Security & Defence

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

Strategic Defence and Security Review sets out aim of reducing MoD civilian staff numbers to 41,000 – with unions warning that the scale of cuts could have frontline ramifications