Covid vaccine approved: no corners were cut, says MHRA chief
02 Dec 2020 Coronavirus
Covid vaccine approved: no corners were cut, says MHRA chief
The NHS could begin Covid vaccinations from next week following approval
FDA backs legal challenge to Dido Harding appointment
02 Dec 2020 Coronavirus
FDA backs legal challenge to Dido Harding appointment
FDA general secretary backs complaint on top Covid roles as open and fair competition “protects the civil service from cronyism and corruption”
DHSC gears up to spend £95m on shipping in PPE and medical supplies next year Exclusive
30 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
DHSC gears up to spend £95m on shipping in PPE and medical supplies next year
Freight and logistics deals will be used to import diagnostic kits and equipment used to fight Covid-19
Army support offered to dozens of areas set to enter pandemic tier 3
26 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Army support offered to dozens of areas set to enter pandemic tier 3
DHSC details aid measures as Hancock announces swathes of the nation will be in “very high alert” category from next week
DWP jobs boost confirmed in Spending Review
25 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
DWP jobs boost confirmed in Spending Review
Rishi Sunak provides funds to double number of work coaches in £1.4bn coronavirus support uplift
UK governments announce 'Christmas bubbles' plan to let three households meet
25 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
UK governments announce 'Christmas bubbles' plan to let three households meet
Michael Gove says plan will allow people to meet up ‘in a limited and cautious way across the UK should they wish’
Government sets out tougher coronavirus tiers for England ahead of lifting lockdown
24 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Government sets out tougher coronavirus tiers for England ahead of lifting lockdown
Prime minister Boris Johnson warns that Christmas won't be normal this year but urges a ‘push to spring’
Civil service braces for new pay woe in Spending Review
24 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Civil service braces for new pay woe in Spending Review
Downing Street briefs that prime minister opposes planned £3k rise for MPs in light of mooted public-sector freeze
Hancock defends £44,000 takeaway bill for staff working '18-hour days'
24 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Hancock defends £44,000 takeaway bill for staff working '18-hour days'
"When people are working 18 hours a day, of course I’m going to feed them," health secretary says
Cabinet Office plans for civil service Covid tests spark ‘serious concerns’
23 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Cabinet Office plans for civil service Covid tests spark ‘serious concerns’
Union seeks assurances departmental officials will not be compelled to test each other
Civil servants face renewed pay freeze as Treasury signals restraint
20 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Civil servants face renewed pay freeze as Treasury signals restraint
"Clap for carers" rhetoric would ring hollow if followed by new restrictions, says unions
Four-year MoD settlement ‘not decided in a vacuum’, insists Treasury perm sec
20 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Four-year MoD settlement ‘not decided in a vacuum’, insists Treasury perm sec
Tom Scholar tells MPs preparation work for delayed integrated review of defence, security and foreign affairs fed into multi-year funding boost
PPE suppliers referred by ministers and civil servants marked 'high priority' in pandemic
18 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
PPE suppliers referred by ministers and civil servants marked 'high priority' in pandemic
Businesses in high-priority lane 14 times more likely to win contracts, NAO finds
BEIS urged to limit staff working in London HQ over Covid safety concerns
18 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
BEIS urged to limit staff working in London HQ over Covid safety concerns
Department insists it is working with unions to ensure offices meet Covid secure guidelines
Sedwill sets out thinking on public inquiry into Covid-19 response
18 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Sedwill sets out thinking on public inquiry into Covid-19 response
Former cabinet secretary tells MPs decision makers don’t have to wait to learn lessons on pandemic handling
Outsourced contract is ‘double slap in face’ for comms staff, says union
16 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Outsourced contract is ‘double slap in face’ for comms staff, says union
PCS calls £670k spent on PR for Vaccine Taskforce “outrageous” as departmental comms professionals face uncertain future
UK was not as prepared for Covid as it could have been, ex-chief medic says
13 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
UK was not as prepared for Covid as it could have been, ex-chief medic says
UK has been "found wanting", Dame Sally Davies says, with the government responding too slowly to the pandemic
'You need to pull on all the talents': test and trace head defends use of consultants
11 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
'You need to pull on all the talents': test and trace head defends use of consultants
Harding also defended the reliance on outsourcers in the "team of teams" that is NHS Test and Trace
Civil servants ‘under investigation’ in probe into leak of latest lockdown plans
10 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Civil servants ‘under investigation’ in probe into leak of latest lockdown plans
Up to 70 staff set to be interviewed as Downing Street rejects suggestion its own comms team was responsible
UK at ‘front of the pack’ for breakthrough Covid vaccine, says prime minister
10 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
UK at ‘front of the pack’ for breakthrough Covid vaccine, says prime minister
Progress positive but job not yet a slamdunk, says Johnson
Vaccine task force signs £670,000 deal for PR consultants who 'duplicate' BEIS press officers
09 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Vaccine task force signs £670,000 deal for PR consultants who 'duplicate' BEIS press officers
Chair Kate Bingham under pressure after reports she 'insisted' on boutique team to aid task force
Be more transparent about Covid stats to win public trust, government told
06 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Be more transparent about Covid stats to win public trust, government told
Watchdog says data used in press conferences has “not consistently been supported by transparent information provided in a timely manner”
PM ducks questions on whether lockdown will end on 2 December if R-rate is rising
05 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
PM ducks questions on whether lockdown will end on 2 December if R-rate is rising
Boris Johnson says it will be for MPs to decide what happens after coronavirus measures expire
Unions raise 'extreme concern' about social distancing at BEIS HQ
05 Nov 2020 Coronavirus
Unions raise 'extreme concern' about social distancing at BEIS HQ
Letter to perm sec Sarah Munby was written before it emerged business secretary Alok Sharma had travelled internationally after a colleague contracted coronavirus