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HM Revenue & Customs briefs staff on major downsizing of its estate – CSW has the key details and reaction from unions

Crown Commercial Service's director of complex transactions to temporarily serve as chief commercial officer

HM Revenue and Customs chief executive says low staff morale is not damaging productivity – but acknowledges more work to do to make officials feel engaged with wider department

Matt Hancock says new team will bring together officials and ministers to focus on digital reform

Cross-government SDSR to be unveiled two days before the Spending Review

Chancellor George Osborne confirms that environment, communities and transport departments have struck a deal with the Treasury — as he hints at further changes to public sector pay and terms

Public Accounts Committee criticises HMRC over customer service, compliance and tackling aggressive tax planning – while HMRC says MPs have "overlooked" its achievements

Former Cabinet Office perm sec joins top Department for Education official Chris Wormald at hearing on the charity's collapse – and reveals he considered earlier ministerial direction over grant to the organisation

Equalities and Human Rights Commission warns that gaps in public data are leaving marginalised groups – including transgender people, gypsies and travellers, and bullied children – under the radar

Top official at the business department says plan to subsidise apprenticeship wages could set an "unhelpful precedent" – and seeks the fourth ministerial direction of the parliament

Official who raised value for money concerns over further funding for the charity to face questions from the Public Accounts Committee

Hancock bats away Labour questions on GDS turnover – and praises services that take "less time than boiling an egg"

DCMS perm sec Sue Owen says failure to meet new diversity objectives will be made "very public"

Major projects in focus: As HMRC calls time on Aspire, the government’s largest IT contract, Matt Foster finds that the tax authority is opting for evolution over revolution – and trying to sharpen its own digital skills

General secretaries of the PCS and FDA unions renew their call for a rethink on civil service pay after cabinet secretary tells CSW officials are "realistic" about the need to cut the deficit

Cabinet Office minister Matt Hancock releases figures showing GDS exits since May represent 2% of its workforce – while Labour warns of "haemorrhaging" of digital talent

Rupert McNeil appointed to new role taking charge of Whitehall's 3,000-strong HR profession

Justice secretary Michael Gove tells MPs that Just Solutions International – the commercial arm of the National Offender Management Service – will abandon deal to advise Saudi Arabia on running of prisons

Civil servants urged to give honest feedback on their working lives

Exclusive: HMRC staff to find out about new network of more specialised regional centres in November as tax authority seeks cut in its number of offices

Former head of the civil service asked by Labour to "review the operation of the Treasury itself" – as shadow chancellor John McDonnell signals major shift in the opposition's economic policy

As the government’s most senior medical adviser, it’s Dame Sally Davies’ job to stand up for hard evidence and grapple with some of the country’s biggest health challenges. Matt Foster meets her

Closing the gender pay gap and improving promotion rates among under-represented groups among first Diversity and Inclusion Objectives for permanent secretaries

Jeremy Heywood says "absolutely vital" digital team moving to "next phase" with departure of chief Mike Bracken

Civil service will get smaller, says Cabinet secretary — but number of departments will “probably” stay the same

"This is the start of regaining control of the IT estate," says outgoing DVLA digital chief Iain Patterson, as agency moves services back in-house

Defence secretary tells RUSI think tank that the latest cross-government defence strategy will be "positive, assertive and quite properly strategic"

Cabinet secretary Jeremy Heywood unveils new external diversity advisers

Management consultants looking at "operating costs across the department and partner organisations", says business secretary, but none "working directly" on its response to the Spending Review

National Audit Office to investigate decision to grant £3m to beleaguered charity after warning from then-Cabinet Office perm sec Richard Heaton

Amber Rudd defends "incredibly important department" as Tory backbencher says merger with Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) being considered

Workforce shrinks by 8,000 posts – with GovCos and privatisations accounting for much of the change

Robert Chote – reappointed as chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility watchdog – says he is "relaxed" about Treasury suggesting changes to its independent forecasts

Simon McDonald tells MPs it would be "illogical to focus fire on the FCO" in November's Spending Review

PCS and Prospect members at the Natural Environment Research Council take half-day action over 1% cap and progression pay move