Economy

Hammond avoids big tweaks to Whitehall budgets, but targets extra funding for social care and business rate relief

Treasury trails Hammond's first Budget, as OECD upgrades UK growth forecast

RSA says power in the UK remains "too centralised" – and urges central government to give more freedom to local authorities to tackle regional imbalances

Union calls for independent review of pay as it warns that maintaining a 1% cap on pay rises is “unsustainable”

Chancellor will not use improved growth forecasts to borrow more money, it is reported

Nine days after his appointment as permanent secretary of the Department of Energy & Climate Change, Alex Chisholm suddenly found himself running the newly-formed Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Here he talks merging ministries, Brexit and championing both business and consumers with Sam Macrory

House of Lords committee puts HMRC officials through their paces

Regulatory Policy Committee says it is "disappointed" that departments appear to be diverting resources away from providing rigorous assessment of their decisions

Perm sec makes work services director Susan Park accountable for payments system’s operation across Jobcentres and service centres

UK Government Investments – which leads on the management and privatisation of state assets – seeks new director

Former head of the civil service's review for Labour says Treasury must "up its game" on financial expertise; do more to support regional growth; and stop "second guessing" departments

Proper management of outsourced services is the only way to avoid the contracting fiascos of recent years, argues the IfG's Tom Gash