Cabinet Office and FCDO ‘grappling’ over China policy, says ex-perm sec
19 Mar 2021 Economy
Cabinet Office and FCDO ‘grappling’ over China policy, says ex-perm sec
Simon McDonald tells committee departments each have claim to lead on UK approach to world’s second-largest economy
Public services 'face second dose of austerity' to meet Sunak's spending cuts
18 Mar 2021 Economy
Public services 'face second dose of austerity' to meet Sunak's spending cuts
Chancellor’s spending plans "even tighter than they first appeared”, IFS warns
DCMS urged to speed up pandemic aid payments to arts and heritage sector
15 Mar 2021 Economy
DCMS urged to speed up pandemic aid payments to arts and heritage sector
National Audit Office says less than half of £1bn in grant funding earmarked for allocation via the government’s Culture Recovery Fund has so-far been paid out
Levelling up fund: criteria used to prioritise areas for cash 'baffling' and 'odd'
12 Mar 2021 Economy
Levelling up fund: criteria used to prioritise areas for cash 'baffling' and 'odd'
Employment, travel and productivity metrics questioned, and deprivation measures notably absent
Kwarteng scraps Industrial Strategy Council and hints at BEIS rebrand
05 Mar 2021 Economy
Kwarteng scraps Industrial Strategy Council and hints at BEIS rebrand
Business secretary tells members move will "mark a departure from the industrial strategy brand"
Sunak urged to use Budget to reverse pay freeze plan
02 Mar 2021 Economy
Sunak urged to use Budget to reverse pay freeze plan
PCS union says economic cost of Covid “shouldn’t fall on public sector workers’ shoulders“
Treasury finds extra £800m to make Levelling Up Fund UK-wide
25 Feb 2021 Economy
Treasury finds extra £800m to make Levelling Up Fund UK-wide
Cash added to £4bn for “priority local infrastructure” in England set out in November’s Spending Review
Most departments are failing to hit apprenticeship targets, Labour Party claims
15 Feb 2021 Economy
Most departments are failing to hit apprenticeship targets, Labour Party claims
Parliamentary data shows new trainee numbers across the whole economy were down more than a quarter year-on-year between August and October
MPs demand all departments ‘actively analyse’ equality in new policies
09 Feb 2021 Economy
MPs demand all departments ‘actively analyse’ equality in new policies
Report says ministers “overlooked” skewed gender impacts of coronavirus support packages in rush to react to pandemic
Covid has 'complicated' levelling-up agenda, IFS study finds
05 Feb 2021 Economy
Covid has 'complicated' levelling-up agenda, IFS study finds
Pandemic has created new unemployment hotspots and extra pressures for local-authority services
Covid support: ministers could easily help 1.5m ‘excluded’ self-employed people, IFS says
27 Jan 2021 Economy
Covid support: ministers could easily help 1.5m ‘excluded’ self-employed people, IFS says
Think tank says ending “clear injustices” in coronavirus Self-Employment Income Support Scheme would cost a fraction of the £21bn spent so far
Ministers refuse to share MHCLG advice on controversial Towns Fund cash
19 Jan 2021 Economy
Ministers refuse to share MHCLG advice on controversial Towns Fund cash
Public Accounts Committee demanded sight of accounting officer approval confirming ministers' picks for £3.6bn scheme met Managing Public Money requirements
HMRC pledges to publish more data on unpaid tax
15 Jan 2021 Economy
HMRC pledges to publish more data on unpaid tax
But government rejects MPs’ call for sector breakdowns and a headline uncertainty figure
Sunak warns ‘badly damaged’ public finances ‘will need repair’
12 Jan 2021 Economy
Sunak warns ‘badly damaged’ public finances ‘will need repair’
Chancellor suggests he will not use March Budget to spend nation out of economic doldrums
Treasury ‘risks wasting money’ by allowing Covid schemes to cushion Brexit
06 Jan 2021 Economy
Treasury ‘risks wasting money’ by allowing Covid schemes to cushion Brexit
IfG urges Rishi Sunak to avoid propping up companies that will not survive EU exit with pandemic aid
2021 will be tougher than 2020 for many, think tank warns
04 Jan 2021 Economy
2021 will be tougher than 2020 for many, think tank warns
Resolution Foundation says Treasury must prepare for economy to be 6% smaller than OBR prediction by Easter
Regional inequality worsening in the north despite 'levelling-up' agenda
07 Dec 2020 Economy
Regional inequality worsening in the north despite 'levelling-up' agenda
IPPR North says coronavirus has worsened inequality and sets tests for progress
Brexit: barriers to trade deal remain as talks enter final stages
07 Dec 2020 Economy
Brexit: barriers to trade deal remain as talks enter final stages
Negotiations have resumed ahead of call between prime minister Boris Johnson and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen later
Treasury drafts in former British Land chief to set up infrastructure bank
07 Dec 2020 Economy
Treasury drafts in former British Land chief to set up infrastructure bank
Chris Grigg appointed as ‘interim senior adviser’ to help establish new investment body, which will be based in the north of England
DWP jobs boost confirmed in Spending Review
25 Nov 2020 Economy
DWP jobs boost confirmed in Spending Review
Rishi Sunak provides funds to double number of work coaches in £1.4bn coronavirus support uplift
Civil service braces for new pay woe in Spending Review
24 Nov 2020 Economy
Civil service braces for new pay woe in Spending Review
Downing Street briefs that prime minister opposes planned £3k rise for MPs in light of mooted public-sector freeze
Four-year MoD settlement ‘not decided in a vacuum’, insists Treasury perm sec
20 Nov 2020 Economy
Four-year MoD settlement ‘not decided in a vacuum’, insists Treasury perm sec
Tom Scholar tells MPs preparation work for delayed integrated review of defence, security and foreign affairs fed into multi-year funding boost
MHCLG ‘jeopardised civil service impartiality’ with £3.6bn Towns Fund, say MPs
11 Nov 2020 Economy
MHCLG ‘jeopardised civil service impartiality’ with £3.6bn Towns Fund, say MPs
MPs say lack of transparency raises concerns choice of places invited to bid was “politically motivated”
MPs call on Sunak to reveal economic impact assessment of Covid-19 measures
03 Nov 2020 Economy
MPs call on Sunak to reveal economic impact assessment of Covid-19 measures
Treasury Select Committee seeks data briefed to SAGE as Labour demands end to last-minute policy scrambles