Civil Service Reform

The environment department’s top official calls on staff to confide in each other as a way of boosting morale in one of the government’s unhappiest departments

National Digital Conference sees Cabinet Office minister, officials and tech suppliers focus on changing attitudes to digital and technology in the workplace – as well as the future of automation

Key government plan to create common digital platforms still needs explaining to civil service staff, new study finds

Cabinet Office minister says we must recognise “just how much” tech skills are rewarded outside the civil service

In an era of protracted belt-tightening in government, how can departments collaborate on policy design to save money and improve outcomes for the citizen? A recent CSW round table explored these issues, as Colin Marrs reports

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills perm sec Martin Donnelly vows to ensure staff are "fully supported" as he confirms plan to shut Sheffield policy site by January 2018. CSW has full details and reaction from the PCS and FDA unions, Labour, and frontline staff

Keith Hurst tells Max Goldbart how his team’s award-winning strategy transformed a key element of the Land Registry’s operations

Cabinet Office promises new multi agency incident transfer protocol will help improve response to major incidents like terror attacks and floods

Ahead of the State Opening of Parliament, think tank says slim Commons majority and tough Spending Review settlements mean government would be wise to focus on key priorities 

Prime minister David Cameron to set out new process of "open contracting" at anti-corruption summit

Appointment of new leader at the energy department comes after the Competition and Markets Authority called for a "reset" of government's relationship with energy suppliers

Cabinet Office’s Iain Patterson cautions against changing departmental tech for the sake of it, as he sheds more light on ‘Ocean Liner’ review of big government IT contracts

A review of process and structures in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) calls for a “technological overhaul”, stronger leadership of cross-government work overseas, and an end to dependence on email

Government Digital Service chief Stephen Foreshew-Cain tells CSW that officials with digital, data and technology skills could sit outside of the civil service grading system in a bid to attract and retain staff

MPs say they will call on the National Audit Office to probe BIS's figures ahead of key meeting on future of its Sheffield site

Specialist union's formal response to Cabinet Office's planned shake-up of Civil Service Compensation Scheme warns of impact on workforce management – and raises prospect of industrial action

The dearth of top female leaders shows that Whitehall must not get complacent on gender equality

Study by Tech UK and Dods Research finds gap between vision and reality on departments' digital transformation plans

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee chair Bernard Jenkin says legislation may be needed to make non-executive directors brought into government feel less disposable

Home Office chief points out that enforcement rate for confiscation orders is increasing, even as overall debt pile grows, while Derbyshire police chief Mick Creedon points the finger at legacy of “inflated” targets

Spending watchdog to take its first detailed look at the central government procurement agency

Experienced rehabilitation charities say they have been left disadvantaged by the bidding process for the Ministry of Justice's probation overhaul

Resolution Foundation report says welfare shake-up has "genuine potential" but could be less effective because of cost-cutting