High Court rules 'VIP lane' for PPE procurement unlawful
12 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
High Court rules 'VIP lane' for PPE procurement unlawful
Some firms marked as high priority for contracts with "no objectively justifiable grounds for expediting the offer", court finds
Police 'in contact with Cabinet Office' over Downing Street garden party
11 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
Police 'in contact with Cabinet Office' over Downing Street garden party
Leaked email shows Boris Johnson's PPS inviting more than 100 people to May 2020 get-together
Tory peer ‘secretly involved’ with firm that won £200m in PPE contracts after she referred it to ‘VIP lane’
07 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
Tory peer ‘secretly involved’ with firm that won £200m in PPE contracts after she referred it to ‘VIP lane’
Companies in the fast-track lane were 14 times more likely to win contracts than other suppliers, according to the NAO
Don’t ignore other areas of care when tackling Covid backlog, DHSC told
06 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
Don’t ignore other areas of care when tackling Covid backlog, DHSC told
MPs also warn against a "targets culture" of focusing solely on reducing numbers
Whitty knighted in New Year's Honours celebrating government scientists and medics
04 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
Whitty knighted in New Year's Honours celebrating government scientists and medics
UKHSA and MHRA heads also recognised, along with new Scottish Government perm sec
DHSC buys £700k software to monitor death threats against ‘high-profile individuals’ in vaccine rollout
04 Jan 2022 Coronavirus
DHSC buys £700k software to monitor death threats against ‘high-profile individuals’ in vaccine rollout
The technology tools can also flag “foreign interference” conducted on social media by hostile foreign governments
Minister ‘needs to correct parliamentary record’ over cab sec’s party probe
22 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Minister ‘needs to correct parliamentary record’ over cab sec’s party probe
Labour call follows Simon Case’s decision to step back from investigations into Downing Street events
Simon Case steps down from Christmas party probe
18 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Simon Case steps down from Christmas party probe
Former ethics chief Sue Gray takes over investigation following reports of a party held by cabinet secretary's private office
Cab sec Simon Case ‘attended Christmas drinks’ during tier 2 lockdown
17 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Cab sec Simon Case ‘attended Christmas drinks’ during tier 2 lockdown
The head of the civil service is currently investigating alleged illegal Christmas parties that took place last December
‘This is my job’: Whitty says he is not ‘treading on ministers’ toes’ by advising public to cut down on festive socialising
16 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
‘This is my job’: Whitty says he is not ‘treading on ministers’ toes’ by advising public to cut down on festive socialising
Chief medic also says "only people who have no understanding of health" believe Covid is being over-prioritised by medical professionals
Perm secs told to produce 'concrete plan' to free up civil servants to volunteer for booster rollout Exclusive
14 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Perm secs told to produce 'concrete plan' to free up civil servants to volunteer for booster rollout
Registered healthcare professionals across the civil service to get "unlimited" volunteering leave until the end of January
Chisholm seeks civil service volunteers for Covid booster drive
13 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Chisholm seeks civil service volunteers for Covid booster drive
Up to 120,000 officials could be drafted in to hit “million a day” target for vaccinations
Cabinet secretary ‘to finish Downing St party probe this week’
13 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Cabinet secretary ‘to finish Downing St party probe this week’
Investigation expanded to include quiz hosted by Boris Johnson days before No.10 get-together
Fears officials will be scapegoats in Downing St party probe
09 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Fears officials will be scapegoats in Downing St party probe
Civil service unions say ministers must take responsibility for any lockdown rule-breaking
Allegra Stratton resigns after No.10 Christmas party video leak
08 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Allegra Stratton resigns after No.10 Christmas party video leak
The PM's former spokesperson said she will regret joking about a party during lockdown last year "for the rest of my days"
Cabinet Office ‘must make working from home default’ for civil servants
08 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Cabinet Office ‘must make working from home default’ for civil servants
Union says emergence of Omicron Covid variant should be point where departments stop lurching from crisis to crisis in pandemic response
On the Case: PM orders civil service head to investigate No.10 Christmas party claims
08 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
On the Case: PM orders civil service head to investigate No.10 Christmas party claims
Boris Johnson also apologised "unreservedly" for a video in which officials joke about a party during Covid lockdown
Civil servants ‘hosted Downing Street party’ during Covid lockdown
07 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Civil servants ‘hosted Downing Street party’ during Covid lockdown
Majority of people attending Christmas party at No.10 last year were officials, according to report
Anti-fraud checks on Covid loans 'inadequate', watchdog finds
03 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
Anti-fraud checks on Covid loans 'inadequate', watchdog finds
Most measures were introduced "too late" to stop fraud, with focus on prevention
BEIS slammed by MPs for ‘pointlessly rushed’ green homes scheme
01 Dec 2021 Coronavirus
BEIS slammed by MPs for ‘pointlessly rushed’ green homes scheme
Public Accounts Committee chair says scheme’s flaws "should have been blindingly obvious to the department"
Bingham fires broadside at civil service ‘foot dragging’
23 Nov 2021 Coronavirus
Bingham fires broadside at civil service ‘foot dragging’
Former Vaccine Taskforce boss bemoans lack of science skills in government and says obstacles to decision-making must be overcome
HMRC struggles to recover billions in overpaid Covid-19 support and tax debts
22 Nov 2021 Coronavirus
HMRC struggles to recover billions in overpaid Covid-19 support and tax debts
Taskforce likely to recover minority of support paid in error and fraud as NAO says department needs to increase its debt recovery capacity
Government was not prepared enough for Covid pandemic, NAO finds
19 Nov 2021 Coronavirus
Government was not prepared enough for Covid pandemic, NAO finds
Lessons from previous simulation exercises "not fully implemented", watchdog says
Drop social distancing to get more civil servants back to offices, departments told
18 Nov 2021 Coronavirus
Drop social distancing to get more civil servants back to offices, departments told
Guidance update "should support you to remove some or all of the measures associated with social distancing", Chisholm says