DWP refuses to shut jobcentres in areas hit by new Covid variant
27 May 2021 Coronavirus
DWP refuses to shut jobcentres in areas hit by new Covid variant
Union says “incompetent” decision flies in the face of stricter guidance for residents in eight worst-affected boroughs
‘Like a scene from Independence Day’: Dominic Cummings' timeline of the ‘crucial week’ in the government’s coronavirus response
27 May 2021 Coronavirus
‘Like a scene from Independence Day’: Dominic Cummings' timeline of the ‘crucial week’ in the government’s coronavirus response
Dominic Cummings has given a blow-by-blow account of the Downing Street operation in the “crucial week” of Covid-19 decision making pre-lockdown
Cummings: ‘I brought Simon Case back into government because PM wasn’t listening to me’
27 May 2021 Coronavirus
Cummings: ‘I brought Simon Case back into government because PM wasn’t listening to me’
Former No.10 top adviser calls for civil service recruitment changes, including opening up more senior roles to external candidates
First Covid lockdown was delayed because 'there was no plan', Cummings says
26 May 2021 Coronavirus
First Covid lockdown was delayed because 'there was no plan', Cummings says
Ex-No.10 adviser says senior official warned that "there is no plan, we’re in huge trouble”
Cummings: Matt Hancock should have been sacked for lying amid pandemic
26 May 2021 Coronavirus
Cummings: Matt Hancock should have been sacked for lying amid pandemic
Former spad blasts health secretary and says DHSC procurement system was "completely hopeless"
Government not as prepared for a pandemic as it could have been, watchdog finds
19 May 2021 Coronavirus
Government not as prepared for a pandemic as it could have been, watchdog finds
Watchdog says £372bn costs to date will be increased by “medium and long-term” commitments and liabilities
Covid will ‘reset’ attitudes to contingency planning, Chisholm tells MPs
19 May 2021 Coronavirus
Covid will ‘reset’ attitudes to contingency planning, Chisholm tells MPs
Cabinet Office perm sec says there is “no question” government’s pandemic response could have been better
Cost of Covid rises to £372bn, National Audit Office finds
18 May 2021 Coronavirus
Cost of Covid rises to £372bn, National Audit Office finds
HMRC has highest pandemic spending level of any government department, according to watchdog
PM delays independent Covid inquiry until 2022
13 May 2021 Coronavirus
PM delays independent Covid inquiry until 2022
But Downing Street admits at least one internal lessons-learned probe has already completed
DWP staff balloted over Covid safety fears
05 May 2021 Coronavirus
DWP staff balloted over Covid safety fears
Union asks jobcentre workers for views on strike action as face-to-face interviews increase
PPE procurement drive left civil servants ‘drowning’ in VIP requests
23 Apr 2021 Coronavirus
PPE procurement drive left civil servants ‘drowning’ in VIP requests
Good Law Project says government’s “high-priority lane” for suppliers hampered officials’ ability to buy necessary equipment from legitimate suppliers
MPs slam lack of planning and poor data in Covid shielding scheme
22 Apr 2021 Coronavirus
MPs slam lack of planning and poor data in Covid shielding scheme
Some 800,000 people may have “slipped through the net and missed out on much-needed support”
Government launches antivirals taskforce to help country ‘learn to live' with Covid
21 Apr 2021 Coronavirus
Government launches antivirals taskforce to help country ‘learn to live' with Covid
New taskforce will lead development of coronavirus treatments in tablet or capsule form
Mitie lands £90m contract for quarantine-compliance checks
16 Apr 2021 Coronavirus
Mitie lands £90m contract for quarantine-compliance checks
Home Office says new service will visit up to 10,000 people a day who are supposed to be isolating at home
Test and Trace hired £40,000-a-day digital team after failure ‘to source civil servants with these skills’
14 Apr 2021 Coronavirus
Test and Trace hired £40,000-a-day digital team after failure ‘to source civil servants with these skills’
Procurement data reveals consultancy brought in to cover six-month drive to recruit specialists
DWP staff ‘angry’ over pandemic safety at jobcentres
13 Apr 2021 Coronavirus
DWP staff ‘angry’ over pandemic safety at jobcentres
Union says strike action could follow “reckless” increase of face-to-face interviews
Look out the suitcase: Grant Shapps says people can start planning foreign holidays again
09 Apr 2021 Coronavirus
Look out the suitcase: Grant Shapps says people can start planning foreign holidays again
Department for Transport set to publish a traffic light travel system to provide information on safe destinations
Union claims strong support for DVLA strike
08 Apr 2021 Coronavirus
Union claims strong support for DVLA strike
PCS says more than 1,400 members walked out of agency’s Swansea HQ on first day of Covid-safety dispute
Government hiring a £3,750-a-week consultant to ‘normalise testing as part of everyday life’
07 Apr 2021 Coronavirus
Government hiring a £3,750-a-week consultant to ‘normalise testing as part of everyday life’
Communications role to develop plan to support expansion of asymptomatic testing
Government to trial vaccine passports as PM confirms next stage of lockdown easing
06 Apr 2021 Coronavirus
Government to trial vaccine passports as PM confirms next stage of lockdown easing
Possible role for ‘Covid-status certification’ discussed as Cabinet Office review continues
DWP hits recruitment target for 13,500 additional work coaches
01 Apr 2021 Coronavirus
DWP hits recruitment target for 13,500 additional work coaches
But department is unable to say whether “jobs army” drive has doubled work-coach headcount to 27,000
HMCTS could need ‘several years’ to deal with pandemic backlogs
30 Mar 2021 Coronavirus
HMCTS could need ‘several years’ to deal with pandemic backlogs
Constitution Committee report says rule of law is at risk because of delayed hearings, with the most vulnerable people the hardest hit
PM refuses to rule out another lockdown as Covid restrictions ease
30 Mar 2021 Coronavirus
PM refuses to rule out another lockdown as Covid restrictions ease
Covid cases are no longer falling as rapidly as they have been, Boris Johnson warns
MPs vote to extend Covid powers as Hancock admits they may roll over into 2022
26 Mar 2021 Coronavirus
MPs vote to extend Covid powers as Hancock admits they may roll over into 2022
Health secretary says he "cannot answer" if the Coronavirus Act will be retired in September