Energy & Environment

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 Lowcock, permanent secretary of the Department for International Development, 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. Stephen Lovegrove, permanent secretary of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc), takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...

This year marks the 150th anniversary of state veterinary service. For the UK’s chief veterinary officer Nigel Gibbens, it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on the achievements of his profession, and consider what lies ahead in the ever-changing role of a government vet

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. Clare Moriarty, permanent secretary of the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs round-up series...

Department "must prioritise front-line work like flood protection" as it reduces its resource spending, environment committee says

"We don’t have the right policies to meet 2020 targets," Amber Rudd tells MPs

National Audit Office asked by MPs to check whether Spending Review cuts are taking account of the environment

Shaun Kingsbury tells the Environmental Audit Committee that time is right to hand coalition-era bank to the private sector – but E3G warns against “rushed privatisation”

Natural England's chief executive James Cross reflects on his first year in the job – and says the agency's reforms show environmental protection doesn't have to be at odds with economic growth

Amber Rudd defends "incredibly important department" as Tory backbencher says merger with Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) being considered

Environment secretary Liz Truss has hailed Defra’s new Open Data Initiative as the biggest ever "data give-away" by government. But what will it mean in practice? Mark Rowe reports

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs appoints Emma Howard Boyd to agency

Energy secretary Amber Rudd calls time on household energy efficiency scheme

The countryside and climate change were strangely absent from the election campaign and the Queen’s Speech. Why – and what does this mean for DECC, Defra and the governance of the environment? Mark Rowe reports

Spending watchdog finds problems with department's administration of Common Agricultural Policy payments

Cabinet Office announces that Hill – Defra's perm sec since 2011 – will be succeeded by the DfT's Clare Moriarty

Business secretary tells MPs that flagship coalition project will be moved out of the public sector to allow it to borrow more and "grow its business"

John Whittingdale to lead culture department, Amber Rudd gets energy and Sajid Javid moves to BIS, as post-election reshuffle continues

If we are serious about creating a sustainable future, we must make Whitehall fit for the challenge, says environmental policy analyst and former government adviser Duncan Brack

Farming body Rural Payments Agency shelves £154m IT payments system due to performance problems  

Former environment secretary (2010-12) talks to Civil Service World about her best and worst experiences of working with the civil service, clearing her desk post-reshuffle, and why she believes Whitehall training could be boosted by secondment to the private or voluntary sectors

Four new members appointed to Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Scotland protected from full shock of drop in oil prices by economic and financial union of UK