civil service & public affairs moves — September 7
New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People
Is your department growing or shrinking? Stats show changing shape of Whitehall
07 Sep 2020 HR
Is your department growing or shrinking? Stats show changing shape of Whitehall
The ranks of the civil service may have swelled by 10,000 over the past year, but not all ministries are expanding, a Civil Service World data crunch reveals
GDS contractor recruited through Cummings blog fired after ‘revulsion’ over Black Lives Matter tweet
04 Sep 2020 Communications
GDS contractor recruited through Cummings blog fired after ‘revulsion’ over Black Lives Matter tweet
Data specialist suggested online that police could use ‘live rounds’ on protesters
Civil service needs more 'robust' contingency planning, NAO Brexit review warns
04 Sep 2020 Brexit
Civil service needs more 'robust' contingency planning, NAO Brexit review warns
Watchdog flags lack of pace and stakeholder engagement in Brexit preparations as supply chains warn of “severe” disruption when transition period ends