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 ‘struggling to keep pace’ with reducing violence against women and girls
16 May Justice & Home Affairs
Departments ‘struggling to keep pace’ with reducing violence against women and girls
DWP reverses ban on ChatGPT and other generative AI tools
16 May Digital, Data & Technology
DWP reverses ban on ChatGPT and other generative AI tools
CMA told to prioritise economic growth in priority 'reset'
16 May Economy
CMA told to prioritise economic growth in priority 'reset'
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
Next ‘cyber crisis’ will probably be an accident, says outgoing NCSC chief
04 Sep 2020 Digital, Data & Technology
Next ‘cyber crisis’ will probably be an accident, says outgoing NCSC chief
Ciaran Martin fears combination of departmental error and ransomware attacker “not really understanding what they’re doing”
How Coronavirus is accelerating digital transformation in local government Sponsored
03 Sep 2020 Digital, Data & Technology
How Coronavirus is accelerating digital transformation in local government
Digital transformation has been “painfully slow” in parts of the UK public sector over past years, says The Institute for Government
Harassment of civil servants a 'bigger problem' in Scottish Government than rest of UK, union chief says
03 Sep 2020 HR
Harassment of civil servants a 'bigger problem' in Scottish Government than rest of UK, union chief says
Dave Penman tells MSPs dozens of staff in Scotland had complaints about ministers compared with "only a handful" in other nations
BEIS job market review to inform pay framework for civil service scientists Exclusive
03 Sep 2020 HR
BEIS job market review to inform pay framework for civil service scientists
Review of pay for specialist scientists and engineers outside government will help build business case for future GSE profession reward framework
A-Level row: 'It's unlikely we could ever have delivered this policy successfully,' Ofqual chair says
03 Sep 2020 Education
A-Level row: 'It's unlikely we could ever have delivered this policy successfully,' Ofqual chair says
Roger Taylor said it was Gavin Williamson's decision to use algorithm, but Ofqual is "ultimately responsible for the decisions that fall to us".
Hancock unveils mass-testing trial as workers urged to return to offices
03 Sep 2020 Coronavirus
Hancock unveils mass-testing trial as workers urged to return to offices
Health secretary pledges extra £500m to fund innovations including “rapid” tests that give results in 20 minutes
Ministers relied too much on SAGE for answers early in coronavirus outbreak, IfG finds
02 Sep 2020 Coronavirus
Ministers relied too much on SAGE for answers early in coronavirus outbreak, IfG finds
Poor strategy, arbitrary targets and a hope for scientific certainty hampered initial Covid-19 response
Civil servants ‘reluctant to complain about unacceptable behaviour from Scottish Government ministers’, says ex-perm sec
02 Sep 2020 HR
Civil servants ‘reluctant to complain about unacceptable behaviour from Scottish Government ministers’, says ex-perm sec
Sir John Elvidge’s submission says officials did not complain about bullying if they thought it was due to ministerial stress
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office launched with pledge to lead global action on coronavirus and famine
02 Sep 2020 Foreign Affairs
Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office launched with pledge to lead global action on coronavirus and famine
DfID acting perm sec Nick Dyer given new role as special envoy for famine prevention and humanitarian affairs after merger