Justice & Home Affairs

MPs says there is concern over FCO's focus in spite of boost for human rights spending – but the department says human rights will "always be a central part of our diplomacy"

Jane Marriott, previously director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, is to head up a new counter-terror unit

Government Outcomes Lab being set up in partnership with Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government​ in a bid to assess the impact of outcome-based commissioning ​schemes

Budget document emphasises plan to "move civil servants out of expensive Whitehall accommodation", with Ministry of Justice looking to set up "centres of expertise outside the capital"

"We take all allegations of impropriety extremely seriously," says justice minister Andrew Selous

Burns Commission on Freedom of Information sides against charges for FOI requests, but calls for greater clarity on protecting policy-making

Public pending watchdog finds delays in the justice system because of “basic avoidable mistakes” and says reform alone will not tackle all “causes of inefficiency"

BT examines the role of IT in the future delivery of justice.

£23.2m contract to develop a new generation of GPS tags scrapped because it has proved “too challenging”. The MoJ tells CSW it still expects to see benefits of spending to date on the deal

Former Border Force head Tony Smith sets out scale of the challenge Brexit would pose to management of Britain's borders

Campaigners argued legal aid changes, ruled unlawful by the Court of Appeal, meant domestic violence victims were being forced to “face their abuser”. The MoJ says it will "carefully consider" the findings

The former permanent secretary of the Ministry of Justice – and before that the Ministry of Defence – looks back on her Whitehall career over lunch with CSW editor Jess Bowie

With responsibility for policing, immigration, borders and countering extremism, Mark Sedwill certainly has a lot on his plate. The Home Office permanent secretary talks to Matt Foster about the power of events, the drive to improve staff morale – and why the department’s “policy-heavy” headquarters are in line for a shake-up

Home Office's top official tells CSW his ongoing review of the core department will see its headquarters "delayered" and its "management structures simplified" in a bid to better to support the frontline and learn from other departments

Contract renewed for two years as investigations into Libor scandals continue

Prime minister unveils moves to scrap declaration of criminal convictions in initial application stage - as Whitehall's new chief people officer Rupert McNeil stresses that safety checks will remain in place

Prison performance will be subject to greater transparency, David Cameron set to say, while governors will be handed greater control over the education of inmates

Probation officers and other civil service roles could be subject to greater management from police and crime commissioners as part of measures to promote integration and information sharing, home secretary Theresa May has said.

Nick Hardwick – who clashed with the MoJ over spending controls – is to become chair of the Parole Board

Minister says longstanding errors with online documents could have affected 2,200 divorce settlements

MoJ's top official says falling out with prisons inspector was the result of spending controls introduced "in some haste" to tackle department's overspend

MPs warn Whitehall to up its game on delivering trans equality for staff and citizens

Justice secretary confirms Peter Clarke and Dame Glenys Stacy to head up respective prisons and probation watchdogs 

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. Melanie Dawes, permanent secretary of the Department for Communities and Local Government, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs' round-up series...