Energy & Environment

Publication of the strategy comes after court challenge to set out plans

Paul Caldwell confirmed as permanent head of troubled Defra distribution arm

Open-spaces campaign group says just-launched database falls short of Conservative Party’s 2015 manifesto pledge

Institute for Government says High Speed 1 rail link and Thames Tideway tunnel are among projects where government may have made the wrong investment decision

National Audit Office says department did not look carefully enough at other ways to fund new nuclear plant

Martin Stanley recalls his own shift into the world of watchdogs and introduces his new ‘Understanding Regulation’ website

Environmental campaigners seek High Court review of clean air proposals and consultation

Government is considering a scrappage scheme for more polluting cars, draft strategy reveals

Move will free the institution from public sector ownership, says minister

Untangling the UK’s complicated relationship with European environmental policies and subsidies could be the hardest part of leaving the EU. Mark Rowe reports

Outgoing Food Standards Agency chief executive Catherine Brown believed she had a job with a low media profile until the horse meat scandal raced over the horizon. She tells Mark Smulian about the changes she has made in the department over the last five years and her plans for the future

Department also pledges to develop new agriculture and land use plans ahead of Brexit

Compensation to firms hits nearly £100m due to botched deal, says business secretary Greg Clark

New department says £125k role will focus on developing its “underpinning foundations”, building values and forming its culture

Longstanding top scientist at the environment department heading for the exit, in move Defra says comes at "natural end" of his fixed term

After the merger of DECC and BIS, the new Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy's permanent secretary Alex Chisholm tells CSW that his department's low ranking for "organisational objectives and purpose" will be addressed in the next Civil Service People Survey

Former Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs perm sec Bronwyn Hill tells CSW that Brexit offers the chance to rethink UK's rural subsidy system

Report on full impact of delays with Common Agricultural Policy funds distribution says UK taxpayers will be left with £642m in penalties 

Watchdog cites failure to get Treasury agreement for scheme's lifetime funding as contributing factor to the cancellation of a £100m competition

With the end of 2016 fast approaching, we asked the UK's top officials to look back at the year, outline their goals for 2017 – and shed some light on their festive favourites. Nigel Clifford, chief executive of Ordnance Survey takes part in our annual perm secs round-up...

With the end of 2016 fast approaching, we asked the UK's top officials to look back at the year, outline their goals for 2017 – and shed some light on their festive favourites. Permanent secretary, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

With the end of 2016 fast approaching, we asked the UK's top civil servants to look back at the year, outline their goals for 2017 – and shed some light on their festive favourites.Clare Moriarty, permanent secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs takes part in our annual perm secs round-up​

Climate sceptics were jubilant when Theresa May announced the end of a dedicated climate change department. But, as Professor Sam Fankhauser of the Grantham Research Institute argues, bringing together the teams working to cut carbon with those drawing up industrial policy could be a smart move 

Martin Donnelly and Alex Chisholm leading the newly-created department as joint permanent secretaries