Security & Defence

Foreign Affairs Committee lays into decision not to let departments plan for a vote to leave the European Union – and warns that the new Brexit department must not deprive the Foreign Office of resources

Theresa May arrives at Number 10 with years of experience on the government's key decision-making body on security. Dr Joe Devanny of the International Centre for Security Analysis takes a look at what the new government will mean for the way departments support prime ministers on national security issues

Common Agricultural Policy fines continue to hamper Defra accounts, while National Audit Office also points to the Ministry of Defence's non-compliance with international accounting standards

Former head of the civil service says he has never accepted that Blair "lied to the British people" over Iraq – but hits out at former prime minister's "disregard for the machinery of government"

Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy says lack of Brexit planning "indicated the prioritisation of political interests above national security,"

Single Source Regulations Office chair Clive Tucker says there are “compelling reasons” to enhance his watchdog's authority over non-competitive military contracts

Think tank praises updated blueprint for public-sector procurement but warns new clause must be used

Professor Malcolm Chalmers – who was consulted by the government as it drew up its 2010 and 2015 security reviews – says a vote to leave the European Union may mean reopening defence spending settlements

Former chief of defence materiel, who left the civil service at the end of 2015, to carry out progress review for the MoD on equipment buying

Department points out that shift to include spending on war pensions and intelligence gathering falls within Nato guidelines

Cyber Security Operations Centre to focus on protecting the Ministry of Defence's own networks from attack

Radical plan set to ease long-standing tensions between the culture department and the MoD

Latest batch of MoD land disposals will "make the defence estate more efficient and better suited to the needs of our armed forces", says minister Mark Lancaster

Lovegrove to leave DECC after three years at the top, taking over from Jon Thompson at the MoD "shortly"

"I cannot believe a civil servant would tear up a government paper," says former deputy prime minister, as document uncovered by The Times suggests key information on 1985-6 Westland affair was destroyed

The MoD is set to bring its civilian HR, finance, information and security vetting corporate services back in house from April

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Melanie Dawes, permanent secretary of the Department for Communities and Local Government, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Ruth Owen, head of the government's Operational Delivery Profession​, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Mark Sedwill, permanent secretary of the Home Office, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

With the end of 2015 in sight, we asked Whitehall's top officials to review the year, set out their priorities for 2016 – and shed some light on their festive plans. Jon Thompson, Ministry of Defence permanent secretary, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

Latest workforce data from the Office for National Statistics shows civil service shrank by 1.4% in Q3

National Audit Office says project likely to be finished eight years later than originally thought

Chief executive of the Defence Equipment and Support agency says fresh Trident cost estimates are proof of an end to a culture in which the MoD has been "unrealistic about the numbers"

Defence committee takes evidence on the Strategic Defence and Security Review – with decision to axe 30% of MoD's civilian staff coming under fire from academics