Leadership

Ministers keep talking about hammering down public sector terms to private sector levels, while dreaming up new exemptions in order to compete

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. Graham Farrant, chief executive of the Land Registry, 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. Una O’Brien, permanent secretary at the Department of Health, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs round-up series...

Pressure on Care Quality Commission resources is showing through report errors, say MPs, as CQC chief David Behan (pictured) says regulator has been "working hard to improve"

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. Sir Simon McDonald, permanent secretary of the Foreign and Commonwealth 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. John Pullinger, UK National Statistician and head of the Government Statistical Service, 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. Sally Collier, chief executive of the Crown Commercial Service, takes part in our biggest-ever perm secs round-up series...

Furious online reaction to Spending Review blog prompts response by cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood and civil service chief executive John Manzoni – with the pair emphasising areas where civil service is more flexible than the private sector

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. Robert Devereux, permanent secretary of the Department for Work and Pensions, 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. Alex Aiken, executive director of government communications, kicks off our perm secs round-up series...

Vince Cable, Chris Huhne, Andrew Mitchell, Caroline Spelman and more provide the Institute for Government with their views on their officials, the Whitehall machine, and dealing with the centre of government

Cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood pays tribute to the prime minister’s late principal private secretary Chris Martin, a remarkable official who embodied the enduring values of the civil service he loved