Economy

Sir Nicholas Macpherson, the Treasury permanent secretary, last week praised the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the National Audit Office (NAO) for their work in holding departments to account despite the “discomfort” of his fellow permanent secretaries.

The government says that boosting our high-tech industries is key to getting the country’s economy moving again. But do its deeds match its words? Jess Bowie examines Whitehall’s work to support innovative businesses.

Professor Nigel Shadbolt

UK Open Data Adviser; Chairman and Co-Founder of the Open Data Institute

Philip Rutnam

Permanent Secretary, Department for Transport

Dr Malcolm McKibbin

Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service

Permanent Secretary of Welsh Government

Lin Homer

Chief Executive, HM Revenue and Customs

Robert Devereux

Permanent Secretary, Department for Work and Pensions

Martin Donnelly

Permanent Secretary, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

Simon Fraser

Permanent Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The lack of a senior responsible owner for the West Coast Rail franchise project was the “biggest problem” behind the failure of the bidding process, Sam Laidlaw told the House of Commons Transport Committee yesterday.